Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) was developed by Valve Corporation and Hidden Path Entertainment, with its initial release on August 21, 2012. While Valve led the project, both companies collaborated closely during the game's development phase.

The original Counter-Strike was created by Minh Le and Jess Cliffe as a mod for Half-Life in 1999. Valve, recognizing the mod's potential, purchased the rights to Counter-Strike and hired both creators in 2000.

When it came to developing CS:GO, Valve took the lead but partnered with Hidden Path Entertainment, who had previously worked on Counter-Strike: Source. The key figures involved in CS:GO's development included:

* Gabe Newell - Valve Corporation's co-founder and president
* David Speyrer - Project lead at Valve
* Ido Magal - Game designer at Valve
* Hidden Path Entertainment team led by Michael Gesner

The development process began in 2010 when Valve initially planned to create a simple port of Counter-Strike: Source for Xbox Live Arcade. However, the project evolved into a full-fledged new game after receiving feedback from professional Counter-Strike players.

After its release, Valve took complete control of CS:GO's development and continued to update the game regularly. The company has maintained and improved the game through numerous updates, including the significant transition to free-to-play in December 2018.

CS:GO's success can be attributed to the collaborative effort between Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment, though Valve has been the primary caretaker of the game since its launch. Today, the game continues to be developed and maintained exclusively by Valve Corporation.

The combined expertise of both companies resulted in what became one of the most successful competitive first-person shooters in gaming history, with millions of active players worldwide.

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