Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
“We want revenge against Outsiders”: Jabbi interview at Katowice
William Davis
Jakob “Jabbi” Nygaard of Heroic shared his thoughts on the evolving metagame of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive at IEM Katowice 2023. Jabbi may still be the newest member of Heroic, but the 19-year-old star rifler plays his role with confidence. Heroic is entering the playoffs of IEM Katowice 2023 with a guaranteed top-four finish. Along the way, Jabbi has earned the best stats of any player at the event. Jabbi reveals …
Counter-Strike
“We’ll take whoever’s winning”: cadiaN at IEM Katowice 2023
William Davis
In our exclusive interview, Heroic captain Casper “cadiaN” Møller opens up on at IEM Katowice 2023. Heroic was expected to go far in Katowice, and the squad has already secured a top-six finish. After sweeping the group stage, the Danish team is slated to compete against the winner of Natus Vincere and Outsiders in the semi-finals. WIN.gg caught up with in-game leader cadiaN, who graciously answered questions on his Heroic …
Counter-Strike
CSGO Revolution Case: All the new skins and golds
William Davis
After more than seven months with no new skins, the Revolution Case is here to end the drought in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. CSGO began setting a new record for the longest time between case releases in late 2022, with nothing new for more than 220 days after the Recoil Case dropped. Now that dry spell has finally ended with the release of the Revolution case. This new set of skins …
Counter-Strike
CSGO player count in 2023: Is it still popular?
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the oldest FPS games out there. Still, it’s going strong with a solid player count in 2023. The FPS industry is saturated with new titles that get popular quickly but lose relevance after a year or so. However, in a herd of fads, CSGO is one game that has remained popular for over a decade. In 2023, the game has a massive fanbase that …
Counter-Strike
How to get rid of bots in CSGO with console commands
William Davis
There are a lot of bots in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and we’re not just talking about the ones on your team in matchmaking. A big part of developing your CSGO skills is finally opening up offline matches to practice lineups, movements, and map awareness. An empty version of Mirage or Vertigo is the ideal training ground for learning new smokes or practicing tricky jumps. However, it can be difficult to …
Counter-Strike
How to play CSGO Unblocked in 2023?
William Davis
Counter-Strike is arguably the most popular first-person shooter in history. The game was released in 2000, with multiple versions being released through the years. Like any good game, it had some copycats, including CSGO Unblocked, a simple take on the classic. CSGO continues to be one of the most popular shooter games. According to reports from Steam, CSGO had a peak of 1,065,079 simultaneous active players during December of 2022. …
Counter-Strike
CSGO is back on top after crossing 1 million players on Steam
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is not your seasonal FPS game, recent statistics prove. Valve’s labor of love is back on top, at least viewership-wise. CSGO has seen many competitors over the years, with people comparing the game with almost every new FPS title. However, the game has held its own, despite modern shooters. Still, fans and haters are both quick to count CSGO out of the competition, and each time the …
Counter-Strike
Summit1g molotov remix will be your new CSGO DM track
Fariha Bhatti
Summit1g molotov memes have kept the iconic clutch fail alive after six years. Now, a DJ has rolled out summit1g remix with scratching. If you’re an old-timer in Counter-Strike: Global Offfensive, you must know about the worst play of the decade. The Jaryd “summit1g” Lazar clutch fail has been immortalized by meme makers and fans. Dedicated CSGO fans are serious about their memes and history, which is why 1G still …
Everything we know about s1mple’s CSGO settings in 2023
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Oleksandr Kostyliev, also known as s1mple, is one of the best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players in history. In 2022, s1mple won PC Player of the Year at the Esports Awards. This is just another trophy to add to his overflowing case. It is fair to say that no one knows the game like him, and the CSGO settings used by s1mple reflect his expertise in the game. s1mple started his …
Valorant beats CSGO as the most-watched game in 2022
Fariha Bhatti
Valorant
The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive versus Valorant discussions had (thankfully) died down, but stats have stirred gossip, showing that Riot’s FPS was better than Valve’s in viewership. You can’t have two kings in the same territory. CSGO and Valorant have proven that. The fan wars are as old as Valorant itself. Since 2020, keyboard warriors have been defending their favorite FPS game. Is it Valorant or CSGO? The debate never settled. …
Here’s why CSGO will get a new operation in 2023
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players are chomping at the bit for a new operation in 2023, and Valve will probably deliver. Here’s why. Operation Riptide, with all of its fancy agent skins and golden AK-47s, feels like it debuted ages ago despite its actual release date in November 2021. Many CSGO fans are starting to feel like a new operation is due, and the timeline for releases definitely supports that idea. …
Best CSGO pro crosshair codes for MM grind in 2023
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is unlike any other shooter game. You must have a crisp aim and a sharp brain to emerge as the winner — nothing else matters. For this reason, it’s essential to arm yourself with the best crosshair code. CSGO’s Official Matchmaking isn’t always a pleasant experience. Sweaty-ranked demons don’t make it easier to break into higher MMR. Besides dedication and resilience, you need a sleek crosshair to …
Valve has an idea for CSGO World Cup overtime similar to FIFA
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive developer, Valve, may not actively respond to player complaints, but it’s surely caught the fever of the FIFA World Cup, coming up with its own overtime concept for CSGO. CSGO players are vocal about their complaints and concerns regarding the game. Despite Valve’s lukewarm attitude towards the game, the players continue to voice their criticisms. Now, FIFA World Cup has done something that loud players couldn’t do …
Switched yet? M4A1-S popularity plummets after nerf
William Davis
Counter-Strike
CSGO weapon M4A1-S’ nerfs have now had time to settle, and the silenced rifle’s popularity has significantly dropped as a result. Scope.gg has released new stats showing the drop in usage rate for the M4A1-S following the most recent round of nerfs. It found that the M4A1-S has fallen out of favor on several maps while the usage share of the M4A4 has nearly doubled. While the silenced option still …
CSGO map Anubis is the most T sided of them all
William Davis
Counter-Strike
New stats have revealed that Anubis is the most T sided map in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but why is offense so rewarded? After analyzing more than 800,000 rounds, CSGOstats.gg has revealed that Anubis is the most T sided map in all of CSGO. T side players enjoy a 5.5% higher round win rate on the Egyptian-themed battleground compared to Nuke. These numbers could change as top players develop new strategies, …
Best smoke grenades to plant the bomb on CSGO map Anubis
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s iconic map, Dust 2, is no longer playable in competitive mode, but its replacement, Anubis, is pretty good. Anubis is a community-created map that was added to CSGO in 2020. After the IEM Rio 2022 Major, it became part of active duty, replacing Dust 2. It’s still relatively new as players try to figure their way around the dusty location. However, learning a few utility lineups can …
Jame criticizes CSGO teams for using strategy sheets at majors
Olivia Richman
Counter-Strike
Outsiders in-game leader Dzhami “Jame” Ali has some criticism for how Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments are run when it comes to strategy sheets being used mid-match. Outsiders recently beat Heroic to become the winner of the IEM Rio Major earlier this month. But during his time at the tournament, Jame noticed some things he didn’t like. This included players bringing materials to a match to consult with teammates during tactical timeouts. …
Most expensive AK-47 CSGO skin costs more than most houses
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The most expensive AK-47 skin in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will sell for more than $400,000. Danish CSGO skin collector Luksusbums has listed the crown jewel of his collection up for auction starting at $400,000. As a perfect blue gem AK-47 | Case Hardened, the skin is likely the single most valuable gun skin in all of CSGO. The sale of the gun has not been confirmed, with the eventual price …
Three awesome CSGO Christmas gift ideas
William Davis
Counter-Strike
There are plenty of great Christmas gifts for the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fans in your life. Christmas is a time of giving, and what better gift than something related to their favorite video game? CSGO is extremely popular, and all sorts of merchandise and collectibles are available online. If you’re shopping for a CSGO fan, here are three great gift ideas to inspire you. Paintings are a perfect way to …
Iconic map Dust 2 has officially been removed from CSGO
William Davis
Counter-Strike
On a dark day for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive grinders everywhere, Dust 2 has been removed from the active duty map pool. Valve has announced a new round of gameplay changes following the conclusion of the Rio Major. The most beloved map Dust 2 has been removed from the active duty pool and has been replaced with Anubis. The M4A1-S and AWP also both received substantial nerfs, which will have major …
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.
