Valve håller fortfarande, och i vanlig ordning, locket på när det gäller utvecklandet av CS-uppföljare. Nu har dock proffs från framför allt Source-scenen berättat om hur de blivit inbjudna till Valve för att testa och ge feedback på det nya Counter-Strike-spelet.

Det är framför allt i en Reddit-tråd av en Source-spelare som de flesta uppgifter om projektet läckt ut. Vilka som blivit inbjudna till Valve är oklart, men ska mest ha varit Source-spelare. ESL-kommentatorn Joe Miller ska dock ha varit närvarande.

Först ska det ha varit tänkt att spelet skulle heta "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive", men Cliffe – CS-grundare och Valve-anställd – ska ha velat skala ner namnet till enbart Global Offensive.

Enligt författaren av Reddit-tråden ska spelet försöka hitta en balans mellan 1.6 och Source:

It is a mix really, it has wall spamming which is more like 1.6, but it is on the source engine, so the feel of it is more (but not exactly) like source. The flashes are also more like 1.6, where turning your back to them will make you a lot less flashed than looking straight at them, but they also have the sound from source. The smokes are like they are in the current source.

There is also more tagging than in source, but the tagging also depends on the damage you're being dealt, so you won't be pinned to the ground by being hit by a glock, for example

Enligt samma källa ska spelet ut i en betafas redan till hösten och beräknas släppas i början av nästa år – men allt är förstås bara än så länge obekräftade uppgifter. När nu så här pass många obekräftade uppgifter om det nya spelet florerar på nätet är det troligt att Valve kommer med något sorts uttalande inom kort. Fragbite bevakar utvecklingen!

* Uppdatering: Valve har valt att bekräfta ryktet.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) will expand upon the team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it was launched 12 years ago.

CS: GO 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," said Doug Lombardi at Valve. "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."

CS: GO is being developed by Valve in cooperation with Seattle-based Hidden Path Entertainment. The title is targeted for release in early 2012 and will be playable at this year's PAX Prime and Eurogamer Expo.

Torbull från ESEA har varit i Seattle för att testa Counter-Strike: Global Offensive och därefter tag sig tiden att ganska ingående berätta det han vet.

"Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is Valve's new version of Counter-Strike. Valve was quick to make clear that this wasn't "CS2" (or whatever that even really means) but rather a a multi-platform team based FPS similar to its predecessors, Counter-Strike 1.6, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, and Counter-Strike: Source. It is designed on the updated Source Engine, but is not built off of Counter-Strike: Source and due out in early 2012 with beta access beginning this fall. It will maintain the traditional de_ and cs_ map types and would not include new game modes. Valve was keen on hearing the input from top CSS players to make CS GO an e-sports title and that is reflected by the game featuring both casual and competitive game modes with a built in match making system and support for dedicated servers."

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