Summary
As the newly revampedCounter-Strike: Global Offensivescales to unprecedented heights, a looming shift threatens to dampen the spirits of some dedicated players. Currently, bothCS:GOand its successor,CS2, operate seamlessly, but this harmonious coexistence is on the cusp of a significant and imminent change.
Released over a decade ago,CS:GOhas maintained an unrivaled position as the most popular shooter in competitive gaming. However, over the years, fans have grown increasingly frustrated with certain persistent issues, chief among them being the absence of 128 tick servers, which significantly detract from the gameplay experience. The launch ofCS2brought a complete overhaul, featuring enhanced graphics, refined mechanics and, crucially, the introduction of a superior tick architecture which resolved several of the issues that had long plagued the 64 tick servers. Despite that, it has also faced its share of criticism from the community. As a result, a notable portion of players continue to revisit the originalCS:GO, highlighting a persistent affinity for the classic version of the game.
OnCounter Strike’sofficialSteam Support page, Valve has outlined the future ofCS:GO, announcing that official support for the game will cease starting in January. WhileCS:GOwill remain accessible, the company cautions that some features, particularly those linked to the Game Coordinator like player inventories, may not function properly. This implies that, although players had the ability tomove their in-game inventories fromCS:GOtoCS2, the reverse will likely not be an option going forward. Beyond these details, Valve has not extensively elaborated on the full scope of potential impacts resulting from these changes.
Thelimitations ofCS2, notably its lack of support for older hardware such as DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems, pose a significant inconvenience for many players. This aspect gains particular relevance considering that, despite the absence of official matchmaking, a number of players have continued to favorCS:GOfor its community servers. These servers are integral to the game’s ecosystem, offering a wide array of experiences from regular scrims to unique retake servers and various other game modes, all of which contribute to the rich and diverse gameplay thatCS:GOenthusiasts cherish.
“After July 13, 2025 the game will still be available, but certain functionality that relies on compatibility with the Game Coordinator (e.g., access to inventory) may degrade and/or fail.” - Valve
The anticipated absence of inventory support inCS:GOmight gradually steer players away, potentially leading to a decline in the community server population as well. This doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the game entirely, as players can still engage in gameplay without official matchmaking, akin to the experience inCounter-Strike Source. Nevertheless, this shift symbolizes the close of an era, marking a significant turning point in the legacy of a game that has defined a generation of competitive first-person shooters.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
WHERE TO PLAY
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.A free upgrade to CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2 marks the largest technical leap in Counter-Strike’s history. Built on the Source 2 engine, Counter-Strike 2 is modernized with realistic physically-based rendering, state of the art networking, and upgraded Community Workshop tools.
