When it comes to first person shooters, few titles are as beloved or well known as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. First hitting the shelves back in August 2012 on the Xbox 360 and PS3, plenty of games have attempted to knock it from its pedestal but none have been successful so far. How CSGO is still the king? What is it that makes CSGO so popular? Over the course of this article, we will give a rundown of its core features as well as trying to find the key to its long-running success. So, without any further delay, let’s get cracking.
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What is CS:GO?
CS:GO was the fourth release in the hugely popular Counter-Strike series after Counter-Strike, Condition Zero, and Source. It is an objective-based, multiplayer first-person shooter, which allows players to compete with other gamers across the world for supremacy. Each game consists of two teams known as terrorists and counter-terrorists.
Depending on which side you are on, objectives can include planting and defusing a bomb and protecting or guarding hostages. Depending on how well you do in each game, you will earn a certain amount of in-game, virtual currency. This can be used to purchase better weapons, grenades and also perform cosmetic upgrades.
How CSGO is still the king and so popular?
There had been plenty of FPS games released before CS:GO came along and there will continue to be new titles released long into the future. So how exactly have developers Valve managed to keep their offering so popular?
Most notably, the nature of CS:GO makes it extremely replayable. Due to the game being completely online, no two matches are ever going to be the same. Your enemies and teammates constantly change and make different moves, keeping things fresh and interesting.
The inclusion of virtual currency also strengthens CS:GO’s replayability. As you play and get better you earn more points to buy upgrades. This levelling system always gives players a reason to keep coming back to the game.
Valve’s decision to make the game free-to-play in 2018 definitely helped maintain its popularity as well. Without the barrier to entry of a $60 RRP, many players downloaded the game who may have not otherwise.
CSGO eSports community
Perhaps the biggest reason for CS:GO remaining such a stalwart of gaming so long after its release is the competitive eSports community that it has spawned. If you want to get involved in this by placing a few wagers, there are plenty of recommended CSGO betting sites by MEBO to check out.
It is hard to overstate the size of the CS:GO eSports community. What started out as a niche but welcoming community has now spiralled into nothing short of big business. The best Counter Strike players are global megastars with a recent tournament featuring a prize pot of a whopping $325,000. Although several tournaments have been cancelled due to coronavirus, the community continues to grow and where it’ll head in the future is an exciting prospect.
