Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is owned and operated by Valve Corporation, a prominent video game developer and digital distribution company based in Bellevue, Washington. Valve acquired the rights to Counter-Strike in 2000, when they purchased the intellectual property from the original mod creators, Minh Le and Jess Cliffe.

The ownership structure of CS:GO is straightforward - Valve Corporation maintains complete control over the game, its development, and its ecosystem. This includes everything from game updates and operations to the competitive scene and in-game economy.

I think it's important to note that while Valve owns CS:GO, they've partnered with various organizations over the years to expand the game's reach. Perfect World, for example, operates CS:GO in mainland China under a licensing agreement with Valve, but the core ownership remains with Valve Corporation.

Key aspects of Valve's ownership include:

- Full intellectual property rights
- Control over game development and updates
- Management of the Steam marketplace
- Oversight of professional competitions
- Revenue from in-game purchases and market transactions

In 2023, Valve released Counter-Strike 2 as a free upgrade to CS:GO, further cementing their ownership and commitment to the franchise. They continue to maintain and develop the game, implementing regular updates and managing the global CS:GO ecosystem.

This ownership structure has remained unchanged since CS:GO's release in 2012, with Valve Corporation maintaining sole proprietorship of one of the most successful first-person shooter games in history.

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