Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Evil Geniuses vs Astralis ESL Pro League betting predictions
Steven Rondina
Evil Geniuses is diving into the deep end at ESL Pro League Season 15 with a match against Astralis. The North American organization overhauled its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive roster with a new core made up of three members of the 2016 ELEAGUE Boston Major-winning Cloud9 roster. The team looked solid against tier-two and tier-three North American competition in regional qualifiers, but it now faces a big jump in strength of …
Counter-Strike
These are the biggest and most hated trolls in all of CSGO
William Davis
Trolls are an unfortunately common part of playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but a handful of jokesters have cemented themselves as part of CSGO history. Normally trolls in CSGO just deserve a mute or in extreme cases a vote kick, but a handful of players have become famous for their mischievous natures. From spawning iconic memes to dominating the professional scene, there are a few players that fans just love to …
Counter-Strike
What is Valve planning for the 10th anniversary of CSGO?
William Davis
The 10th anniversary of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive could bring a surprise for fans, but don’t get your hopes up just yet. Very few games last 10 years, but Valve’s competitive tactical shooter is quickly approaching the mark. CSGO’s decennial anniversary is just a few months away, and fans are already speculating about the celebration. While a commemorative skin crate is the most likely outcome, Valve could also host a special …
Counter-Strike
Why do CSGO skins get compared to NFTs? And is this valid?
William Davis
In many ways, skins in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are the genesis of the current NFT craze. Now that world is more digital than ever, collectors have turned their attention to the world of online collectibles. These online items take many forms, with non-fungible tokens currently making the rounds as the new trading card. While generally considered a novel idea, NFTs actually have their roots in existing online collectibles like the …
CSGO player adds himself to main menu with handmade P90
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
CSGO fans are dedicated, loyal, and highly competitive. But some fans go above and beyond, using their creativity to show their fandom for the older shooter game. Whether its designing rare weapons or turning themselves into shooter characters, there’s nothing these tech-savvy players can’t do. A Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player loves the game so much that he’s added himself to the home screen holding a P90 nerf gun. Sam41gaming has taken …
CSGO pro team kicks player mid-match due to poor performance
Olivia Richman
Counter-Strike
Making roster changes mid-season is risky but North American Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team Strife took it even further by making a roster change mid-match. During an ESL Challenger League Season 40 match against MIBR, Strife decided to cut Danny “cxzi” Strezelczyk after the first map. On Overpass, Strife was defeated 16-5. cxzi was one of the reasons for this unfortunate result, with the rifler having one of his worst performances …
These are the most popular CSGO maps in 2022
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Matchmaking and Faceit players may disagree on many things, but both sides seem to love Mirage. New stats show the most popular Counter-Strike: Global Offensive maps, and Mirage is at the top. CSGO has dozens of locations with scenic visuals and interesting layouts, but the player base likes to stick to the same bunch of maps. New stats by Leetify filter these legendary maps by a solid percentage. Regardless of …
You might be shocked to learn which celebrities play CSGO
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has drawn several big names in 2022 to try out its acclaimed FPS gameplay. We have a list of all the most popular celebrities that play CSGO. Video games are no longer just a casual time killer. Sport and media celebrities may have packed schedules, but even they can’t resist the pull of CSGO. Some big names regularly play Valve’s shooter to try and climb the ranks. …
This CSGO Wordle game has you guessing for gun skins
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Wordle and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are on opposite ends of the gaming spectrum, but fans can now combine both thanks to one smart programmer. CSGO players love their gun skins, and now they can put their knowledge to the test. CSGOrdle is a new game developed by social media user hollalele. The game combines elements of Wordle with CSGO skins to create a fun daily game. The official CSGOrdle website …
Upgrade your pistol rounds with the best cheap CSGO skins
William Davis
Counter-Strike
A great cheap pistol skin can start any Counter-Strike: Global Offensive match off right. Gloves and knives are extremely coveted because CSGO players are guaranteed to see them all the time. That also applies to pistols, which are visible at every half switch and respawn. Players with snazzy cosmetics get to show them off all the time without breaking the bank. As a gun skin, Glocks, USPs, and P2000s can …
Outsiders vs Furia betting odds, analysis for ESL Pro League 15
Steven Rondina
Counter-Strike
ESL Pro League Season 15’s Group B is kicking off with March 16’s matches featuring several interesting matches. Vitality vs. Sprout and FaZe vs. ENCE are both pegged as stomps by bookmakers, but Outsiders vs. Furia Esports actually offers some interesting odds. But who is this Outsiders team? Why are bookmakers picking them to beat a staple squad in Furia? Here’s what you need to know about this ESL Pro …
Game-breaking CSGO wallhack bug exposes enemies in dense smoke
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Smokes are no longer a safe hideout. This new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive wallhack bug provides a clear view of the enemy. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players are no stranger to wild bugs and exploits, but this one is game-breaking. Smokes have been at the center of many glitches in the past, and this new exploit carries the tradition. Broken smoke on Dust 2 is causing mayhem as it provides an edge …
Hilarious CSGO hardware mods simulate smokes and recoil
Steven Rondina
Counter-Strike
The rumble feature has existed in video game controllers since the Nintendo 64, but what about a rumble mouse? Even better, what about a full rumble setup? Nobody really asked for that, but that didn’t stop a creative group of gamers from realizing that goofy goal. The crew decked out their PC, desk, mouse, and seat to respond to their in-game actions in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Naturally, the results were …
Where to buy the best CSGO skins and stickers in real-life
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a beautiful game, and many independent artists are skilled enough to bring it to life. Aside from a handful of offerings on the official Valve store, CSGO fans have it rough if they’re looking to bring their favorite art and items into the real world. There just aren’t a whole lot of ways to express their love for the long-running tactical shooter. Indie artists have stepped …
Which rank plays the most CSGO in 2022?
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Silver players take their Counter-Strike: Global Offensive rank very seriously. New stats show which rank plays the most CSGO and when players quit official Matchmaking. In 2022, CSGO remains the most tactically advanced game, making ranking up a tall order. Learning lineups, understanding the economy, and tackling skilled enemies are just a few challenges to name. Valve’s FPS is a complex shooter that requires dedication and patience. But Silver players …
How to play your favorite CS 1.6 maps in CSGO
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has over a dozen new locations, but players are still hooked on CS 1.6 maps. Here’s how you can play classic CS 1.6 maps in CSGO. A plethora of dedicated CS players switched to global offensive when it was released in 2012. The modern version was clean and balanced, but it lacked many CS 1.6 players’ favorite locations. Most of the omitted maps were clunky and unbalanced, …
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
