CSGO devs working overtime as 10th operation rumors swirl
The Valve-only development version of CSGO recorded four developers online for just the fifth time ever since Steam Database started tracking the statistic in 2014.
While the rest of the world waits for CSGO’s
next operation, it looks as though developers put in some serious time behind the scenes this week. In fact, a closer look shows that Valve is doing something in CSGO, and has been for some times. Thanks to SteamDB, players have a fairly good understanding of how CSGO is laid out behind the scenes.
That information allows players to understand CSGO’s development pipeline. CSGO’s Beta application ID for the Mac version of the game is 733, meaning that specific updates for Apple computers are stored there until they’re ready to be shipped. Any player who has ever had to save their own configuration file knows CSGO’s application ID by heart, 730.
Devs have spent more time on CSGO than ever before
Valve developers have access to an exclusive experimental version of CSGO which is likely used to test new features, fixes, and additions to the shooter. There’s been an unusual amount of activity in this version of CSGO since October, including two separate instances where four CSGO developers were online in the game at the same time. That means that more developers have been working on CSGO this month than in a very long time.
Admittedly, this might not sound like a big deal, but since SteamDB started tracking player counts for individual games in 2018 the site has only ever counted four CSGO developers online five total times. Three of those times have come in 2020.

Since rumors of a new CSGO operation started circulating in early October in anticipation of Counter-Strike 1.0’s 20th birthday, all eyes have been on Valve and CSGO, but so far fans haven’t heard a peep from CSGO in 11 days. Interestingly, CSGO’s development branch was much more quiet leading up to Shattered Web’s November 2019 release. In that time, SteamDB recorded only a handful of “players” leading up to the release of CSGO’s ninth operation.

There’s one thing that’s clear from the information players have at their disposal, and that’s the fact that CSGO devs aren’t just sitting on their hands going into the winter season. Whether it’s a 10th operation or something else entirely, Valve seems to have something brewing for CSGO fans.
M Alzamora
About M Alzamora
There are few things that writer M Alzamora loves more in life than Pokemon. And there are even fewer things that she loves more than her favorite Pokemon, Eevee. But M’s appreciation for gaming isn’t just limited to Nintendo’s famous pocket monsters. She’s interested in every type of game across every genre of gaming, and she has the credentials to prove it. M’s work has also been seen on Working Classicists and gaming sites.
View full profile
Read Also
Counter-Strike
ENVY Returns to Counter-Strike After Five Years, Picking Up an “Unpaid” 3DMAX Roster
Owen Harsono
North American esports organization ENVY has officially made its return to Counter-Strike. After putting its CS:GO division on hold in 2021, the org returns by signing the full former 3DMAX roster, so they aren't starting from scratch. ENVY is not only a massive esports organization, but also a legendary one in Counter-Strike. The org fielded one of the strongest French rosters in history, winning the DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca Major in ...
Valorant
Complexity Gaming shuts down after 23 years – Here’s what we know
Khizar Mundia
Esports organization Complexity Gaming is ending its 23-year run, as its founder announces its shutdown. Complexity is an organization that has been around since the early days of esports. The organization had rosters in multiple games, including Counter-Strike and Valorant. Despite this, Complexity’s CS roster was the most famous, as it won several major events. This is why it was a surprise for fans to hear that Complexity is shutting ...
Counter-Strike
Team Vitality vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026
Owen Harsono
We have a clash of titans in the StarLadder StarSeries Fall consolidation final, as Team Vitality will take on FURIA for a grand final spot. Both teams have shown signs of shakiness throughout the event, so expect some scrappy Counter-Strike. Here are our Team Vitality vs FURIA predictions. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs – Lower Bracket Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: These ...
Counter-Strike
MOUZ vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026
Owen Harsono
MOUZ are set to take on FURIA in a do-or-die match in the $500,000 StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 lower bracket. Both teams have already suffered losses at the event, but we believe one team is in much better shape than the other. Here are our MOUZ vs FURIA predictions for September 19. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: MOUZ ...
Counter-Strike
StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026: Teams, format, schedule, and prize pool
Owen Harsono
Top-tier Counter-Strike is back on the menu with StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. It’s not a 16-team tournament with every top team in attendance, but it’s still bound to entertain us for a solid four days. Here’s everything you need to know about StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. Tier 1 Counter-Strike lands in Spain again for the first time in a while, with only eight teams in attendance. StarLadder StarSeries will be ...
Counter-Strike
Team Spirit vs Team Falcons at BLAST Open Fall 2026: best predictions and picks
Owen Harsono
We’re in for a treat, as the BLAST Open Fall semi-final will feature a matchup between Team Spirit and Team Falcons, with the winner booking a spot in the grand final. It’s a battle between the world number one and number two, so this is a match you definitely don’t want to miss. Here are our BLAST Open Fall Team Spirit vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: BLAST Open Fall 2026 ...
Counter-Strike
Is CS2 Dying in 2026?
Owen Harsono
Counter-Strike is one of the longest-standing esports franchises, having built a loyal fanbase over the course of two decades. However, if you’ve browsed through social media platforms across the past few months, you might have seen people claiming that the game is dying or on a steady decline. Below we’ll take a look at why people are talking about this and answer the question of “is CS2 really dying?” One ...