10 Reasons Why Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Is The Best Esports Game
Valve’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive enjoys a ridiculous number of active players. There’s absolutely no denying that the tactical first-person shooter is one of the most popular and celebrated esports titles around. We thought we’d take some time to look at exactly how and why CS:GO, as it’s often abbreviated, achieved this level of success. From its history to its moment-to-moment gameplay, there are so many reasons to celebrate CS:GO that it was hard to know where to start. Here are 10 reasons why Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the best esports game out there right now.
- It’s not that hard for beginners to get into
While some may say that CS:GO is off-putting for beginner players and beginner spectators, that’s actually not true. There are plenty of high-quality beginner’s guides out there that will help you learn how to play CS:GO if you’re interested, and they don’t take too long to work through. What’s more, if you’re a beginner esports spectator, there’s never been a better time to indulge in a spot of CS:GO gambling. If you’re new to it, checking out a beginner’s guide can help you in this area too!
- It’s fairly straightforward
The intricacies of CS:GO can take a lifetime to learn, but the game itself is reasonably simple. Most game modes can be explained in a single sentence, so if you’re spectating a game of CS:GO, you can quickly figure out what’s going on and who’s winning and losing. Unlike other games such as League of Legends or Dota 2, understanding the moment-to-moment flow of CS:GO isn’t tricky at all, so you can quickly get into a game and know where you’re at.
- Professional play informs amateur play
There’s no better game than CS:GO for professionals to school amateurs and newbies alike. Since everyone is basically playing the same game on CS:GO, the differences boil down to exactly how the professionals plan each move and what decisions they’re making to set them apart. If you’re an amateur, you can watch professional esports games in CS:GO and you can learn a lot about your own personal game from doing so. Next time you tune in, try taking some notes!
- It’s incredibly popular
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the most undeniably popular esports out there. At their peak, CS:GO tournaments can attract up to a million viewers. This means you know you’re in good company if you choose to spectate a CS:GO game. Back in 2019 alone, CS:GO had 20 million monthly active users, which is twice as many as it enjoyed in 2016. It’s clear that CS:GO is incredibly popular and that its popularity isn’t going to wane anytime soon.
- It has tactical depth
Despite the fact that CS:GO is very easy to pick up and learn, it’s very difficult to master. The maps on offer have huge tactical depth in terms of where teams can position themselves, where skirmishes can occur, and what routes players can take in order to reach objectives. This means that CS:GO offers an oceanically deep strategic shooter experience if you stick with it for long enough to start learning the intricacies of each map and each playstyle.
- Pro esports teams around the world are still growing
There are strong esports team offerings in CS:GO from countries around the world. Checking out rankings for esports teams will show organisations from Europe, the USA, the UK, and many other disparate nations around the globe. This is because CS:GO transcends barriers; there’s absolutely nothing in the game that indicates you need to speak a certain language or be from a certain country in order to grasp it. In many ways, CS:GO is the great leveler when it comes to nationality!
- It’s the perfect armchair strategy game
Let’s face it: there’s nothing more fun than inviting a few friends round (although it may have to be a virtual meeting right now) and talking shop about your favourite sport. Why not try extending that philosophy to esports? Call up a few friends on Skype or Zoom, get some snacks and drinks, and spectate a few professional CS:GO matches. Before you know it, you’ll all have dreamed up the perfect way all of the botched plays could have gone. Who knows? It could be the start of a new CS:GO team!
- You don’t need a super-impressive rig
Many esports games, like Apex Legends or Call of Duty: Warzone, require reasonably powerful PCs to really get the most out of them. That’s not the case with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, however. No matter how old and doddery your PC may be, there’s a very good chance you’ll be able to run the game with very few problems. That means that even if you’re playing against someone with a gaming keyboard and a monster gaming PC, you’ll still stand a very good chance of winning against them.
- It runs on Valve’s Source engine
Valve’s Source engine truly is the modern workhorse of gaming engines. Despite being literally sixteen years old this year, Source continues to power Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with nary a problem. More modern engines may pack more impressive graphical clout or the ability to render more realistic destruction, but Valve being so massively ahead of the curve when it came to Source back in 2004 has started to pay serious dividends now that games are still running on it and enjoying success in 2020.
- It’s intense
To put it simply, there is no respite during a game of CS:GO. If you die, you’ll get at most a minute or two to put yourself right and get your head back in the game before you’re back in the fray and fighting for your life. That’s what makes it such a great esport; it’s unpredictable due to the high-octane nature of the gameplay. If you’re looking for a game that will kick your brain into gear every single time you start spectating a match, CS:GO is that game.
