Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Aimbotz is back in CS2, here’s how to play it
William Davis
Aimbotz is the most legendary aim training map in Counter-Strike, but how does it stack up in CS2? Any Counter-Strike player worth their salt knows about aim training, and Aimbotz has always been one of the best places to start. The simple map has everything a player needs to start training their aim, and the massive list of settings and options will keep them around for hundreds of hours. Unfortunately, …
Counter-Strike
CS2 players happy with VAC Live after it bans cheaters mid-game
Fariha Bhatti
In a first, Counter-Strike player are happy with Valve and VAC Live. Sharing videos of live penalties, CS2 players are praising the new anti-cheat for actually working. The tales of cheating in CSGO are plenty. Unfortunately, Valve never fixed the cheating problem in CSGO in a way that players wanted, but CS2 is different. According to the community, the game still has hackers at the highest level, but VAC has …
Counter-Strike
cadiaN out of Heroic, is the legendary IGL retired?
William Davis
Longtime Heroic captain Casper “cadiaN” Møller has left the squad’s active roster, leading many longtime CS fans to think he’s retired from competitive play. Heroic is one of Counter-Strike’s most storied rosters. The streaky squad is known for pulling off big upsets while also falling victim to them, but the team’s heart has always been cadiaN. The outspoken captain has led the team to a dozen championships since joining in …
Counter-Strike
IEM Sydney 2023 Event Guide: Dates, Team List, And Schedule
William Davis
The release of CS2 has caused all of us Counter-Strike fans to look back at the history of its predecessor, Global Offensive, with much more nostalgia than before. For CS:GO fans, the likes of Cologne and Katowice have both had their swan song farewell tours and now it is the turn for another much-beloved destination: Sydney. One of the all-time favourite venues, renowned for its outlandish stage events and some …
Counter-Strike
These are the best CS2 video settings used by top pros
Fariha Bhatti
Valve is still ironing out the remaining kinks in CS2 as players discover ideal video settings to enjoy the game. Counter-Strike 2 is garnering positive reviews worldwide due to its clean gameplay, shorter matches, and competitive leaderboard system. However, your old settings won’t transfer to CS2, and there’s a chance that some complex commands in your CFG won’t work either. If you have a low-end PC, it’s recommended to keep …
Counter-Strike
Valve will now punish cheaters and their friends in CS2
Fariha Bhatti
Did you ever find it annoying that a cheater could boost a clean friend and get away with a ban on a Smurf account? That may not happen in CS2, thanks to the “associate penalty.” Cheating is a pest, but cheaters who boost their friends are the worst of them all. Players often would activate third-party software on spare accounts to boost their friends and get away with a slap …
News
CS2 Missing Executable error: How to fix
Fariha Bhatti
Are you eager to play Counter-Strike 2, but there’s an annoying “Missing Executable” error between you and CS2? Here’s how to fix it. CS2 is officially out after months of teasers, rumors, and reports. It plays smoothly, has a cut-throat Premier mode, and a leaderboard that would push the best players to do better than Global Elite. However, many have reported a common Missing Executable error preventing CS2 from being …
Counter-Strike
How to reduce lag and ping issues in CS2
William Davis
CS2 has just released, so naturally, players have highlighted many flaws. However, some lag issues are unrelated to development and servers. Here are some ways to reduce lag in CS2. Counter-Strike 2 release is in full swing, with thousands of lucky players enjoying early access. Essentially, CS2 is highly entertaining and cut-throat, but lag can squeeze the fun out of the game. Fortunately, it’s not inevitable and can be reduced …
Does CSGO Prime status transfer to CS2?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
CS2 has finally arrived, but did your Prime status come along for the ride? For Global Offensive grinders, Prime status has been around for so long that you may have forgotten the impact it has. However, the Prime upgrade for sale on the Counter-Strike 2 Steam page may be an unexpected reminder. With CS2 out and millions of players transitioning, keeping their premium status has suddenly become a concern. Here’s …
CS2 is officially out, here’s how to download it
William Davis
Counter-Strike
CS2 is out, and you may already have the download complete if you haven’t checked yet. Valve has been teasing Counter-Strike 2 hard for months. Ever since the initial announcement, fans of the franchise have been equally excited and scared of what the next installment will be. While the new mechanics and engine change have already been largely explored in the beta, the official launch is a chance for everyone …
Counter-Strike 2 is finally out after endless hints
Olivia Richman
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike 2 is officially out. Valve has officially revealed that CS2 is out in a Twitter post. It was met with applause from the competitive community, especially after months and months of hinting and speculation. https://twitter.com/CounterStrike/status/1707133016345338334?s=20 Valve has just dropped a brand new trailer for CS2, including the iconic CS 1.6 main menu and gameplay on an old, dated setup. The video is pretty emotional for old-timers who have long …
Who is ManeschijnX? Counter-Strike pro accused of cheating
Olivia Richman
Counter-Strike
A cheating scandal in the Counter-Strike community has resulted in yet another female pro leaving GamerLegion Prism. Luna “ManeschijinX” Akkermans is the latest pro to quit the CSGO team after drama has continued to plague the org. Just a few days ago, fellow teammate Chloe “KittyTM” Geaney was removed from the team when she was accused of sending racist messages before the team was signed to GamerLegion. Now, ManeschijinX has …
How to see your FACEIT Replay for CSGO
William Davis
Counter-Strike
FACEIT Replay is giving CSGO players a look back on their accomplishments throughout the game’s historic life cycle. CS2 is approaching fast, with a potential release date scheduled for tomorrow. With Global Offensive now in its sunset hours, matchmaking service FACEIT is giving players a chance to review their time with the Source 1 version of the tactical shooter. Here’s how to check out your won FACEIT Replay and compare …
How do Premier ranks and CS Rating work in CS2?
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Valve has completely overhauled how ranks and progress work in CS2. Here’s all you need to know about Premier ranks and CS Rating. CS2 may look the same as CSGO, but it’s essentially a completely different game. From the round length to rank up criteria, everything has changed. Still, old-timers may quickly adapt to the new rank changes, but Premier mode is unique for all. Fret not. Keep reading if …
How to make a jumpthrow bind in CS2
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Jumpthrow is a necessary bind in CSGO, but the changes in CS2 have helped bring it to pros and casual players alike. Counter-Strike is a game of details. Grenade lineups are scoffed at by newer players, but anyone with some experience can tell you that they are a very necessary evil. Being able to smoke off key areas like Xbox on Dust 2 or stairs on Mirage is a rite …
2 ways to see your FPS in Counter-Strike 2
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike 2 may have changed the game, but FPS is still the king of Valve’s tactical shooter. CS2 is here to stay, with an imminent release just around the corner. Valve is putting the final touches on the game in anticipation of the official release, and creature comforts like an in-game FPS counter are obvious inclusions. If you’re looking to monitor your computer’s performance in the fancy Source 2 engine, …
What are the system requirements for Counter-Strike 2?
Olivia Richman
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike 2 is rumored to be coming any day now. With some big updates and upgrades since Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, here is what we know so far about the PC requirements to run Valve’s latest shooter. It’s been about a decade since CSGO came out. At this point, FPS players are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Counter-Strike 2 after years of rumors and secretive release dates. The upgraded graphics, reduced …
shroud says CS2 is “easier” than Valorant
Olivia Richman
Counter-Strike
FPS star Michael “shroud” Grzesiek has boldly claimed that Valorant is now the “number one” first person shooter right now. shroud has a long history as a top FPS player, starting as a Counter-Strike pro at the beginning of his career. He competed for five years before retiring and becoming a full-time streamer. His content largely focuses on his FPS prowess, ranging from Apex Legends to Valorant to Counter-Strike. He …
KennyS says CS2 is unplayable ahead of potential release
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Legendary player Kenny “KennyS” Schrub thinks Counter-Strike 2 is far from perfect, a week ahead of the potential release. A few critics have pinpointed faults in CS2, calling out Valve for poor development and flaws in a game that used to be near-perfect. Now, KennyS has joined the conversation, claiming that CS2 is unplayable in its current state. Taking to X, the former CS pro shared a video where his …
CS2 social media hints at release date next week
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The release date for CS2 may be sooner than expected, as Valve has started trolling players on social media. The promised summer release of Counter-Strike 2 has been all but broken, and while Valve has opened up beta access and added tons to the client, the final release was still a mystery. Until now, that is, as Valve’s social media team has all but confirmed a release date for the …
Counter-Strike has long been among the biggest titles in esports and competitive gaming, even going back to esports’ deepest roots from decades past. What’s more, the game continues going strong today, with developer and publisher Valve releasing the latest iteration of the franchise in 2023. The newest version, Counter-Strike 2, has not been without its issues. But its popularity continues the enduring prominence of the Counter-Strike series, signaling that the venerated franchise is likely here to stay for many years yet to come.
But how did the franchise come be to so prominent in the esports space, and role does CS2 have to play in the industry moving forward?
Counter-Strike has roots in the beginnings of esports
Counter-Strike was unquestionably one of the biggest drivers of what we would today consider to be early professional esports movement. It was far from alone, and it wasn’t the most advanced. That likely was StarCraft: Brood War, a real-time strategy game from famed developer Blizzard that caught on in South Korea and led to a professional scene in the country well ahead of any examples of esports industry elsewhere in the world.
But outside of Korea, Counter-Strike quickly became the driving force behind competitive gaming and esports. First released in 1999 as a modification for popular first-person shooter Half-Life, the game was easy to pick up and play for many gamers. Half-Life was borderline ubiquitous software for gamers with a PC, and adding a mod to it was as simple as downloading and applying said mod. So it was that Counter-Strike began to catch fire and spread across the world.
As it spread, so too did its competitive play. Early competitions often centered around online play, most prominently including the Cyberathlete Amateur League (CAL) in North America and the Clanbase Eurocup in Europe. But live, in-person tournaments, similar to those enjoyed by StarCraft players and fans in Korea, were also rising in prominence.
Within just a few years, there were a number of major annual tournaments being held for the original version of Counter-Strike. Notable international tournament organizers included the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) in the United States, the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC) in France, and the World Cyber Games (WCG) in Korea. This was in addition to many other regional tournaments through which teams could test their mettle and battle over smaller prizes.
But even at bigger tournaments, prizes weren’t what they are today, and in general there was far less money available to professional Counter-Strike players than there is in today’s thriving esports industry which sees many players and teams playing at the full-time pro level. That’s a far cry from a time when perhaps a small handful of players were able to make a true living through playing CS alone, and even them, it was often a modest one.
Counter-Strike 2 at the fore of a bigger esports scene than ever before
Counter-Strike 2 was released to a far different esports space than that which the original Counter-Strike occupied. But what exactly is it that has changed the scene so much, besides the accrual of years?
Esports betting is at the top of the list. The sports betting industry is growing and expanding around the world each and every year, and esports has absolutely been a part of that. As esports betting continues to grow and thrive, it brings its benefits to the games that are being bet on. And Counter-Strike 2 is at the top of that list.
These benefits have arrived through a myriad of means. Fan interest in tournaments has gone up and become more consistent with betting markets available for each and every game played, which further incentivizes tournament organizers and their sponsoring partners. But those partners are also now more likely to work with the pro teams and players themselves. Betting operators are among the most common and most generous sponsors in the pro CS2 space, showing how esports betting’s rise has contributed to Counter-Strike’s continued prominence in esports and competitive gaming as a whole.
