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Counter Strike - A Staple of the Esports Scene Counter-Strike is an essential part of the world of esports, however its humble beginnings are worth mentioning. It began as an idea by Minh Le & Jess Cliffe for Half-Life.
Origins The Counter-Strike (CS) series is one of the most popular first-person shooter games of all time. It has been a mainstay in the gaming industry since its launch in 1999, and it continues to flourish as a major esport and a favorite game among gamers worldwide. The game was initially conceived as a mod for the well-known Half-Life game. The mod was developed by two college students, Minh Le, and Jess Cliffe. It was released as a beta game in 1999. The mod added a multiplayer game mode to Half-Life in which players competed against one another to complete different tasks such as taking hostages or making bombs. Le and Cliffe were inspired to create the mod after watching a movie about Navy SEALs, that included a mission in which the protagonists engaged in a hostage rescue. The mod was well-received and gained popularity within the modding community. It was praised by the modding community for its authenticity and gameplay, as well as its ability to load again. In the summer of 2000 the mod's popularity was at the point where Valve Corporation, creators of Half-Life, decided to release the mod independently. The game was renamed Counter-Strike: Source and was released in 2004 for Windows, OS X, and Linux. It was the first game in the series that featured updated graphics and gameplay mechanics, and it also introduced several new game modes. Counter-Strike was a huge hit and helped to establish the multiplayer FPS genre. Its accessibility and ease of gameplay made it popular with both casual and hard-core gamers, and gamers from all over the world. The CS franchise has produced numerous spin-offs including Counter-Strike Online. This game is free-to-play and monetized by microtransactions. The series has also inspired a variety of manga and anime adaptations, including the Japanese manga series Counter-Strike: The Legend of the Orange Weapon. The game also inspired a series of arcade games from Namco which use anime-inspired characters to appeal to Asian gaming markets. Mechanics While most first-person shooters rely on a straightforward formula like killing or capturing the flag to determine a winner, Counter-Strike offers unique gameplay mechanics that require a different type of skill. To succeed, the game requires teamwork, strategic thinking and strategic planning. Players must learn to read the map and know the exact location of their opponents and plan their strategies accordingly. The mechanics of Counter-Strike aren't easy to master. Spraying accurately takes hours of practice and can be a daunting task even for the most skilled players. To make the most of their performance, players also need to learn the locations of grenades on each map. Learning the different aiming techniques for each weapon also takes time. Since its initial release, Counter-Strike's popularity has grown. It has a large fan base and its players compete at regional, international and local tournaments. These tournaments typically have large prize pools and draw a lot of viewers. It is also a very popular game for streamers, and has been a major influence on other multiplayer games, like DotA 2. Valve Software, the developer of Counter-Strike releases regular updates to the game to keep it relevant and attractive. These updates can include new games, maps, and weapons. Additionally the game has been ported to other platforms, including consoles and the PC platform. In the moment, a limited test version of CS:GO is available to PC users. It will allow players to play the Dust II map in Deathmatch and unranked competitive matches. Valve could alter this restriction in the near future, as they continue to improve the game. A second game, Counter-Strike: Nexon Studio was released for the Asian Market. It's a spin-off from CS:GO which has been modified in gameplay to comply with Eastern design standards. Community For a game that began life as a mod and has been through a few variations, Counter-Strike is one of the most popular esports that is supported by fans. The community is devoted and the players are some of the best in the world, and the viewership is growing. The CS: GO is a game that has been among the top five most watched games for a number of years and isn't going to go out of style anytime soon. The initial developers of Counter-Strike, Minh Le and Jess Cliffe, knew that the community was essential to the success of their game. They created a way for the public to interact and share maps, which grew the player base organically. This is one of the main reasons the game has been relevant for so long. The community servers are an essential part of CS: GO. These servers are a great way to let new players find a group of organized gamers and get familiar with the game before they move on to official Valve servers. These servers are run by volunteers and allow playing in a competitive manner as well as casual fun. During the early days of CS: GO, Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) stood apart from other competitions, being the premier global Counter-Strike tournament. The prize money was in the thousands, and it attracted the top players from all over the globe. IEM was a huge draw for media and fans alike. It has since become one of the top watched esports. IEM has yet to announce the dates for its 2019 events. However it is expected that this event will return to its regular mid-to-late summer dates. This will give CS: GO players plenty of time to prepare for this year's event, and will also allow new players to participate in this renowned tournament. The rumors about this event have been floating around for a while, and a series of teaser trailers have been released. Global Offensive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the most played game in the series, is a strategic first-person shooting game that pits two opposing teams against each in objective-based games. The game requires a lot of teamwork and precise gunplay to make it to the finish line, relying on a combination of the ability to identify and hold angles, the effective use of weapons, and in-game economy management. Its popularity led to a dedicated esports scene, with players competing in professionally-sponsored leagues and tournaments. Developed by Hidden Path Entertainment and Valve, CS:GO was released in August 2012 on PC, OS X, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. It continues to develop and update regularly, with major updates (known under the name Operations) and smaller balance patches. The game features online matchmaking and supports both the classic Bomb Defusal and Hostage Rescue scenarios, as well as new modes, such as Wingman and Danger Zone. Valve has introduced new maps, weapons and characters to the game. In CS:GO there are nine different game modes, each with its distinctive characteristics. Players can also participate in games that are competitive and casual on servers hosted by community groups or on Valve-run servers that are exclusively dedicated. The game also includes various different game modes, such as Arms Race and Flying Scoutsman and a Battle Royale-style mode called Danger Zone. In addition to new weapons and maps, CS:GO features an updated user interface, voice acting and other visual changes. The game also revamps the factions, removing the option to pick one upon spawning, instead allowing them to randomly assign a team of five to each map. Luminosity Gaming is the most successful team in CS:GO with four major championships. As a result of its long-standing popularity, Counter-Strike has a huge fan base among gamers and is considered a benchmark for first-person shooter skill. It has a large and active esports community, with teams of professional players competing in international and local tournaments. It is among the most played games on Steam with approximately 11 million active players per month in February 2019. The community has also started a huge subreddit r/CounterStrike. It is the largest subreddit of its kind. |
