Counter-Strike started as a mod for the game called Half Life (developed by Valve Software). The first notable versions were v.1.4 – v1.6 and it was during this time that this shooter became mainstream among PC gamers. This game was only available on the PC at that time. This game was respected for its action and the quality of sound effects.

When Valve Software presented the Source engine, the game was ported to it. At that time it was called Counter-Strike: Source. And it looked a lot better than the previous versions due to upgraded graphics. Now it looked like a modern game. In the meantime, a few spinoffs were published by the community but no major improvements were made to any game features.

What Happened?

In recent years, the game was officially released as the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (or CS:GO as many players are identifying their game). This time it included even better graphics, remastered maps and more characters to play with. The player base grew, so did competition. Soon the game was played in any part of the world where there was internet connection.

This multiplayer-only game started appearing at esports tournaments. These are the competitions with real sponsors, much like any other kind of sport. It contained professional players, which is impressive, and even more impressive rewards. All these players were able to stay on top of their server list at home, but on these types of competitions, there could be only one winner.

The player base continued to grow at a healthy rate. The updates were regular and they would contain real improvements to the gameplay, environments and characters. The game is very popular on Steam (pc gaming service developed and maintained by Valve) even today, and it’s core maps and mechanics were never changed. People like it for the same reasons they did fifteen years ago.

Steam has regular sales (such as the winter sale, summer sale, fall sale and spring sale) where games are being discounted by 90% sometimes. Yes, the number is correct but not all games get such a heavy discount. Counter-Strike is also discounted during these sales and most often you can get it for around 10 or 15 euros per copy. This makes the game very easy to obtain and jump into the action. And if your friends get it too, you can all meet up for a really great weekend fun.

There are rumours that there are CS:GO boosting services around the internet that can be purchased. These services involve players called ‘boosters’. After you purchase your boost, you are paired with a player of a much higher rank than yours, and you both play the game together. Fighting alongside them gets your rank upgraded a lot faster, this way you kind of boost your rank.

CS:GO’s popularity is still not dying out and new updates suggest that it is still being maintained for the ever growing player base.