Valve has unexpectedly re-released Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) as a separate application on Steam, enabling fans to gain easier access to Counter-Strike 2‘s predecessor.
With over 60,000 players loading into the game, Valve did quikcly reveal that it will not grant licenses to tournament organisers looking to host CS:GO events.
First reported by Dust2.us, the decision to stop organisers from hosting CS:GO tournaments prevents the running of throwback events designed to capitalise on the title’s huge popularity before it was replaced by CS2 in 2023.
While Valve didn’t elaborate on the reasons behind the denial of tournament licenses, the decision is frustrating for those who prefer CS:GO to CS2 despite frequent improvements to the latter game through regular updates.
The decision also somewhat contradicts Valve’s policy of allowing tournament organisers to request a license to run tournaments across its vast library of titles. While CS:GO isn’t allowed, organisers have the ability to host tournaments in Counter-Strike: Source, Team Fortress, and Day of Defeat.
Launched in 2012, CS:GO quickly built on the foundations of Counter-Strike: Source, becoming a hugely popular title with a thriving esports scene. Between 2013 and 2023, Valve hosted 13 Major tournaments with the likes of Astralis, FaZe Clan, Team Vitality, and Fnatic lifting the trophy.
What’s Next For CS:GO?
Despite the lack of an esports scene for CS:GO, players can participate in matches against bots and access community-operated servers to play alongside and against other people. Valve hasn’t activated official servers, meaning the title doesn’t have an active competitive playlist.
Switching on official servers poses the risk of diluting the existing player base that resides on CS2. CS2 has reached a peak of 1.5m players over the last 24 hours, cementing its place as one of the most popular first-person shooters in the world.
For fans looking to take a trip down memory lane and experience the nostalgia, the relaunch of CS:GO is positive news as Valve continues to commit its esports efforts to CS2.
