Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) is a very popular multiplayer first-person shooter game developed by Valve Corporation. As of March 2023, CS: GO is still one of the most popular games on the Steam platform, with an average of over 500,000 concurrent players daily. It is also a popular game for esports competitions, with professional teams and players competing in major tournaments around the world for prize pools that can reach millions of dollars.
Although creating game sequels is not among the hobbies of Valve, the company is now working on a game that will replace the good old CS: GO. After over a decade of dominance, the legendary title will be replaced by what is known as Counter-Strike 2.
Counter-Strike 2 will arrive as a free update to CS: GO
Once Counter-Strike 2 arrives at some point in the summer, players can get it as a free update for CS: GO. The 11-year-old Counter-Strike: Global Offensive shooter is free at this point via Steam, which means that practically, Counter-Strike 2 will also be free of charge.
Valve explained in its official announcement regarding the future game’s release:
All of the game’s new features will be revealed when it officially launches this summer, but the road to Counter-Strike 2 begins today as a Limited Test for select CS:GO players,
During this testing period, we’ll be evaluating a subset of features to shake out any issues before the worldwide release.
There are several reasons why CS:GO has become a very popular game. One reason is that it has a competitive gameplay mode that attracts players who enjoy testing their skills against others. The game also has a strong esports scene, with professional players and teams competing in tournaments around the world, which adds to its popularity.
Additionally, CS:GO is a well-designed game that is accessible to new players while still providing a high skill ceiling for experienced players. The game is also regularly updated with new content, such as new maps and weapons, which helps to keep the game fresh and interesting for players.
We can expect even more from Counter-Strike 2. Stay tuned!