Steam offers discount on pre-order of Counter Strike: Global Offensive

Counter Strike: Global Offensive, the sequel to one of the most popular first person shooters Counter-Strike, is available for pre-order on Steam, Valve’s digital distribution platform for PC games. Counter Strike: Global Offensive will be available on the Xbox 360 via XBLA, on the PlayStation 3 via PSN and on PC via Steam. The price for the game on all three platforms is set to be $14.99 (around Rs. 825), but the pre-order on Steam is available at a 10 percent discount, which makes the price $13.49 (around Rs. 740). The game is set to release on all three platforms on 21 August 2012, after which the price of the PC version of the game will go back to $14.99.

Counter Strike: Global Offensive has been developed by Valve along with Hidden Path Entertainment. The game features new maps, characters, and weapons, and delivers updated versions of the classic CS content (de_dust, etc). In addition, CS: GO will introduce new gameplay modes, matchmaking, leader boards and more.

"Counter-Strike took the gaming industry by surprise when the unlikely MOD became the most played online PC action game in the world almost immediately after its release in August 1999. For the past 12 years, it has continued to be one of the most-played games in the world, headline competitive gaming tournaments and selling over 25 million units worldwide across the franchise. CS: GO promises to expand on CS' award-winning gameplay and deliver it to gamers on the PC as well as the next gen consoles and the Mac," said Valve's Doug Lombardi when announcing the release date for the game.

CS:GO is releasing in August

Unlike a full-fledged sequel, CS: GO looks more like an HD remake of sorts with a bunch of new gameplay mechanics thrown into the mix. Professional CS players the world over were invited to Valve’s studio to try out this game. According to them, the game obviously looks better and plays a lot like its older brother. The official press release that announced the game reiterates it, “CS: GO promises to expand on CS' award-winning gameplay and deliver it to gamers on the PC as well as the next gen consoles and the Mac”, which obviously means it isn’t Counter-Strike 2.

According to a recent report, a fansite has reported that evidence has been found in the script files of the recently-released Source Filmmaker. The website reports that there are many references in the script files to “Source 2”. The exact script is on line 1387 of the script file and reads:

“Return an str with the current engine version.
If key doesn't doesn't exist, assume 'Source', otherwise invalid -- assume next-gen 'Source 2'.”

There are references to Source, Hybrid and Source 2 in the file. It is speculated that Hybrid is the base on which Source 2 is sitting on. Source 2 also seems to be using the same pipeline as Source, meaning that it will probably be keeping the .BSP format it uses for levels. No references to DirectX or OpenGL have been found yet, or to Episode 3 or to Half-Life 3, for that matter.

Few companies in the gaming world are followed as closely as Valve. This may be largely because of their utter silence on the sequel to Half-Life 2: Episode 2, which is based on the Source Engine. The game ends on a cliffhanger, and has caused people to be thoroughly annoyed with the company as it has been almost five years since Half-Life 2: Episode 2 was released through the Orange Box. Many speculate about the fabled next iteration of the game. Some believe it will be Half-Life 2: Episode 3, others believe it will be Half-Life 3. If Valve were to follow their regular pattern, a supposed Half-Life 3 would showcase the capabilities of a new graphics and physics engine.