Save file · Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
First release on record 21 Aug 2012 · first-person shooter, action
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is Valve's 2012 team-based first-person shooter in the Counter-Strike series. Two teams play short objective rounds, most often bomb defusal or hostage rescue, on maps such as Dust, Inferno, Nuke and Train. Valve shipped it on 21 August 2012 on Windows, Mac, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. On PC it has been free to play on Steam since 6 December 2018. Valve keeps that Steam page unlisted, so it does not appear in search, and sends shoppers who want the current franchise game to Counter-Strike 2, which Steam calls a free upgrade to CS:GO. Microsoft's US Xbox page lists Counter-Strike: GO for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and showed no USD price on 29 October 2026. ESRB rates it Mature 17+, PEGI 18 and USK 16. It is built for online multiplayer, including 5v5 Competitive and 2v2 Wingman.
Researched from the official pages · Updated
| First release | 21 August 2012 on Windows, Mac, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 |
|---|---|
| Platforms today | Steam lists Windows and Linux; Xbox store lists Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S |
| Developer | Valve (current Steam and Xbox pages) |
| Publisher | Valve |
| Price | Free on Steam (US); Xbox US page showed no USD price · checked 29 Oct 2026 |
| Modes | Online multiplayer, including 5v5 Competitive (first to 16 rounds) and 2v2 Wingman |
| Age rating | ESRB Mature 17+; PEGI 18; USK 16 |
| PC needs | Steam minimum: 15 GB storage; Windows 2 GB RAM and DirectX 9.0c; Linux 4 GB RAM |
| Languages | 29 on Steam; English includes full audio |
Where can I get Global Offensive now, and how does Counter-Strike 2 relate to it?
On PC, Valve still offers Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as a free Steam product, but the publisher has asked Steam to keep the page unlisted, so it will not appear in store search. The same page tells anyone looking for the latest Counter-Strike game to open Counter-Strike 2, and the CS2 Steam listing calls that game a free upgrade to CS:GO built on Source 2, with CS:GO items moving forward. Microsoft's US Xbox store still has a Counter-Strike: GO product page playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. PEGI records a 21 August 2012 release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360; a US PlayStation Store search on 29 October 2026 did not return a current CS:GO product page. Steam's current CS:GO requirements cover Windows and Linux only, even though the 2012 store copy on that page still promises the game on PC, then-current consoles, and Mac.
How do the official game modes work, and how many players are in a match?
Valve's CS:GO about page describes a team first-person shooter in which two sides play multiple objective rounds until one side wins the match. Competitive is the classic ruleset: two teams of 5, a best-of-30, buy rounds for armour, guns and kits, and the first team to 16 rounds wins in bomb defusal or hostage rescue, with Skill Groups from Silver 1 up to The Global Elite. Wingman is 2v2 on single bomb-site maps in a best-of-16 using the same buy-and-defuse rules. Casual is a drop-in mode with armour and defuse kits given automatically, a simpler economy, and team damage off. Deathmatch and Arms Race use instant respawns; Arms Race advances your gun after each kill and ends on a golden-knife kill. Demolition rotates attack and defence on one bombsite while kills unlock stronger guns. Flying Scoutsman is casual 8v8 with reduced gravity, SSG 08 rifles and knives only, and a race to 9 rounds. On 6 December 2018 Valve added Danger Zone, a battle-royale mode playable solo or in a squad of 2 or 3. Steam lists Multi-player and Cross-Platform Multiplayer for the current CS:GO app; it does not list single-player, split-screen, cloud saves, controller support, or a Steam Deck rating.
What does it cost on US stores, and is there paid DLC?
The US Steam page for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is marked Free To Play, with a Play Game action and no paid base-game price. Valve made CS:GO free on 6 December 2018, upgraded existing accounts to Prime Status, and later, on 3 June 2021, removed the free path to Prime for new players while leaving every mode, community servers and Workshop maps available without Prime. The current CS:GO Steam page lists no paid DLC or expansions. Prime Status Upgrade on Steam is sold for 14.99 USD in the US and, on 29 October 2026, stated that it grants Prime Account Status in Counter-Strike 2, not on the CS:GO app page. The US Xbox product page for Counter-Strike: GO showed no USD price that day. Steam's 21 August 2012 launch note advertised more than 45 weapons and more than 165 Steam Achievements; the Xbox page still cites more than 45 weapons and more than 165 awards.
What PC hardware does the Steam page require?
Valve's CS:GO FAQ sends players to the Steam store for system requirements. The current CS:GO listing publishes minimum specs only, with no recommended tier. For Windows it asks for Windows 7, Vista or XP, an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Phenom X3 8750 or better, 2 GB of RAM, a DirectX 9 card with Pixel Shader 3.0 and at least 256 MB of video memory, DirectX 9.0c, and 15 GB of storage. A footnote on that same block says the Steam Client supports only Windows 10 and later from 1 January 2024. For SteamOS and Linux the minimum is Ubuntu 12.04, a 64-bit dual-core Intel or AMD CPU at 2.8 GHz, 4 GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8600/9600GT or ATI/AMD Radeon HD2600/3600 with named 2012-era drivers and OpenGL 2.1, 15 GB of storage, and an OpenAL sound card. There is no macOS requirements tab on the current CS:GO store page. Those CS:GO figures are separate from Counter-Strike 2's Steam minimum of Windows 10, 8 GB of RAM, DirectX 11 and 85 GB of storage.
What do the rating boards say about age and content?
ESRB rates Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Mature 17+ for Blood and Intense Violence, with Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB, and lists Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Xbox One. PEGI rates both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions 18 with a Violence descriptor; the consumer advice on those entries is frequent moderate violence, and PEGI notes realistic-looking violence toward vulnerable characters, including the ability to shoot restrained hostages. Both PEGI entries give a 21 August 2012 release date. USK lists the Xbox 360 version as released from 16 years under German youth-protection law, classification number 33661/12, dated 26 July 2012. The Steam CS:GO page's own mature-content line is intense violence and blood. The Xbox store repeats Mature 17+, Blood, Intense Violence, and Users Interact.
What should I check before choosing this client over Counter-Strike 2?
Valve is steering new competitive play to Counter-Strike 2: the unlisted CS:GO Steam page links there, and CS2's store text calls it a free upgrade, with new CS Ratings, Premier, overhauled maps, dynamic smoke, and CS:GO items carrying forward. CS:GO's own about page still documents Skill Groups, online matchmaking, Arms Race, Wingman and the rest of the 2012-era mode list, and the FAQ still describes dedicated servers and Workshop maps and finishes. Steam does not state which platforms the Cross-Platform Multiplayer flag covers, and it does not advertise cloud saves, a Steam Deck rating, or controller support for this app. Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S are the consoles Microsoft's current US listing names; PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are historical PEGI platforms. Anyone who needs ranked Prime features on the current service is looking at Counter-Strike 2 and, if they want Prime there, the 14.99 USD Prime Status Upgrade.
Release dates by platform
| Platform | Date | Region | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows | 21 Aug 2012 | worldwide | Released |
| macOS | 21 Aug 2012 | worldwide | Released |
| PlayStation 3 | 21 Aug 2012 | worldwide | Released |
| Xbox 360 | 21 Aug 2012 | worldwide | Released |
Prices and editions
| Store | Edition | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam (US) | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Free | 29 Oct 2026 |
| Xbox (US) | Counter-Strike: GO | — | 29 Oct 2026 |
| Steam (US) | Prime Status Upgrade (grants Prime in Counter-Strike 2) | $14.99 | 29 Oct 2026 |
Prices change often; each is the store's own price on the day shown.
PC requirements
| Minimum | |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7, Vista or XP |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Phenom X3 8750 or better |
| Memory | 2 GB |
| Graphics | DirectX 9 compatible with Pixel Shader 3.0 and at least 256 MB |
| Video memory | 262 MB |
| Storage | 15 GB |
| DirectX | 9.0c |
From the game's official store page, read 29 Oct 2026; summarised in our own words.
Modes and features
| Feature | On record | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Single-player | Not listed among Steam features | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Online multiplayer | Listed as Multi-player; Competitive is 5v5, first team to 16 rounds in a best-of-30 | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Wingman | 2v2, best-of-16, Competitive bomb-defusal rules on single bomb-site maps | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Flying Scoutsman | Casual 8v8; first team to 9 rounds; SSG 08 and knives only | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Danger Zone | Battle-royale mode; solo or a squad of 2 or 3 | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Local or split-screen | Not listed on the Steam page | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Crossplay | Steam lists Cross-Platform Multiplayer; the page does not name the platforms | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Cross-progression | Not listed on the Steam page | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Controller support | Not listed on the Steam page | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck rating | Not shown on the Steam page | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Cloud saves | Not listed on the Steam page | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Languages | 29 supported; English has interface and full audio | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Dedicated servers and Workshop | Official FAQ says players can host dedicated servers and submit maps and weapon finishes to the Steam Workshop | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
Age ratings
| Board | Rating | Content descriptors |
|---|---|---|
| ESRB | Mature 17+ | Blood, Intense Violence, Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB |
| PEGI | PEGI 18 | Violence |
| USK | USK 16 | — |
FAQ
Does Counter-Strike: Global Offensive show up if I search the Steam store?
No. The US Steam page states that, at the publisher's request, the game is unlisted and will not appear in search. The product is still reachable by direct URL and is marked Free To Play.
Can I host a server or upload a map?
Valve's CS:GO FAQ says yes to both: dedicated-server hosting is documented, and finished maps and weapon finishes can be uploaded to the Steam Workshop for the community to use.
When did the PC game become free?
Valve's 6 December 2018 Danger Zone post announced that CS:GO was free to play, gave pre-update players a Loyalty Badge, and upgraded existing accounts to Prime Status.
Do the current store pages still name Hidden Path Entertainment?
No. The US Steam CS:GO page and the US Xbox page both list Valve as developer and publisher. Older database records that also name Hidden Path Entertainment do not match those live store credits.
Is Mac still on the current Steam requirements list?
No. The live CS:GO store page still quotes Valve's 2012 line about shipping on PC, consoles and Mac, but the requirements block only has Windows and SteamOS + Linux tabs.
Our take
CS:GO is the 2012 Counter-Strike client: free on Steam, unlisted in search, with Valve pointing anyone who wants the current game to Counter-Strike 2, a free Source 2 upgrade that carries CS:GO items forward. Use the Steam CS:GO app if you specifically want Global Offensive's documented 5v5, 2v2, Arms Race and Danger Zone rulesets, Workshop maps and self-hosted servers. Use Counter-Strike 2 if you want the live franchise service Valve is selling as the successor. The Xbox listing names Xbox One and Series X|S but showed no US price on 29 October 2026. Confirm age gates (Mature 17+, PEGI 18, USK 16), that play is online team multiplayer, and that Steam does not list cloud saves, a Steam Deck rating or controller support for this app.
Best for: Players who want the 2012 Global Offensive client and its documented 5v5 and 2v2 modes; Players who host dedicated servers or use the Steam Workshop for maps and finishes; Players who already treat Counter-Strike 2 as the current game and only need CS:GO as a separate free install.
Not for: Anyone under the ESRB Mature 17+, PEGI 18 or USK 16 limits; Shoppers who need a US Xbox price on the current product page; Players who require Steam to list cloud saves, a Steam Deck rating or controller support; Players who want the current Source 2 competitive service Valve labels as Counter-Strike 2.
Which version: Install the free unlisted Steam CS:GO app only if you want Global Offensive itself. For the current Counter-Strike game Valve links from that page, use Counter-Strike 2; add the 14.99 USD Prime Status Upgrade only if you want Prime in CS2.
Built only from the official facts above. We don't review games we haven't played, and nothing here is paid.
Sources
The record
Every line has its source and the day it was read- Dates on record
- 21 Aug 2012 Wikidata · read 26 Oct 2026
- Developers on record
- Valve Corporation, Hidden Path EntertainmentRoles are not on record, so we name no single developer.Wikidata · role not verified
- Publishers on record
- Valve Corporation Wikidata
- Genres
- first-person shooter, action game Wikidata
- Modes
- multiplayer, single-player, multiplayer online game Wikidata
- Age ratings on record
- Wikidata
- Series
- Counter-Strike Wikidata
- Engine
- Source Wikidata
- Platforms on record
- WindowsmacOSLinuxPS3Xbox OneXbox 360 on Wikidata · on Wikidata without a reference. A platform missing here is not proof it is absent.
Facts: Wikidata Q842146 (CC0), revision 2523522466, read 26 Oct 2026, researched by VGKami Games Research (VGK-WIKIDATA-CENTRE-20261028-V3d). Spotted a wrong fact? Tell us.