Counter-Strike
Valorant
shroud says Fracture feels like a CSGO map, and this is why
Fariha Bhatti
Popular Twitch streamer and first-person shooter specialist Michael “shroud” Grzesiek has tried new Valorant map Fracture, and he thinks it’s most similar to maps in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Riot Games’ latest addition to Valorant’s map pool is a game-changer. It branches off from typical FPS map design, adding a new twist to the genre. Former CSGO pro and current Valorant streamer shroud dove into the new location, and he’s a …
Counter-Strike
These CSGO agent models created with AI are too real
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive agents are much scarier in real life, as a 3D drawing of new CSGO skins shows. Agent models in CSGO may not matter as much to players as they don’t necessarily impact gameplay, but they’re still expensive and rare. The game has over 40 agents, which are basically skins for your in-game character. A CSGO player named OrelStealth has breathed new life into these agents using AI, …
Counter-Strike
Valve style guide reveals the true meaning of CSGO skin rarity
William Davis
Materials provided by the Dream & Nightmares skin design competition have revealed Valve’s true definition of CSGO skin rarity, something players have long wondered about. All of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s nearly 1,000 unique skins fall into one of eight rarities. These eight tiers represent escalating levels of desirability. The most common rarities are the five featured in CSGO cases. Thanks to designer recommendations published by Valve, we now know more …
Counter-Strike
What’s the best way to train your FPS aim? KovaaK is the answer
William Davis
Gamers everywhere are always trying to improve their aim. This leads to one big question: What is the absolute best way to improve your aim in first-person shooters? This is a difficult question to answer given the prevalence of aim-training options available. As FPS games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Apex Legends, and others have grown more popular, so too have the tools meant to help players improve their aim. …
Blast bans magic molotovs that defy CSGO skyboxes
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Blast has banned the overpowered skybox molotovs but the community is a bit confused about the ruling. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has many glitches and the keen players continue to find loopholes in the game. Skybox molotovs are also a genius find of the players that allow grenades to float in the air longer than their life. These molotov lineups can be game-changing. Unfortunately, professional players won’t be allowed to utilize them …
Gambit vs Ninjas in Pyjamas ESL Pro League betting analysis
William Davis
Counter-Strike
A clash between Group D’s top seeds will bring an end to ESL Pro League Season 14’s group stage. Team Liquid’s success has lit a fire under Gambit Esports and Ninjas in Pyjamas. The two teams will finally get to clash on the final game day of Group D. ESL Pro League’s $750,000 prize makes for plenty of motivation, but this event also marks the final proving ground before the …
Is FACEIT being overrun with smurfs after CSGO Prime changes?
Steven Rondina
Counter-Strike
FACEIT has been having a variety of issues in recent months, and it now seems that at least one more has been added to the pile. There has been a slew of complaints among users of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive matchmaking service regarding an uptick of smurfs in lower-level play. Newer and less-skilled players are being pitted against high-level players on new accounts that have unusually strong stats. The end …
Legendary French player RpK retires from CSGO
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
Legendary Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player Cédric “RpK” Guipouy has announced his retirement after competing in Valve’s shooter for over 14 years. French CSGO veteran RpK is stepping away from competitive CSGO at the age of 32 to start his own company in the automobile industry. The pro player had retired from CSGO once before in 2012 but it seems his career has finally run its course. https://twitter.com/RpKTANKK/status/1433429665914388502 RpK kick-started his …
Chinese CSGO is “80% fixed” according to ESIC commissioner
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The head of the Esports Integrity Commission has called into question the legitimacy of professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive play in China. The Esports Integrity Commission is the leading body on integrity and fair play across esports and is most active in CSGO. Commissioner Ian Smith is the face of the organization. In a recent interview with multiple CSGO personalities, he referred to the Chinese pro scene as “fixed,” implying that …
Astralis finances reveal dev1ce transfer cost, sticker money
Steven Rondina
Counter-Strike
Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz’s transfer to Ninjas in Pyjamas was a blockbuster deal, and the big price tag certainly reflects that. In an earnings report breaking down the first half of 2021, Astralis stated that it brought in 4.5 million Danish Krone, approximately $714,000 USD, with the income being “related to the sale of contractual rights.” Given the timing, this is either mostly or entirely represented by the transfer fee paid …
HUNDEN reportedly never testified in his own ESIC investigation
William Davis
Counter-Strike
After getting slapped with a two-year ban from the ESIC, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s most scandalous coach claims to have been uninvolved in his own investigation. The Esports Integrity Commission has levied a ban against Nicolai “HUNDEN” Petersen for attempting to share strategic information with another team. The CSGO veteran has maintained his innocence in the case. According to statements given to Danish publication TV2, HUNDEN was never given an opportunity …
Ninjas in Pyjamas vs Team Liquid ESL Pro League betting analysis
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The first day of ESL Pro League Group D will end with a firecracker best-of-three between the group’s second and third seeds. Both Team Liquid and Ninjas in Pyjamas landed rough ninth-place finishes at IEM Cologne. Pro League is their chance to bounce back into the top tier of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. With the shadow of Gambit Esports looming over Group D, Liquid and NiP will throw everything they have …
Fan creates the only factory new version of AWP Asiimov
Fariha Bhatti
Counter-Strike
The sensational “KennyS AWP” seems impossible to get in factory new condition so this player went ahead and created one of his own. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is known for its impeccable gunplay. But the players keep coming back to the game for its princely skins that cost an arm and a leg. However, some skins are cherished for their sentimental value and exclusivity. One of those is the AWP Asiimov. …
mousesports vs BIG ESL Pro League group stage betting analysis
William Davis
Counter-Strike
Group C is undoubtedly the group of death at ESL Pro League. Putting Natus Vincere, mousesports, BIG, and FaZe Clan all in the same group is just asking for tight action. And that’s something that betting fans can take advantage of. Only three of these teams can advance to the $750,000 ESL Pro League Season 14 playoffs. The two middle-seeded teams, BIG and mouz, have the most to fight for. …
FaZe Clan vs Natus Vincere ESL Pro League betting analysis
William Davis
Counter-Strike
The group stage of ESL Pro League Season 14 is already showing some exciting matches, and of the best will feature Natus Vincere vs FaZe Clan. Reigning IEM Cologne champion Natus Vincere is back to defend its reputation as the best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team in the world. Of all the teams in Group C, FaZe Clan has the best chance to stymie the Eastern European juggernaut. These teams will …
CSGO coach HUNDEN gets 2-year ban for leaking team’s strategies
William Davis
Counter-Strike
A month-long investigation by the ESIC has led to a multi-year ban for one of Counter-Strike’s most decorated coaches. Former player and coach Nicolai “HUNDEN” Petersen has been slapped with a two-year suspension from competitive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The ban comes after allegations of sharing Heroic’s strategies with other teams. HUNDEN has since issued statements claiming that he never got to testify in his own defense. https://twitter.com/ESIC_Official/status/1431179870424354816 The scandal first …
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
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