Valve Software said on Monday that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (GO) is slated to arrive on August 21, 2012. The new shooter will be available on the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade and Steam for the PC and Mac, and sold for approximately $15 on all platforms.
"CS: GO will expand upon the team-based action gameplay pioneered when Counter-Strike was launched almost 13 years ago (CS beta 1, August 1999)," Valve stated in an email. "CS: GO features new maps, characters, and weapons and delivers updated versions of the classic CS content (de_dust, etc.). In addition, CS: GO introduces new gameplay modes, matchmaking, leader boards, and more."
Counter-Strike: GO was developed by Valve Software in cooperation with Seattle-based Hidden Path Entertainment, which also co-developed 2004's Counter-Strike: Source. Overall the Counter-Strike franchise has sold more than 25 million units in just over 12 years.
The most recent beta update reported that the game now supports 15v15 on all maps. It also features chickens on the Inferno map, improved UI, tweaks to burst and tap fire, and more. "The spawn locations have been prioritized to accommodate various numbers," reads the May 21 blog. "For server operators, if you allow for more players, you may want to play with the bot quota number to find a number that works best with your server."
A complete list of release notes is available here.
