From a humble mod, all the way to esports infamy, Counter-Strike has come a long way, and with CS2 finally here, we’re taking a look back at the legendary history of Counter-Strike.
Without a doubt, Counter-Strike is one of the most iconic FPS games ever made. CS has a rich history spanning over two decades and several games. With prize pools often above one million USD, concurrent players in the hundreds of thousands, and countless Twitch viewers, Counter-Strike is an esports phenomenon.
The Mod that Started it All
The roots of Counter-Strike can be traced back to the late 1990s when two gamers, Minh “Gooseman” Le and Jess “Cliffe” Cliffe, developed a mod for Half-Life. Aptly named Counter-Strike, this mod blended tactical gameplay and team-based action, setting it apart from the FPS norm on release in June 1999.
Surprisingly, not that much has changed from the original mod to the gameplay we have over 23 years later. Players were, and still are divided into Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists to plant the bomb or fail to defuse it as CT because you didn’t buy a defuse kit, did you? You are useless, and the entire team hates you!
Counter-Strike 1.0
The success of the original mod led Valve to collaborate with the creators and develop a standalone game, Counter-Strike 1.0, which was released in November 2000. This marked the first major milestone in the game’s history, with improved graphics, new maps, and refined mechanics. CS 1.0 quickly became a sensation, especially in the growing esports scene.
Over the years, Valve released various updates, including Counter-Strike 1.6, which is often referred to as Counter-Strike’s golden years. In fact, you can still pick up a copy of the original Counter-Strike on steam, where you’ll find an active daily player base of around 13,000 people.
Counter-Strike: Source and Steam
In 2004, Valve released Counter-Strike: Source, which introduced a new engine with improved graphics and physics. This marked a significant evolution of the game, as players enjoyed enhanced visuals and more realistic interactions with the environment. Additionally, Counter-Strike: Source incorporated Steam for the first time.
Global Offensive and the Rise of Esports
The next major milestone in Counter-Strike’s history was the release of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in August 2012. CS: GO introduced a new generation of gaming, including updated graphics, new gameplay mechanics, and even a matchmaking system, making it easier for players to find opponents of similar skill levels… Anyone else Silver for life?
CS:GO is really where the esports scene started to explode. The game became a regular title in competitive gaming, with professional teams and tournaments emerging worldwide. Major events like the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) and the ESL One series offered substantial prize pools, setting the stage for CS:GO to become one of the largest games in esports.
Sadly, CS:GO is no longer with us. It was replaced instead by CS2, the latest iteration of the game.
Your favourite games could disappear forever, and there is almost nothing you can do about it. In this article, we’re taking a deep dive into the world of vanishing games, to find out where the titles we love are going.
Door Stuck! Please, I Beg You!
We can’t talk about Counter-Strike without mentioning some of the memes that have appeared through the years. Whether you’re spamming GG EZ to be as toxic as possible at the end of the game, having your teammates threaten to kick you if you don’t clutch a 1v5, or flashing yourself, CS has had some pretty good memes.
And who can forget the now infamous door-stuck moment?
CS2
The age of CS:GO may be over, but Counter-Strike is back and stronger than ever with an entirely new generation of graphical improvements alongside new physics, and gameplay mechanics. These include responsive smoke, hugely improved servers, and enhanced maps! CS2 has a lot going for it. What’s more, the stats don’t lie. Counter-Strike 2 has been enjoying a huge population of active users recently. At the time of writing, 1,088,967 people are playing the game right now, with Counter-Strike’s official website claiming 30,369,969 unique monthly gamers.
We’re heckin’ excited about Counter-Strike 2 and have scoured high and low for every tasty bit of information, rumours, or hints about gameplay. All of which we’ve compiled into this one blog post.
Counter-Strike 2 PC Requirements
| OS | Windows® 10 |
| Processor | 4 hardware CPU threads – Intel® Core™ i5 750 or higher |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Video card must be 1 GB or more and should be a DirectX 11-compatible with support for Shader Model 5.0 |
| Storage | 85 GB available space |
Ready For the Next Generation of Counter-Strike?
CS2 is well and truly here, and thanks to its improved graphics engine, a CS game has never looked better! Want to get the most out of staying in silver rankings forever? Overclockers UK has you covered. We stock a huge range of Gaming PCs specifically designed for the best possible performance in Counter-Strike 2. What’s more, if you’re looking to build your own gaming PC or simply upgrade your components, our selection of PC Hardware has everything you need.
At Overclockers UK, we have our exciting range of pre-built PCs – Refract Gaming – and they have been updated with shiny new tech!
Refract Gaming Jade – 1080p/1440p Pre-Built Gaming PC
- Pre-built gaming PC for mid-tier gaming and budding streamers
- Cherry-picked hardware and hand-built by Overclockers UK’s expert team
- Designed by gaming enthusiasts – great for Grand Theft Auto V and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
- Enjoy Forza Horizon 5 at 130+ frames per second at 1080p
- Look the part with RGB lighting
- Comes with three years warranty, covering parts and labour
- AMD B650 WiFi DDR5 Micro-ATX Motherboard
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700 Processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Graphics Card
- 2.5” 1TB M.2 SSD
- 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5 5600MHz AMD EXPO Dual-Channel Kit
- Motherboard Wi-Fi
- Windows 11 Home 64-bit DVD
It’s time to once again defuse the bomb, Rush B, and be toxic to innocent strangers! Are you ready for CS2, or do you still miss the insanity that was CS:GO? Make sure to let us know when you first played Counter-Strike down below.
- 6 min read
Robert Mullane
Author
When not working, you'll find me in VR or losing in bottom-tier Valorant matches. I write about all topic's tech and gaming with a particular focus on representation in gaming, virtual reality, and LGBTQ+ themes. If you're still not fed up with me, you can also catch me over on the Overclockers UK TikTok and YouTube accounts.
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