As Counter-Strike 2 draws near, esports fans take a moment to say goodbye to CS:GO

CS:GO fans held a moment of silence to wave goodbye to the iconic FPS game at a recent esports event.

We’ve just wrapped up IEM Cologne 2023, with outfit G2 Esports taking the win to become back-to-back champions. The event saw oodles of highlights, though one of the more wholesome ones saw fans wave goodbye to the game that has given them so many highlights in the esports arena. 

Thankfully, goodbye is just ushering in a new era in this case. As Counter-Strike 2 draws closer to release, the move is being made to make the jump to the new game from CS:GO regarding esports viewing. Fret not, as Counter-Strike esports isn’t going anywhere just yet. 

Just recently, Valve laid out its plans for shaking things up regarding watching Counter-Strike 2 in a competitive format. While the developer has recently prized a hands-off approach, the team has taken the opportunity to change approach with a new game on the horizon.

"Counter-Strike is at its best when teams compete on a level playing field and when ability is the only limit to their success," Valve says. "Over the past few years, professional Counter-Strike has drifted away from that ideal. The ecosystem has become gradually less open, with access to the highest levels of competition increasingly gated by business relationships."

So how does that change things as they stand? A good example is the ESL Pro League's "Louvre Agreement," which enables "a select group of elite teams to participate in the Pro League on an ongoing basis." 

Comparisons are there to be had with the Call of Duty and Overwatch leagues if you fancy them, but the gist is that performance is more at the heart of things than the depth of one’s pockets. 

Even if the recent goodbye to CS:GO could lead to a better esports setup, fans still have plenty to be thankful for. There’s plenty on the way, but IEM Cologne 2023 was a good time to pause and enjoy some gameplay at the highest level.

Counter-Strike 2 has done it again with its glorious-looking water - another good sign for the future of esports, surely.