Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Stats reveal Mirage is the popular CSGO map in 2022
Fariha Bhatti
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 …
Counter-Strike
Why do CSGO skins cost so much money?
William Davis
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 …
Counter-Strike
Did s1mple just leak Boombl4’s new team after scandal?
William Davis
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 …
Counter-Strike
Has FaZe Clan’s rain overtaken s1mple as best CSGO player?
William Davis
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 …
These are the best submissions for the CSGO 10 sticker contest
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The CSGO 10 sticker contest in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is almost over, and community artists have put their all into making some truly awesome submissions. Valve may have a lot in the works to celebrate the 10th anniversary of CSGO, but the only thing fans know for sure is a new community-created sticker capsule. The contest wraps up on July 21, 2022, so many creators have already delivered their most …
ZywOo’s hinge smoke on Dust 2 is the most complex one so far
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut has found a workaround to the controversial hinge smoke on Dust 2’s mid doors. It’s overly complicated but a perfect flex. Utility is crucial on all Counter-Strike: Global Offensive maps, but Dust 2 is different. The legendary location favors those with a crisp aim and confidence to be aggressive. However, unique utility may provide a competitive edge in this dusty arena. For this reason, professional players continue …
3 budget knife and gloves combos to flex affordably in CSGO
William Davis
Counter-Strike
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 …
These are the best P2000 skins in CSGO at every price range
William Davis
Counter-Strike
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 …
This new C4 bug is ruining CSGO matchmaking on Nuke
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
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 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.
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
