Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Will CSGO still be playable during Counter-Strike 2?
William Davis
It may seem silly to keep playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive when Counter-Strike 2 drops this summer, but there are plenty of valid reasons to keep it around. Counter-Strike 2 has the CSGO community popping off with every new detail, announcement, and bug. However, the limited beta test still isn’t playable for the majority of fans, leaving them stuck in CSGO. While everyone is clamoring to test the new maps and …
Counter-Strike
Valve announces first major tournament for Counter-Strike 2
William Davis
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive had a good run, but Valve has already confirmed a Counter-Strike 2 major before the game has even released. Pro and casual players alike are loving the new features in Counter-Strike 2. From reactive smokes to subtick servers, community response has been almost entirely positive. This is great news for the game’s esports scene, which will take full advantage of the new tricks possible in Source 2. …
Counter-Strike
How to get Counter-Strike 2 — Release date, beta access
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike 2 beta has begun, with select lucky players getting early access. But the rest of us won’t have to wait for long as Counter-Strike 2 release date draws closer. Valve peeled the curtains of the hotly-anticipated Counter-Strike 2 on March 23, opening limited beta access soon after the announcement. Unfortunately, there’s no way to apply for access. Instead, Valve’s system would randomly pick active CSGO players. Those who didn’t …
Counter-Strike
Even Neymar is begging for Counter-Strike 2 access
William Davis
Counter-Strike 2 has entered an extremely exclusive limited beta test, and star Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar da Silva Santos, Jr. isn’t happy about it. Valve has laid out its criteria for how to join the CS2 limited beta test, and, at first glance, it seems fairly easy to get in. All players have to do is have an account in good standing and some recent hours on Valve servers. However, …
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike 2 will have meta-shaking smokes and a sub-tick system
William Davis
Counter-Strike 2 will make major adjustments to the standard tactical gameplay, with smokes and a new sub-tick server system being the biggest change of them all. March 22, 2023, will be one of the most important dates in Counter-Strike history. Valve has revealed a ton of details about the secret new project, including massive changes to maps and rendering. However, CSGO grinders are most likely excited about the changes to …
Counter-Strike
How to join the Counter-Strike 2 limited beta test
William Davis
Valve is hosting a limited beta test for Counter-Strike 2, but getting in isn’t as easy as many fans had hoped. Valve has finally spilled the beans on Counter-Strike 2 with a slew of major announcements on March 22, 2023. In the middle of all the exciting smoke grenades and rendering changes, the developer also revealed that the new game version will come with a special testing period before its …
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike 2 is officially here
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike 2 has officially been announced, and it looks like a dream. Valve has lifted the curtain on Counter-Strike 2, and the community can’t keep calm. The new Source 2 game looks clean, sleek, and smooth. The Counter-Strike 2 visuals are eye-catching, but that’s not what stands out the most. Instead, Valve has announced jaw-dropping updates that will rope all FPS players back to Counter-Strike. The game’s new features will …
Counter-Strike
Valve teases fans with potential Counter-Strike 2 logo
Fariha Bhatti
Wake up, gamers! A new Counter-Strike 2 banner has dropped. If you thought Valve was done teasing, you were wrong. The developer of this decade’s best FPS recently posted a new Twitter banner with five shooters. Many inferred that the shooters are a nod to the four Counter-Strike installments released so far, with the fifth shooter hinting at the upcoming Source 2 port. Others speculated that the developer would change …
How to convert your sensitivity between CSGO and Valorant
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
Valorant is a unique game, but it has a lot in common with Valve’s own FPS Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Both games have similar core gameplay, which is great because now you can convert your CSGO sensitivity to Valorant. Valorant and CSGO have a lot in common, but both shooters are unique in their own way. While CSGO players may have difficulty adjusting to Valorant’s agent abilities, most FPS skills easily …
How old is CSGO? Source 2 would be a much-needed refresh
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the oldest esports, but nailing its exact age is tricker than you may expect. CSGO is a pillar of online gaming. The tactical shooter continues to set new player count records more than a decade into its release, with more players joining than leaving every day. This is largely due to rumors about a long-awaited engine transfer to Source 2, but it is still …
This monster Wild Lotus AK-47 just sold for $160,000
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Another monstrous skin sale has rocked the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive community, with one collector paying the price of a college education for an AK-47. When it comes to variety, the AK-47 is the king in CSGO. It has a ton of awesome skins, and the weapons’ iconic status can push their prices sky-high. A new god-tier skin has now entered the pantheon with the official sale of an AK-47 | …
Here’s the potential Counter-Strike 2 release date
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Valve is still tight-lipped about Counter-Strike 2, but leakers are grasping at straws to know more. Thanks to relentless data miners, we might have a potential release date for Source 2. Counter-Strike 2 is rumored to be released around April 1. But, all reports should be taken with a grain of salt until Valve attests them. Unfortunately, the official CSGO account has nothing to say besides the Office memes. It’s …
Get a free demo review from Karrigan on Skin.Club
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Skin.Club, one of the biggest Counter-Strike: Global Offensive case opening sites worldwide, has partnered with FaZe Clan captain and newly-awarded IGL of the Year Finn “Karrigan” Andersen. The skin website has announced the relaunch of Karrigan Reviews, a contest where fans can earn a demo review from one of CSGO’s most decorated players. Two winners can submit a gameplay demo for Karrigan to watch every month. He provides feedback and …
Shroud says CSGO is “four times harder” than Valorant
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Twitch streamer Michael “shroud” Grzesiek is known as the king of FPS, and he thinks CSGO is the superior game when it comes to mechanics. Valorant’s release in 2020 saw hundreds of players bid farewell to CSGO. shroud and Tarik “tarik” Celik were the most notable streamers to switch games due to their storied legacy in CSGO. Both former top professional players had started streaming Valorant, with shroud briefly dabbling …
Did a wild tweet from KennyS just confirm Source 2?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Source 2 is confirmed, at least according to AWP superstar Kenny “kennyS” Schrub. Source 2 rumors are running wild for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, with constant game updates and leaked information flying left and right. In the middle of it all, a social media post from a well-respected player threw even more fuel into the fire. KennyS, of all players, has attempted to spoil the release of Source 2 CSGO with …
These are the best weapon skins in CSGO in 2023
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
FPS games are many, but no one does skins like Valve. CSGO has hundreds of exquisite skins that are sold for a substantial amount, and we have cherry-picked the best skins in 2023. CSGO has velvety smooth gameplay and a legacy that speaks of its greatness. But its market is running a whole different game. Traders and skin collectors spend millions daily to grab the sought-after items that go rare …
This is the best CSGO case to open in 2023
William Davis
Counter-Strike
It’s never financially wise to open Counter-Strike: Global Offensive crates, but the thrill of opening a high-tier StatTrak™ never gets old. CSGO cases are infamous for having a very low return on investment, but that doesn’t stop people from opening them anyway. It’s the only way to get brand-new skins, and there’s always a chance of opening something incredible. If you plan to go on a case-opening spree in CSGO, …
CSGO skin AK47 Wild Lotus sells for whopping $160,000
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin market is thriving, with another rare AK47 skin sells at $160,000. According to data miners, one of the primary reasons behind the Source 2 port was the CSGO skin market. The CSGO inventory is crammed with skins worth millions of dollars, with traders spending big bucks every day. The recent AK47 trade is an excellent example of the CSGO market’s high value. An AK47 deal …
CSGO pro s1mple says Counter-Strike 2 is just a prank
Fariha Bhatti
News
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive icon Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev has poured cold water on the Source 2 hype, claiming it’s all bait. If you’re an avid FPS fan, you’re probably aware of the Counter-Strike 2 rumors, a hotly-anticipated Source 2 port. Since Richard Lewis broke the news, players have been at the edge, eagerly waiting for the new version to hit their Steam stores. However, no solid news has come from Valve …
CSGO breaks all-time high player count record amid Source 2 rumors
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
2023 is the year of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Now, Valve’s FPS has hit 1.4 million concurrent players for the first time in a decade. CSGO is having an incredible year. Even without significant updates, the game continues to hit new records. Earlier, CSGO hit 1,354,248 concurrent players, a new peak player count. Naturally, players were excited, but Valve’s FPS is just getting started. The decade-old game is aiming for new …
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.
