Why is CSGO still popular? The game itself explains the mystery

By Fariha Bhatti

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Feb 27, 2023

Reading time: 2 min

The modern age of gaming is chock-a-block with cutting-edge, animated titles, and then there’s CSGO. Do you also wonder how CSGO is still popular? Valve has the answer. 

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has completed a decade amid the reports of Source 2 port that just doesn’t seem to come to fruition. But players agree that CSGO needs a facelift — and a big one. Valve, being Valve, hasn’t done anything about it yet, and content updates are scarce as well. Let’s not forget the decade-old cheating problem and MM toxicity that would give you nightmares. 

Still, CSGO is popular and how.

The game recently broke its own record, and then it kept making new ones, hitting a new player count every day. Currently, it’s capped at 1,354,248, according to Steamcharts. All of this happened without any significant updates or events, leading many to explore the driving force behind CSGO. 

CSGO’s popularity explained by Valve

Tuscan CSGO

A lot of people don’t have the answer, but CSGO has responded. The game itself chimed in in response to Jake Lucky, earning praise worldwide. 

Esports reporter Jake Lucky posted CSGO’s tremendous stats captioned, “Why and how?” Of course, fans came up with their reasons and notable personalities as well. The post also caught Valve’s eye, who then took the courtesy to speak on the mystery behind CSGO’s spike finally. 

“Because it takes minutes to understand and a lifetime to master, and the more you invest, the greater your returns. The feeling when everything comes together never gets old. Whether it’s one tap, a perfect spray, a new piece of util, an ace, or a clutch, it’s Counter-Strike,” Valve wrote in response.

This is the simplest explanation behind CSGO’s healthy, long life. As compared to its competitors, CSGO is much easier to learn, but mastering it is a whole different tale. It takes years for professional players to master their craft and claim to be the best in the game. But beginners can easily get started. 

CSGO’s gameplay is consistent and stable. Things never change, yet players keep discovering new ways to play a decade-old map. Still, it’d be the same if you returned to the game after a year. This is part of why CSGO players aren’t afraid to take breaks and return. It remains unchanged. 

Valve summarized all of that in a short, sweet sentence, starting a chain of “Counter-Strike” on social media — this mystery question of how and why will likely add to the ever-growing player count. Who knows, maybe another milestone is on the horizon for CSGO!