Celebrating 10 years of CS:GO

11-8-2022 20:01

On August 21 it will be 10 years since the release of CS:GO, and HLTV.org is here to celebrate the big birthday.

Over the next 10 days, HLTV.org will bring you stories about each year that has passed since Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was officially released on August 21, 2012.

We will take you back through the years, starting on Friday with the year 2012 and the uncertain times of the crucial transition from Counter-Strike 1.6 and Source to the successor of one of esports' biggest franchises.

In each article we will delve into the game's extensive history, from Ninjas in Pyjamas' 87-0 streak, the fnatic era, the rise of Brazilian Counter-Strike, to the dominance of Astralis, the online era, and the recent return to normalcy and to the arenas packed full of fans.

On top of our articles on the site, we'll also regularly post additional content on our social media channels, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Whether you're a new fan discovering the vast history of the game for the first time or one that has been there to witness it all, we hope you'll enjoy flicking back through the calendar with us.

20 years of HLTV.org

Below is the schedule of our countdown to CS:GO's 10th anniversary:

2012 - A successor to the Counter-Strike franchise arrives
2013 - Global Offensive takes off after the first Major
2014 - Global Offensive starts to boom in first multi-Major year
2015 - The year of black-and-orange domination
2016 - The rise of Brazilian Counter-Strike
2017 - The parity era gives way to a new duopoly
2018 - Astralis take over the world
2019 - Liquid challenge Astralis' reign
2020 - Overcoming unprecedented challenges
2021 - A return to normality

Counter-Strike

2022-08-12 13:12

20 replies

10 years ago NiP made history 87-0 in LAN f0rest is the GOAT of CS overall

2022-08-12 13:13

15 replies

NEO was and will always be the GOAT of counter Strike.

2022-08-12 14:17

6 replies

Not really, guy was a fucking beast in 1,6 but was never more than average in CSGO. Both f0rest and GTR has more to show combined over the 2 games.

2022-08-12 14:48

1 reply

"Average" is pushing it here, NEO will always be a winner. A lot of people discount him because he wasn't as good individually in CS GO as 1.6 but he still won 7 T1 LAN tournaments with VP during the first 4-5 years of CS GO. People forget that. He has still achieved a lot more in this game than most "star" players and his last T1 tournament win was in 2017.

2022-08-13 01:41

Maybe 1.6, but arguably gtr and f0rest were both better if you count csgo aswell. Imo gtr is the goat of cs.

2022-08-12 15:48

2022-08-13 01:15

+1 NEO always the goat

2022-08-12 16:19

junior is the actual goat

2022-08-12 21:41

10 years ago the game wasnt even released

2022-08-12 14:26

5 replies

do they teach reading in France? "On August 21 it will be 10 years since the release of CS:GO"

2022-08-12 17:24

4 replies

shit man youre from the future

2022-08-12 18:02

and whats the date today?

2022-08-12 19:19

2 replies

How are you struggling this much? Today is not August 21

2022-08-13 00:38

That's what he said in the beginning and y'all started to bark on him

2022-08-15 11:20

I am a f0rest fan from 2003 but NEO's peak in 1.6 was unbelievable and some kids in here have to experience watching it before judging. NEO peaked when 1.6 was already established and many pros were monsters. He was obviously one level above the rest. Everyone feared him and the fact that he is a stoic and humble guy raised more respect to his name. NEO was a "fear" in 1.6 from the pistol round because noone even now has mastered the glock as NEO had. B-hoping and throwing HS. Forest is NEO's greatest rival. S1mple has passed NEO and f0rest in skills and performances but CSGO has also passed 1.6 in skill abilities and performances.

2022-08-12 22:29

??? how s1mple surpassed f0rest and NEO when he's been playing for a high level for like 5 years? f0rest and neo played like a top1 in the world for a decade in 1.6 and f0rest still a beast in CSGO. s1mple might be the GOAT of CSGO but overall f0rest still the best

2022-08-12 22:32

Gigachad name, respect

2022-08-12 13:20

3 replies

+1 can confirm nice flair

2022-08-12 13:29

Thanks man

2022-08-12 15:22

yay cant wait to read

2022-08-12 13:33

I personally do not.

Ok let's get some bitches and get laid

2022-08-12 13:18

2022-08-12 16:22

2022-08-12 18:13

lets go ..... 10 year anniversary celebration

I LOVE COUNTERSTRIKE!!!

niceeeeeeeeeeee

Counter-Strike.

still no source 2

10 replies

new stickers capsule inc hahahaha

2022-08-12 13:14

maybe they are waiting for 10 year anniversary?

2022-08-12 13:16

Not this month. Confirmed.

2022-08-12 13:30

who

2022-08-12 13:48

Leakers/dataminers saying it's not close enough yet

2022-08-12 14:02

Valve already contacted some mapmakers so they'll probably release a normal size update in 10th anniversary.

2022-08-12 14:13

twitter.com/gabefollower/status/15578554..

2022-08-12 15:59

Tbh it's still possible as a beta branch but they'll probably release it in October or around the time they released last operation imo.

2022-08-12 14:07

in october is the rumour anyway

holup, just a few more centuries, ain't no big deal))

2022-08-12 17:25

Source 3 ??????

gabe follower on twitter he knows his stuff

2022-08-12 14:10

source 1.1 has to be released for that

2022-08-12 20:17

Counter Strike aka CHESS 2.0 aka best competitive shooter of all time

Facts. Best 5v5 chess sim out there, no cap.

2022-08-12 14:06

You should check out the Starcraft pro matches vods before you call something chess 2.0.

2022-08-12 16:28

chess = 2d chess 2.0 = 3d

2022-08-12 16:30

I don't buy that.

2022-08-12 16:36

never heard of a pole buying anything either

2022-08-12 16:42

He arent buying it because he is stealing it

2022-08-13 18:22

Csko

yes

2022-08-12 13:15

10 years of pain

lol buddy whatsup?

2022-08-12 13:19

Hahahaa

2022-08-12 14:33

GOAT Game

bring back half time voice chat for that.

2022-08-12 13:17

That would be fun

Awesome idea

2022-08-12 15:15

2022-08-12 17:30

very cool it would be nice to have a comprehensive source on csgo history for newcomers seeing how long it already spans (not even counting 1.6)

nice

More cases please, some boots skins, fake nails, botox and breast implants would be nice addition

LMAO

2022-08-12 13:47

Don't forget nade skin

2022-08-12 15:32

Zeus skin ftw

2022-08-12 18:31

Thank mr hltv

2022-08-12 13:21

i just hope for source 2 or, at least, new operation

New operation + sticker capsule, source 2 will probably have to wait

A lot of professionals and youtubers know something about source 2 in csgo. So, we probably will get someday

2022-08-12 13:35

someday. August of 2122 - Still waiting Source 2. OMEGALUL

2022-08-12 16:25

they are all trolling lol

2022-08-13 14:42

You guys have lower back pain and a urge to buy philips hue. Time to stop playing games

Why are you calling me out like this? I will set my lights to a more soothing colour to help with these negative emotions I am now feeling.

Nice

2022-08-12 13:22

That's very cool, thank mr HLTV!

2022-08-12 13:23

2022-08-12 13:25

10 years lezzz gooooooooo

Do a top 100 👍

Lets gooo

2022-08-12 13:28

Boring Like we haven’t heard those stories for thousands of times

2022-08-12 13:31

Ok Ruski_hacker

2022-08-12 14:30

time for a major update or a new game

2022-08-12 13:43

And Volvo does nothing. Fuck them!

pog!

2022-08-12 13:46

10 years, isn't it crazy? 🤯 It's about time we get SAUCE 2 (or a new operation would be fine as well)

sick

2022-08-12 13:54

2022-08-12 13:58

I was here GIGACHAD ChRiZOwow 12.08.2022 Love and happines )))

2022-08-12 14:04

Happy Bee! Lez go! GG

2022-08-12 14:12

Thinking about it...I joined at the very end of the NIP streak and followed each and every era and event after that, what a tile it has been The csglounge, ibp and the rise of the hltv Clearly something to remember Thank you hltv guys for putting as much effort <3

CS forever

Its actually hard to belive that csgo is 10yo game tbh

IM ALSO 10 YEARS OLD TOO. WHERES A HLTV THREAD ABOUT ME?!?!

2022-08-12 14:19

Faze now making history. Faze up #1

2022-08-12 14:23

CS <3

Can't believe it's been 10 years. Feels like yesterday we were still grinding 1.6..

2022-08-12 14:25

Cool!

2022-08-12 14:37

Counter-Strike <3

2022-08-12 14:43

waiting for 2 new cases

Cya in 10?

2022-08-12 14:51

This is great! Thanks guys! Looking forward to it!

2022-08-12 14:52

Looking forward to it! :D

2022-08-12 14:54

2022-08-12 15:00

Hbd mens

2022-08-12 15:01

Source 2 plz😭

2022-08-12 15:11

2022-08-12 15:21

very nicee

2022-08-12 15:26

HLTV to give out 10-year bans in celebration

2022-08-12 15:29

2022-08-12 15:34

Almost 10 years since i switched from 1.6 to csgo. It has been 18 years sine i started playing cs. insane. and while i play csgo for longer now, 1.6 still has the best memories.

2022-08-12 15:35

2022-08-12 15:44

2022-08-12 15:45

Just realized it took Valve 8 years to replace crappy CS:Source with CS:GO!? 😮 .. I stopped playing CS shortly after CS:Source was released. We are quite unlucky to have such slow developer on our favorite game

garbage game ngl tbh

2022-08-12 15:46

The best computer game ever! 1.6 was tough to beat and CSS failed bigtime, but we all play csgo in our 30s (just much less hours than we used to)!

2022-08-12 15:47

+1 spot on! 😎

2022-08-12 15:49

Happy birthday GOAT

2022-08-12 15:57

2022-08-12 16:07

Fun 10 years. Sad that they decided to shut down the servers on the 21st.

2022-08-12 16:08

whaaat

Thank you HLTV for being with us

2022-08-12 16:11

I miss cs 1.6

2022-08-12 16:18

valve thank you in advance for birthday hats for chickens

2022-08-12 16:24

S2!!!!!!!

Counter-Strike. GOAT.

2016-2019 was the peak period, both in game and in pro CS

2014-15 was peak. Went downhill from there

2022-08-12 17:19

imo it's just people being nostalgic, check out how many people watch majors now and back then

2022-08-12 17:27

Source2 will be published on the 10th anniversary date, I know cause my dad owns Valve

2022-08-12 17:06

time to quit cs

2022-08-12 17:28

10 years in beta, congratulations

2022-08-12 17:47

How about Valves celebration? I think there's nothing to be expected out there

Community stickers!

2022-08-12 18:06

even the hltv know faze has no era

2022-08-12 18:08

People need Source2, 128 tick servers, no cheaters :) and good people :)

2022-08-12 18:28

10 years

2022-08-12 18:42

Hyyype for the HLTV videos!

2022-08-12 18:46

fuck this game

2022-08-12 19:33

cool

2022-08-12 19:43

I won the first open CSGO tourney in vancouver canada for $500 with JDM.

2022-08-12 21:50

Yep same here.

2022-08-13 20:26

Uhh, pretty sure you were not part of our team.

2022-08-16 21:46

Don't try to start fight!! I was part of that team then.

2022-08-16 22:43

must have been the 6th man I dont remember.

2022-08-17 00:09

2022-08-13 01:35

2022-08-13 02:42

Source 2 on August 21?

2022-08-13 04:43

10 years of csgo, 20 years my age, what a lovely day to held a party

2022-08-13 14:36

More cases please, some boots skins, fake nails etc inc, no actual game improvement or source2 unfortunately

2022-08-13 19:44

At this point, maby new csgo source 2 will be diffrent for them and some old legends might come back

2022-08-14 12:51

A lot of professionals and youtubers know something about source 2 in csgo. So, we probably will get someday hopefully

2022-08-14 17:38

We are in the history PepeClap

2022-08-14 19:22

No cap

2022-08-16 15:51

2016-2022 and I still play CS:GO for fun :)

2022-08-17 03:14

CSGO: 10 Years x 10 Editors x 10 Frag Movies youtube.com/watch?v=hVp8HBxHhMQ I remember and watched every single VOD that's in that video practically live with the exceptions of the once that were not live at the time :) Nice captures. Congrats CS!

2022-08-22 03:38