One of the world’s most popular esports titles, Counter-Strike is now free to play. In addition to this surprising change, Valve has also added a Battle Royale Mode. Fortnite, PUBG and Blackout have all released their Battle Royale modes in the last year or two. With CS: GO’s entry into the genre, the Battle Royale genre sure looks crowded right now.
Counter-Strike: Free to play
So there’s never been a better time to bring in your friends.
All players who played CS: GO before today’s update will receive a commemorative Loyalty Badge they can display on their profile. You were there from the beginning, so show it off! Additionally, all existing CS: GO players have had their accounts upgraded to Prime Status.
As before, Prime Status matches you with other Prime Status players. Additionally, your Prime Status will give you access to the new Souvenir MP5-SD | Lab Rats (available by earning XP while playing Danger Zone matches) and the all-new Danger Zone Case.
Valve’s decision to make Counter-Strike free to play is definitely unique. Anyone can now play the game and enjoy the benefits of the true FPS game. Previously CS:GO was available on the steam store for $15. In order to become a prime member, you had to further spend $15 on the game. The latest update upgrades all existing players to Prime status. They will also get an opportunity to avail of an exclusive skin for prime members.
The Danger Zone
With the update comes the addition of the Battle Royale mode in CS: GO. It is different from other battle royale modes. The maximum number of players in a game is 16 [ 18 if you play in duos or squads]. The players have a tablet using which they can keep track of the ‘Danger Zones.
And a Souvenir skin for the MP5 that is only available to users with Prime Status for a limited time – the MP5-SD | Lab Rats: pic.twitter.com/XcHnvjkCIG
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) December 6, 2018
There are upgrades to weapons, to the tablet as well as medi-kits available in the particular update. The Danger Zone mode provides an HP boost to all players, sort of similar to that of Blackout. Counter-Strike has always commanded a superior pure FPS skill to the game. As such, its entry into the Battle Royale Mode is sure to disrupt the market. However, it probably won’t be enough to take down Fortnite which has carved a unique player base for itself. With the cartoonish feel and the ‘building feature in the game, there is no other game similar to it.
