Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
s1mple says that Mirage haters know nothing about CSGO
Fariha Bhatti
Despite its high play rate, Mirage is often the subject of hate in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. AWP maestro Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev has picked sides, explaining why Mirage is a good map and why its haters are wrong. Mirage may be the most-played match in official matchmaking, but some professional players want it gone. Abai “HObbit” Hasenov’s tweet regarding Mirage sparked an interesting discussion about whether the map should be removed. …
Counter-Strike
Iconic CS 1.6 map Tuscan has finally arrived in CSGO
Fariha Bhatti
The legendary Counter-Strike map Tuscan has finally gotten an official release in CSGO. The Counter-Strike franchise has a long list of iconic locations that players still reminisce about. Agency, Estate, Mill, and many others left a lasting impression on fans. Thankfully, Valve allows players to create custom maps that have kept the old content alive. However, it’s tough to replicate the true spirit of the old maps. Creators Catfood and …
Counter-Strike
Why is the rox Holo signature such an expensive CSGO sticker?
William Davis
The Martin “rox” Molina holo has become one of the most expensive stickers in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but the reason why is a little complicated. Plenty of CSGO players have attempted to stick out from the crowd with unique signature stickers. From the classic contributions of Oliver “DickStacy” Tierney to the nickname drops of Mikhail “Dosia” Stolyarov, there’s plenty of funny ways to make skins stand out by using stickers. …
Counter-Strike
This new tool is basically a legal maphack for CSGO
William Davis
Most Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players sneer in disgust at maphacks, but a new tool will give every player a similar edge without technically cheating. Scope.gg is creating a new resource for CSGO players that might provide a significant advantage. The new paid program is called Prematch, and will search enemy accounts to automatically analyze replays and determine where on the map enemy players are most likely to be playing. This …
Counter-Strike
The new CSGO matchmaking update just recalibrated your rank
Steven Rondina
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is finally getting a significant update to its matchmaking and ranking system. A rank recalibration has landed in CSGO and it will affect all active players. Gamers who play competitive titles will often gripe about the matchmaking system being the real reason that they can’t climb the ladder. In most major online games, the real reason is either a toxic attitude or a lack of skill. CSGO …
Counter-Strike
The origin of the popular Fnatic Manager here meme
Fariha Bhatti
The iconic “Fnatic manager here” meme is has frequently gone viral in the tactical shooter community. But what exactly does it mean? FPS games like Valorant and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive require a developer’s constant attention to run smoothly. The professional esports scene and its high stakes is one of the key reasons the two games must stay bug-free. For that, players record and publish game-breaking bugs hoping the devs will …
Counter-Strike
Scientific study finds CSGO to be most exciting esport to play
William Davis
Every player knows that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a tense game, but a new study from data scientists shows it’s the most exciting of all. According to a survey of 140,000 gamers, CSGO reigns supreme as the most exciting game to play. The data scientists who developed the information relied on user feedback to rank games based on how much they required fast decision-making and quick reactions. CSGO ranks as …
Counter-Strike
New palace one-way on Mirage is a game-changer
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players have discovered a brand new one-way lineup on Mirage that can help dodge the enemy AWPer. The most popular CSGO map Mirage is also among the trickiest. A clever strategy with a side of crisp aim is the key to emerging as the stronger team in this historical venue. Utilities, callouts, and coordination are a few ingredients to wins on Mirage. However, it’s an old map, …
Valve is testing Tuscan and Prime in CSGO, what does it mean?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
New maps usually means a new operation in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, so are Tuscan and Prime on their way to official servers? Prominent Valve insider Gabe Follower has revealed that CSGO developers have opened maps Tuscan and Prime during a testing session. Follower did not provide exact details for why the CSGO team is testing these alternate maps, but it may be connected to an upcoming operation. Here’s info on …
Stats reveal Mirage is the popular CSGO map in 2022
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Mirage is a legendary location in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and may remain in matchmaking for a long time, statistics show. CSGO has a myriad of maps set in different atmospheres, adding a change of scenery for regular players. But the competitive pool is limited. Players feel strongly about the MM map selection, so Valve doesn’t meddle with it often. The recent Ancient addition also received mixed reactions, but players have …
Why do CSGO skins cost so much money?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is famous for its technical gameplay and competitive esports scene, but it’s highly expensive cosmetics also get a fair share of attention. Developer Valve offers players creative ways to spend money on various cosmetics from gun skins to gloves to stickers. Players acquire skins through paid loot boxes, but players can also purchase them directly from other CSGO fans though the Steam Market. Of course, Valve also …
Did s1mple just leak Boombl4’s new team after scandal?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov may continue his career as a top in-game leader according to leaks from his former star teammate. During a streaming session with Russian rapper Alisher “MORGENSHTERN” Morgenshtern, Natus Vincere’s Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev may have may have leaked the next Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team to sign Boombl4. The information is not conclusive, but s1mple has a record of revealing correct insider information. According to s1mple, the new team …
Has FaZe Clan’s rain overtaken s1mple as best CSGO player?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
After phenomenal performances at two of the year’s biggest events, Håvard “rain” Nygaard may have a claim as the best player in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in the world right now. FaZe Clan ended IEM Cologne 2022 with one of the best grand finals of all time. The best-of-five went the distance with FaZe and Natus Vincere trading the smallest advantages back and forth. While most FaZe fans were paying attention …
s1mple tosses medal into IEM Cologne crowd after finals loss
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The cathedral of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive handed yet another trophy to Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, but it wasn’t the one he was hoping for. IEM Cologne marks the third time in s1mple’s career that he has won the MVP trophy without winning the tournament. The medal came after a narrow loss to FaZe Clan in the grand finals. s1mple’s outstanding performance in Cologne with .84 kills and 82 damage per round …
Stats show M4A1-S is still OP after the recent nerfs
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players took a sigh of relief when Valve announced M41A-S nerfs in June. But have the changes done any good? Terrorists may have a slight advantage in terms of a cheaper AK-47, but Counter-Terrorists enjoy a choice of primary rifles. The M4A1-S and M4A4 may seem similar on the surface, but both rifles are drastically different. M4A1-S provides one-tappers with a competitive edge and many other benefits …
After shock Aleksib kick, who could be the next G2 IGL?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
G2 Esports’ IGL troubles aren’t over yet. The team’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive roster will bench its captain yet again in search of new direction. After middling results for much of 2022, in-game leader Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen has been removed from G2 Esports. The in-game leader’s move was prompted by consecutive losses to Movistar Riders and ENCE at IEM Cologne, but was rumored for much longer than that. G2 Esports has …
These stats say female CSGO pros are just as good as men
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Stats taken from a recent Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments may prove that female CSGO pros play on par with men despite common claims to the contrary. Women’s esports are a hot topic, and a recurring theme in the conversation is that almost all female professional players aren’t able to compete with their male counterparts. While women’s teams tend to struggle in most esports when competing at the highest levels, they …
Here’s how CSGO pros like s1mple get such expensive skins
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro players sport incredible skins during big tournaments, but where exactly do they get them from? Skins and competitive play are two major parts of CSGO culture. Pro players provide figures to look up to in the community and champions like Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev become icons across esports. Skins are a way for players to express themselves, and their complex rarities can draw in heavy investment. Unsurprisingly, …
These CSGO crossover maps make your favorite map feel brand new
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Experienced players can navigate their favorite Counter-Strike: Global Offensive maps with ease, but switch up the scenery and it suddenly a lot more fun. A CSGO Workshop creator who goes by the name Henge has been quietly releasing normal maps made with the assets of other maps. The result is equal parts confusing and charming. Henge currently has six different crossover maps featuring the concept, and they make amazing venues …
Valve made a duped CSGO skin for the first time since 2016
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Valve has recreated a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin for the first time in eight years. In the wake of a massive CSGO hack involving an estimated $2 million worth of skins, Valve has duplicated a very special skin. Duped CSGO skins are largely a thing of the past, but the company behind CSGO used the technique to make a very special Souvenir AWP | Dragon Lore. Here’s why the dupe …
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.
