The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive rumors were true. Valve Software announced the game today and already added a listing for it to Steam.
In a press release, Valve said that "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."
The team-based shooter game is "targeted" for an early 2012 release on the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation 3's PlayStation Network, Mac and PC in early 2012.
"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," Valve spokesman Doug Lombardi said in today's announcement. "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."
The game is being co-developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment (the latter of whom worked with Valve on updates to Counter-Strike: Source, the game's most recent major release) and will be playable at PAX Prime in two weeks in Seattle as well as at the London Games Festival Eurogamer Expo in late September.
Interesting. I wonder what those Valve protesters are thinking right now. They were demanding a long-lost sequel from Valve, weren't they?
