Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) was officially released on August 21, 2012, by Valve Corporation in collaboration with Hidden Path Entertainment. The game was initially developed as a port of Counter-Strike: Source to Xbox Live Arcade, but it evolved into a full-fledged standalone game during development.

The development of CS:GO began in March 2010 when Hidden Path Entertainment started working on the console port. However, Valve soon recognized the potential for a new Counter-Strike title and expanded the project's scope significantly.

During its development phase, CS:GO went through several beta testing periods. The closed beta began in November 2011, with around 10,000 players receiving beta keys. A wider beta test launched in early 2012, allowing more players to experience the game before its official release.

The game launched simultaneously on multiple platforms: - Microsoft Windows - OS X - PlayStation 3 - Xbox 360

CS:GO wasn't an immediate success upon release. In fact, it had a relatively modest player base compared to its predecessor, Counter-Strike 1.6. However, the introduction of the Arms Deal update in August 2013, which added weapon skins and the competitive matchmaking system, sparked a significant increase in the game's popularity.

The game became free-to-play on December 6, 2018, marking a significant milestone in its history. This change, along with the introduction of the Danger Zone battle royale mode, brought another wave of new players to the game.

Today, more than a decade after its release, CS:GO remains one of the most popular first-person shooter games globally, with millions of active players and a thriving esports scene. Its success led to the release of Counter-Strike 2 in 2023, which serves as a direct successor to CS:GO.

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