Figuring out when CSGO’s next operation is coming

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s ninth event, Operation Shattered Web, landed with a bang last November and was a major factor that helped catapult CSGO to its first million-player day. Shattered Web was Counter-Strike’s first battle pass, and where there’s one season pass, more tend to follow.

CSGO’s internal configurations refer to a seasonal pass, and Shattered Web’s mission files are structured to make it easy for Valve to create one over the weekend with a couple cans of Red Bull, so it’s likely that Counter-Strike’s next operation is coming. The only missing piece is when.

When Counter-Strike’s next operation will likely appear

Earlier this month, Valve sent an update to all developers on Steam alerting them to dates for the next Steam Game Festival. Valve has already hosted several such fesitvals that showcase smaller developers with games set to ship in the coming year. Its next version, the Steam Summer Festival, is set to take place during the space left by the cancellation of E3 2020, giving developers an opportunity to provide free demos to players, host live streams, and interact with their communities. Those dates could also mean that Steam has something bigger up their sleeves.

It’s not just about replacing the hole left by E3. The first two weeks of June are traditionally reserved for the much-anticipated Steam Summer Sale, Valve’s biggest distribution event of the year. Over the span of two weeks, a massive number of titles are available at big discounts. What’s more interesting is that the influx of users often has a direct effect on the Steam Marketplace.

During the sales, the market sees a steep increase in both buyers and sellers, increasing the prices of popular skins while common items decrease in value. Last winter, Operation Shattered Web’s rare Norse, Canals, and St. Marcs drops brought in record prices for trade-up items while the AWP Gungeir become more expensive than the famed AWP Dragon Lore.

In other words, if Valve wants to make the most money, they already know exactly how to do it.

As for the Summer Fesitval, users can add the event to their in-game and third-party calendars in order to track it. With the festival scheduled during E3’s newly vacated position and so close to the traditional dates for the Steam Summer Sale, there isn’t a date left in the summer that makes more sense for the release of Counter-Strike’s tenth operation. Valve’s increased focus on monetizing its intellectual property and pushing users towards the Steam Marketplace makes its release likely sooner rather than later.

WIN.gg’s ongoing coverage of Valve’s monetization endevours, including what could be one of the reasons for last year’s key trading change. can be found by clicking on the image below.