Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a 2012 competitive multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment and published by Valve, released for Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The fourth main entry in the venerable Counter-Strike series, it pits two teams, Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists, against each other in round-based objective modes, most famously bomb defusal on maps such as Dust II and Mirage, where economy management, precise gunplay, map control and teamwork decide the outcome. CS:GO modernised the classic formula with updated visuals, refreshed maps and new modes while preserving the unforgiving, skill-driven shooting that made the series an esports cornerstone. Over the following decade Valve transformed it into a service: weapon skins and cases introduced a vast cosmetics economy, regular updates added maps, operations and modes, and it transitioned to free-to-play in 2018. It became one of the most-played games on Steam and a pillar of competitive gaming, anchoring a professional circuit built around Majors with large prize pools. In 2023 it was succeeded and effectively replaced by Counter-Strike 2, a Source 2 engine upgrade. CS:GO stands as one of the defining multiplayer shooters and esports titles of its era. At its peak it regularly drew hundreds of thousands of concurrent players, making it one of the most-played games on Steam.