First look at Counter Strike: Global Offensive

We finally get a first look at Valve's next Counter Strike, Counter Strike: Global Offensive. We all know what Counter Strike is, so there's no need for an introduction. I still remember players(me included) running around with the Artic sniper rifle in De_Dust, good times. Just simply enjoy the official trailer and gameplay preview of CS: GO that's coming to PC, Playstation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade. Yes, it's coming to consoles too.

Counter Strike: Global Offensive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1ctPRMQeBQ

Not only am I excited to play Counter Strike again, be it PC or even consoles, I'm excited for the cross-platform feature. It's something I want to see happen more often. Players with different platforms all mixed up into one matchmaking? it's going to be chaos, it's a feature I think all multiplatform devs should explore more often. PS3 and PC seems to be all set for this feature, Xbox 360 on the other hand won't have this feature. There's also reports that PS3 players will be allowed to plug-in a mouse and keyboard for the game, if they wish to play it that way. Valve head Gabe Newell mentioned Xbox Live and it's "restrictions", the sole reason to why Portal 2 in the Xbox 360 does not have cross-platform play. Valve approached Microsoft about this but Microsoft does not want to open up to the idea of having steam, or even cross-platform play for that matter. Come on Microsoft!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN93xXfews4

Graphics have been improved, weapons have been added, changes have been map, but the core gameplay that we all know from Counter Strike still looks intact. Famous maps returning like De_Dust, Aztec, Italy, and more will return with new tweaks like the new underground passage of De_dust. You got to hate those snipers waiting for you to come out of that passage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP5D2N6pKKg

This is looking pretty sweet. Ok yes, nothing like Call of Duty or Battlefield. Nothing ground breaking at all. Valve is simply giving us an improved version of what many people still enjoy to this day. No need for killstreaks, tanks, or even iron sights. Just the good old point and shoot.

New Counter-Strike is a reality, coming to consoles and PC in early 2012

There was a rumor that started roaming around the net yesterday about a new Counter-Strike but Valve decided to confirm the rumors. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is coming to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive features new maps, characters, weapons and provides updated versions of classic Counter-Strike content(maps like de_dust). CS: GO will also include new game modes, matchmaking, leaderboards, and more.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) will expand upon the team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it was launched 12 years ago.

CS: GO features new maps, characters, and weapons and delivers updated versions of the classic CS content (de_dust, etc.). In addition, CS: GO will introduce new gameplay modes, matchmaking, leader boards, and more.

"Counter-Strike took the gaming industry by surprise when the unlikely MOD became the most played online PC action game in the world almost immediately after its release in August 1999," said Doug Lombardi at Valve. "For the past 12 years, it has continued to be one of the most-played games in the world, headline competitive gaming tournaments and selling over 25 million units worldwide across the franchise. CS: GO promises to expand on CS' award-winning gameplay and deliver it to gamers on the PC as well as the next gen consoles and the Mac."

CS: GO is being developed by Valve in cooperation with Seattle-based Hidden Path Entertainment. The title is targeted for release in early 2012 and will be playable at this year's PAX Prime and Eurogamer Expo.

Everybody knows Counter-Strike, but this is quite a shocker. People knew Valve has been cooking something and has an announcement to make, a lot was hoping for Half-Life 3, sadly not today. An updated Counter-Strike game that's also heading for consoles....not what I expected at all, but Counter-Strike is not even close to dead so I'm sure you CS fans are all excited with this announcement. It's coming next year so we'll see how it turns out when they reveal more info.