Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) was officially released on August 21, 2012. As of 2024, that means the game has been out for over 11 years, making it one of the longest-running and most successful competitive first-person shooters in gaming history.

The game was initially announced by Valve Corporation in August 2011, and after a closed beta testing phase that began in November 2011, it was released worldwide across multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

CS:GO wasn't created from scratch - it's actually the fourth main entry in the Counter-Strike series, following the original Counter-Strike (2000), Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (2004), and Counter-Strike: Source (2004).

Throughout its lifespan, CS:GO has received numerous updates and changes. Some of the most significant developments include:

The introduction of the Arms Deal update in 2013
The transition to a free-to-play model in December 2018
The release of Danger Zone, the battle royale mode
Regular operation updates and gameplay improvements

In 2023, Valve released Counter-Strike 2, which serves as an upgrade to CS:GO using the Source 2 engine. However, CS:GO's original version maintained an active player base for over a decade, peaking at over 1.8 million concurrent players in 2023.

My research shows that CS:GO has been one of the most consistently popular games on Steam throughout its existence, maintaining hundreds of thousands of daily players and establishing itself as a cornerstone of esports competition.

It's worth noting that while the game launched as a paid title in 2012, it became free-to-play in 2018, which contributed significantly to its longevity and growing player base. This business model shift came about 6 years after the initial release, marking a new chapter in the game's history.

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