The most played esport in the world, Counter-Strike is a series that has been around for ages, and CS:GO is a household name for any gamer.

With almost 50 million people owning the game on Steam, let’s dive in deeper into how this 5v5 FPS became the greatest creation of the gaming universe. 

1. Extremely Friendly 

Amongst the games at the highest levels, CS:GO is the most welcoming game. It is easy to learn and understand. More importantly, the specs required to play this game smoothly are rather low compared to other games. Most casual gamers don’t have a high-end PC and CS:GO welcomes them with open arms.

It was very cheap in its yesteryears, being sold at just $15. But in 2018, Valve went a step further and made it free to play. 

For newcomers, the professional streams are very easy to understand and follow, as opposed to complex games like Dota 2. 

All these factors combine to make the game very welcoming.

2. The Community 

CS:GO has an ever-growing community. Many of the most popular gaming YouTubers and Twitch streamers have at some point flirted with CS:GO or are full-time CS:GO content creators.
CS:GO offers intense competitive play, but also relaxing modes like Surfing and Climbing Maps. Exploring beautiful community-made maps is another relaxing pastime.

CS:GO is easy to learn but difficult to master, which makes it a perfect option for YouTubers to post content like CS:GO guides, tips, and tricks. 

This constant exposure helps CS:GO reach out to new gamers quickly and increase the player base efficiently.

3. The Skins

Though the game is extremely competitive and engaging in itself, aesthetic options like skins and stickers took the game to a new level in 2013. The Arms Deal Update reversed the dwindling community and opened new channels like trading in the game. 

I cannot stress enough how the introduction of skins changed the ever-so-serious landscape of the CS scene and made it dynamic and exciting. The cosmetic beauty of decorating your favourite weapons, and getting amazing frags with them, kept inviting newer and newer players.

The gambling and betting scene is also very lively. CS:GO match predictions is the most sought-out method for earning quick money. On the other hand, CS:GO offers a more complex skin-trading avenue for serious people. 

CS:GO is the complete package and the energetic community keeps it going.

Alt-Text: Lovely CS:GO Skins

4. The Events

The high quality of the tournaments all around the year in CS:GO makes the game thrive in the competitive scene. The Major tournaments are not funded like the TI in Dota 2, but the quality remains at the top. CS:GO analytics is absolutely top-notch in the pro scene. The casters give the play a different dimension, and CS:GO is second to none in these departments. 

Eleague, ESEA, FACEIT, PGL, BLAST, etc. are some of the top-notch organizers that feed CS:GO a lot of resources, and help make tournaments of the highest standards.

5. Esports Growth

Esports in itself has grown a lot. For such new gamers, a simple game like CS:GO is the first point of contact. Apart from that, a lot of celebrities play CS:GO too.

Neymar Jr and his friends from football, the rapper Logic, kickboxer Mark Hunt and many more are celebrities who play CS:GO. Neymar in particular plays casually, but is absurdly good at the esport, frequently playing with many top-tier professionals. 

This combines fan bases and helps both parties grow in popularity.

6. External Competition 

One of the most important factors of CS:GO being popular is something unintuitive. Games like VALORANT, Six Siege, PUBG, Call Of Duty, etc. threaten to take away the CS:GO player base.

In the past few years, PUBG and VALORANT have extensively threatened CS:GO, and to keep up with these “modern” games, Valve has done a lot. After years of neglect and having Dota 2 as its golden child, Valve put in a lot of effort to keep CS:GO alive.

Adding game modes like Battle Royale in CS:GO, making constant updates to keep up with VALORANT, fixing bugs, and working on the matchmaking cheating problems, etc. are some of the many efforts Valve has put into CS:GO. This improves the game and hence attracts a lot of players to a game that has been constantly deemed the “dying one”. 

(IEM | Helena Kristiansson)

CS:GO is a game with a lot of tournaments and a lot of interesting updates. Keeping up with these esports news and CS:GO news is difficult, but rewarding. Recent times have been easier for betters, as NaVi currently dominates the world. They created history in 2021 by winning the Major without losing a single map. They have no plans of stopping, as they plan to create an era.

There are more games like Rainbow Six Siege that threaten CS:GO, only to lose in the long run. The simplistic yet intense competitiveness that CS:GO offers remains largely unmatched. Cycles of adrenaline rushes, coupled with multiple short breaks, without needless complexity make Counter-Strike one of the most addictive and best games ever. 

Dynasties may build and fall, but CS:GO will forever remain the game that refuses to die.