Valve Now Taking Pre-Orders for Counter-Strike: GO

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By Kevin Parrish
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PC gamers can now pre-purchase Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on Steam.

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.

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Kevin Parrish
28 Comments Comment from the forums
  • evan1715
    all ready bought it
    Reply
  • southernshark
    CS was the most popular mod well before its official release date. Beta 2.0 was awesome.
    Reply
  • boiler1990
    As someone who never played the original Counter Strike games, what is the appeal of the game? Just online multiplayer? How does it rank in comparison to some of the better games out there (ArmA II, BF3)?

    I guess I just don't know what differentiates CS from other online FPS games.
    Reply
  • DroKing
    No interest for me. I know its a further dumbed down CS from CSS. I stick with CS 1.6. This has Consoled UI along with stupid console features. *vomits*
    Reply
  • chomlee
    I think the original attraction was that it was free, simple, and the first game to bring FPS competition to reality. There where others but because they cost money not everyone got on the bandwagon. Since CS was free, everyone who heard of it decided to at least give it a try and becuase it was a decent game, many people continued to play it.

    As for comparison to BF3, there is none. At least with the CS and CS source. CS is good because it is for people who want to quickly go into a match and shoot. BF3 is a whole new ballgame since you have tanks, cars, boats, planes, helicopters, etc that you have to utilize as well. The modern warefare multiplayer games where sucessful because they used a similar model to CS. BF3 also recognized the simple approach and has recently released a close quarters update that is similar to CS and MW style gaming.
    Reply
  • hate machine
    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

    FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.... I wanted to stomp some console kiddies.
    Reply
  • inerax
    boiler1990As someone who never played the original Counter Strike games, what is the appeal of the game? Just online multiplayer? How does it rank in comparison to some of the better games out there (ArmA II, BF3)?I guess I just don't know what differentiates CS from other online FPS games.
    Counter strike took the world with competitive play. Its not about INSANE graphics or kill streaks.

    Counter strike is fun because its SUPER simple. You can make it more complex by adding in team strats.

    Worth the $.
    Reply
  • supall
    boiler1990As someone who never played the original Counter Strike games, what is the appeal of the game? Just online multiplayer? How does it rank in comparison to some of the better games out there (ArmA II, BF3)?I guess I just don't know what differentiates CS from other online FPS games.
    You die, you don't respawn until the end of the round. There is no running and gunning here. You peek out of cover in sustained fire, you're dead. Unlike BF or COD, you don't look for a hardcore server to get that extra challenge - you're on hardcore from the start. 1 Life, 1 round, and the overzealous need for being able to detect the slightest footstep.
    Reply
  • Tmanishere
    What's the point of CS: GO when you already have CS and CSS? I thought the whole appeal to CS: GO was the cross-platform play. Is the graphics really that revamped from CSS?
    Reply
  • crysex
    The control of CS feels extremely responsive and authentic. The game is fast and hardcore. Skills and strategies are highly important in this game.
    Reply