Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
After shock Aleksib kick, who could be the next G2 IGL?
William Davis
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 …
Counter-Strike
These stats say female CSGO pros are just as good as men
William Davis
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 …
Counter-Strike
Here’s how CSGO pros like s1mple get such expensive skins
William Davis
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, …
Counter-Strike
These CSGO crossover maps make your favorite map feel brand new
William Davis
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 …
Counter-Strike
3 budget knife and gloves combos to flex affordably in CSGO
William Davis
Knives and gloves can get absurdly expensive in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but rocking a custom loadout doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In CSGO, there are good knives and bad knives. The same is true for gloves. Not every gold can be a black pearl Karambit or a factory new set of Snow Leopards. While cheap golds don’t stick out on their own, they can make each …
Counter-Strike
These are the best P2000 skins in CSGO at every price range
William Davis
The best P2000 skins can make you smile every time you respawn in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. While the USP-S is currently the preferred CT starting pistol among pro players, the P2000 remains a popular option in matchmaking. The extra ammo and improved running accuracy make it a great choice for defenders on the move. If you’re looking for a new P2000 skin to match your pistol skills, these are five …
Counter-Strike
This new C4 bug is ruining CSGO matchmaking on Nuke
Fariha Bhatti
A C4 bug on Nuke has presented a new opportunity for trolls to throw their competitive games in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. CSGO has plenty of bugs, but dedicated players have learned how to work around them. High-ranked players often avoid exploiting bugs for the sake of integrity, knowing that some of the bugs will get fixed soon. Conversely, trolls have played a key role in chasing away serious players from …
Counter-Strike
You can set walls on fire on Inferno and it changes everything
Fariha Bhatti
Playing T-side on Inferno is no cakewalk and things aren’t going to get easier with this newly discovered method for setting walls on fire. Inferno is crammed with choke points, making it a nightmare to attack. Multiple entry points into A allow Ts to bag a few rounds before the side switch but it’s an uphill battle at all times. Conversely, B site’s Banana is a lion’s den for the …
The best Nvidia filter for third-party CSGO matchmaking
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Aim and utility knowledge is the key to becoming the best at Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but there’s an Nvidia filter that can also give you an edge. Nobody likes to die in CSGO, and the absolute worst is when you get shot by someone hiding right in front of you. Spotting the very top of someone’s head on a staircase or through an odd angle can be tough, but there’s …
What’s the most expensive gloves and knife combo in CSGO?
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Flexing the most expensive gloves and knife combo possible in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is an express ticket to getting spammed with malicious friend requests. It would also cost you a lot of money, and we can tell you exactly how much. CSGO players are no strangers to expensive skins, but the absolute rarest still pack insane price tags. With both gloves and knives now in the gold slot, it’s possible …
How to equip the ghost knife, CSGO’s forbidden melee weapon
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The ghost knife isn’t meant to exist in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but savvy players can summon it for themselves. The ghost knife is one of a few hidden knife skins in CSGO. Instead of a Steam inventory item that can be used in-game, this skin is actually hidden in the files and not meant to be used by players. However, by using a special set of console commands, players can …
New CSGO Recoil Case adds new gloves and pricy AWP skin
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The Recoil Collection is the new batch of skins added to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive including a new chance to get some gloves. With no announcement whatsoever, Valve has released a brand new CSGO weapon crate called the Recoil Collection. The new case includes 17 new skins across four rarities. The reds of the case include an eye-popping pink AWP and Printstream pistol for the CT side. Recoil Crates also have …
Here’s what happened to Team Envy after OpTic Gaming merger
Olivia Richman
Counter-Strike
Veteran esports brand Team Envy is being retired to exclusively focus on OpTic Gaming in the future. Envy merged with OpTic Gaming at the end of 2021. Moving forward, Envy is going to exclusively use the OpTic Gaming name and brand across all of it esports teams and enterprises. The major update was first discussed on the latest episode of the Eavesdrop podcast, titled “Announcing the Future of OpTic Gaming.” …
xQc blows thousands in skins on failed Dragon Lore AWP trade-up
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Félix “xQc” Lengyel is no stranger to losing massive amounts of money on gambling, but his trade-up attempts for a Dragon Lore AWP in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive were a nightmare for any fan. Popular Twitch streamer and former Overwatch pro xQc has garnered a fanbase of millions with his rage fits and high-risk trading habits. He may not be the best aimer in CSGO, but his inventory is already mouth-watering. …
CSGO fan turns the Overpass map into an amazing skin
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
A Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fan has turned Overpass into an awesome skin for the troll weapon of CSGO, the P90. CSGO fans may be overly competitive, but they’re also innovative. From custom sprays, fan-made stickers, and even community maps, players have continued to find new ways to express their devotion to Valve’s tactical shooter. However, one CSGO player has gone the extra mile to combine the game’s iconic maps and …
Boombl4 possibly pursuing rap career after Na’Vi kick scandal
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov is known for coordinating Natus Vincere’s Major championship, but his next hustle could be making rap music full-time. Former Natus Vincere Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player Boombl4 may be starting a music career after his abrupt kick from his former team. The in-game leader has posted multiple videos of himself rapping on social media. Boombl4 has previously sung and rapped in promotional materials for the Na’Vi CSGO squad. …
$2 million in CSGO skins got hacked, Valve actually responds
William Davis
Counter-Strike
$2 million worth of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skins have been stolen in what might be the biggest hack in the game’s history. Just days after mysteriously switching to public, one of the largest skin collections in CSGO was gutted. The skins in the collection included multiple Souvenir Dragon Lores and the famous Starless Karambit. The collection is valued at around $2 million. The hacker immediately sold many of the valuable …
The owner of CSGO’s legendary bugged Karambit has been revealed
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The Starless Karambit has been a mystery for years, but now Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin fanatics finally know who owns the legendary knife. Thanks to a prolific trader briefly turning their profile to public after years of being private, CSGO fans now know who owns the famous Starless Karambit. It is currently in the inventory of a prolific trader using the handle HFB. Here’s how fans learned about its owner …
Did WarOwl just leak the CSGO Source 2 port release date?
Steven Rondina
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive YouTuber WarOwl may have leaked details regarding the long-awaited Source 2 port of CSGO. During a recent stream, WarOwl was talking with fans regarding map-making in CSGO. WarOwl has dabbled with map designs since 2019, and a fan commented that he ought to try map editing tool Hammer++, which is a mod pack for Hammer, the map editing tool used for Source games including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. …
This new Nuke run boost is your ticket out of silver
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
They say Nuke is too CT-sided, but this newly discovered jump boost proves that it might actually be true. According to the stats, Nuke is one of the most Counter-Terrorist sided maps in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The bombsites require terrorists to move through hazardous entryways and have dangerous layouts with many sightlines for defenders. It’s a tricky situation for the Ts in any sense but tricks reinforce the stats even …
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.
