25 Years of Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike marks 25 years, defying doubts with enduring popularity. Author recalls early skepticism, technical hurdles, and community charm. Game's evolution influences industries, sparking careers. Future pondered, 50th anniversary considered.
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Counter-Strike recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, surprising many with its enduring popularity and impact. The author reflects on their initial skepticism, starting to play from beta 2 due to technical issues in the first version. Despite its flaws like bugs and quirky mechanics, Counter-Strike's core gameplay was solid and engaging. The community was vibrant and welcoming, contributing to the game's charm. Over the years, Counter-Strike evolved rapidly, addressing issues and introducing new features regularly. The game's success not only kick-started careers but also influenced entire industries. The author expresses gratitude for being part of Counter-Strike's early journey and acknowledges its significant cultural impact. Looking ahead, they ponder the game's future and the possibility of celebrating its 50th anniversary.
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4 commentsCS remains one of the deepest and most strategic games I've ever played, and a venue that allowed me to mix competition + computers. It's point-and-click distilled in its purest forms, and its 5-on-5 strategy is reminiscent of something like basketball. I met many friends, a few enemies, and even my first girlfriend, through the game, its LAN tournaments, and the forums that surrounded it. At my high school, I started the first computer club (where we mostly played 1.6). I even launched a startup a few years ago[1] which was still tangentially related to gaming and esports.
CS taught me how to lead a team, how to win (more importantly, also how to lose). How to look for qualities that matter in people (which I think made me pretty good at hiring), and how to pursue goals in spite of adversity. At my peak, my team was the top 5 teams in CS:Source in North America and we placed (I think) top 8 at CPL 2005. I'm still way better than the average first person shooter player, but my reaction time, which used to be ~150ms, is now a noticeably worse ~220ms.
I cannot emphasise how much impact Counter-Strike made on my personal life (for better or for worse). The real story is that I also played because we moved a lot, I had few local friends, and it also provided a great escape from the tough life of an immigrant kid in a strange new country. It's a silly, pointless, little game, but, like all games, it's also a metaphor for life. Happy 25th birthday, Counter-Strike!
[1] https://www.pcgamer.com/introducing-gameref-the-anti-cheat-h...
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