CS:GO smashes player record for the third time in 2023

Counter-Strike 2 news gets the squad pumped

Valve’s tactical shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has smashed its own concurrent player record for the third time in just two months — This past weekend saw CS:GO pull in over 1.5 million players on Steam, beating a record set just a fortnight ago by almost 50,000 players.

According to the figures on Steamdb, 1,519,457 squaddies leapt into action on March 25, beating the peak player count of 1,470,183 recorded on Saturday, March 11, and further surpassing the previous record of 1,308,963 recorded back in February. And while CS:GO has never truly ever entered an era of unpopularity in its near two decades of operation, the reason behind this sudden resurgence is quite clear.

Just five days ago, Valve finally confirmed the recent whispers that Counter-Strike was in line to receive a long-awaited upgrade, bringing technical improvements and mechanical overhauls to the tactical shooter’s aging engine. Titled Counter-Strike 2, (though the project is more of an upgrade rather than an actual sequel), the free, Source 2-powered release will feature redesigned maps, a U.I. upgrade, improved ballistics, and new, further immersive effects for elements such as smoke, shadows, and light.

Valve has already confirmed that all statistics and gear from current CS:GO accounts will be carried over into the new edition. A release date was not announced, but the update is expected to roll out this summer, with limited testing windows made available to players in the meantime. You can check out the full details for Counter-Strike 2 over on the official website.