The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive website states that Valve is now taking pre-purchases for the PC version on Steam. The game is slated to launch on August 21, but fans can save 10-percent on the $14.99 price tag by purchasing the game now ($13.49). Want the complete Counter-Strike experience? Valve is currently offering the CS: Complete package (CS, CS: Condition Zero, CS: Source, CS: GO) for 66-percent off the retail price of $54.96 until August 9 ($18.69)... not too shabby.
"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."
The pre-order news follows an update on August 2 which discussed the upcoming map workshop for Global Offensive, a repository where submitted maps can be evaluated, discussed, and rated by the community. Valve said that server operators will be able to subscribe to -- and automatically update -- these maps, ensuring that they have the author’s most recent version throughout a map’s development.
"The map workshop is the perfect place for pros and other players to develop maps with their communities," the company said.
For those who refuse to play Global Offensive on the PC, Sony's PlayStation Store will open the doors to pre-purchases of a downloadable version for the PlayStation 3 console starting August 14. Previously Valve planned for cross-platform multiplayer gameplay between the PS3, Mac OS X and Windows platforms, but the studio limited the feature to the non-console platforms due to the inability to release simultaneous updates across all three. However the PS3 version will include support for Move and the mouse/keyboard combo.
So far there's no word on when Xbox 360 owners can pre-purchase CS: GO, so keep checking back with the official website. The worldwide release on Steam, the PlayStation Store, and Xbox Live Arcade is August 21.
UPDATE: Valve sent over an email stating that all players who pre-purchase on Steam gain early access to the beta on August 14th in addition to the 10-percent discount.
