Counter-Strike (video game)

Counter-Strike
Developer(s)	Valve[a]
Publisher(s)	Sierra Studios[b]
Designer(s)	Minh Le Jess Cliffe
Programmer(s)	Minh Le
Series	Counter-Strike
Engine	GoldSrc
Platform(s)	Windows, Xbox, OS X, Linux
Release	November 9, 2000 Microsoft Windows November 9, 2000 Xbox NA: November 18, 2003 EU: December 5, 2003 OS X, Linux WW: January 24, 2013
Genre(s)	Tactical first-person shooter
Mode(s)	Multiplayer

Counter-Strike (also known as Half-Life: Counter-Strike or Counter-Strike 1.6) is a 2000 tactical first-person shooter game developed by Valve Corporation and published by Sierra Studios. It is the first installment in the Counter-Strike series.

The game pits two teams—the Counter-Terrorists and Terrorists—against each other in objective-based game modes. The most common objectives are bomb defusal and hostage rescue, each played on designated maps. Players begin with a knife and pistol, and they can purchase more advanced weapons and equipment with money earned through eliminating enemies or accomplishing goals. Once eliminated, players do not respawn until the end of the round.

Minh Le and Jess Cliffe planned a game based on counter-terrorism in 1998 with development beginning the following year when the first few beta versions were released. The Half-Life modification gained significant popularity and interest, which attracted Valve. Valve later acquired the game's intellectual property and announced a partnership with Le and Cliffe. After finishing development, Counter-Strike was released by Valve for Microsoft Windows in November 2000. Several remakes and ports were released on Xbox, as well as OS X and Linux.

Since its release, Counter-Strike received positive reviews from critics who praised the gameplay and its emphasis on teamwork and strategy. It has been called one of the most influential first-person shooters and noted for its realistic and tactical approach to counter-terrorism. The game became a major hit and sold millions of copies and grossing millions of dollars. Because of this success, sequels of Counter-Strike came out, with the first one being Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, released in 2004, which was received with mixed reviews. Counter-Strike: Source came out later that year, which ran on Valve's Source engine, offering improved visuals and physics. In 2012, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was launched, giving the franchise new game modes and better matchmaking. Counter-Strike 2, developed in the Source 2 engine, was released in 2023 as an update to Global Offensive.
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