Counter-Strike (CS) is a series of multiplayer tactical first-person shooter video games, in which opposing teams attempt to complete various objectives.

[4] The fourth game in the main series, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, was released by Valve in 2012 for Windows, OS X, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

Hidden Path Entertainment, who worked on Counter-Strike: Source post-release, helped to develop the game alongside Valve.

Two opposing teams—the Terrorists and the Counter Terrorists—compete in game modes to complete objectives, such as securing a location to plant or defuse a bomb and rescuing or guarding hostages.

Winning rounds results in more money than losing and completing objectives such as killing enemy players gives cash bonuses.

[8] Originally a modification for Half-Life, the development team was hired by Valve in 2000, when the company acquired the rights to Counter-Strike.

The game received mixed reviews in contrast to its predecessor and was quickly followed with a further entry to the series titled Counter-Strike: Source.

Counter-Strike: Source was initially released as a beta to members of the Valve Cyber Café Program on August 11, 2004.

[4][13] On August 18, 2004, the beta was released to owners of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and to those who had bought ATI Radeon video cards bundled with a Half-Life 2 voucher.

A selection of single-player missions, mini-games, and seasonal events were added to prolong the players' interest on the game.

Since 2013, the Valve-sponsored Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championships have become the most prestigious tournaments in the franchise's history, featuring prize pools of around $1,000,000.