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It’s a good day to be a Counter-Strike fan because Valve has officially purchased the fan-made Counter-Strike map Cache in a first-time move in the franchise. If you don’t know why that’s a big deal, then all you need to know is that Cache is one of the most iconic maps in the franchise, and we’re hyped to see it come back.

On May 23, 2025, Shawn “Fmpone” Snelling, the map’s co-creator, confirmed the acquisition after weeks of speculation following Cache’s addition to Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) via the Steam Workshop back in March 2025. Will we see it in the upcoming Major? Probably not, but we can’t wait to see the pros on it.

Valve just bought Cache, and it might be one of the best moves ever

The map’s co-creator, Shawn “Fmpone” Snelling, shared the news after weeks of speculation on X (formerly Twitter). Responding...

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services, and its influence continues. Although its original titles haven't always won the hearts of the critics, they have attracted millions of views on the platform.

The streamer has released many popular titles in the last few months, and many of them jumped on its prestigious "Most Popular" list. Now, it's Counterattack's turn, its new addition to the military-action genre. The Mexican action thriller is the latest title to join Netflix's Most Popular Movies in Non-English, per Tudum.

Counterattack, or Contraataque in Spanish, premiered on Netflix on Mar. 4. The action thriller was a massive success in its first week between Mar. 3 and 9, debuting at the top of the global charts for Movies in a foreign language with 22.1 million views and 31.3 million hours viewed.

Its reign continued, and during the week between Mar. 31 to Apr. 6, Counterattack already joined Netflix's Most Popular Non-English...

Netflix’s recent thriller has viewers binge-watching (Photo Credit – Netflix)

Netflix viewers are gripped by an adrenaline-fueled action thriller that’s been setting screens on fire across the globe. A Mexican-made blockbuster named ‘Counterattack,’ which has been described as pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat spectacle, has quietly surged in popularity, locking in a spot among Netflix’s top titles worldwide.

Counterattack: A Battle Against Ruthless Cartel Forces

Originally titled Counterstrike, the film thrusts audiences into the high-stakes world of Captain Armando Guerrero, an elite Special Forces operative who finds himself on the run after thwarting a sinister kidnapping.

His target? None other than the ruthless Josefo “The Stinger” Urías, the iron-fisted enforcer of the notorious Tamaulipas cartel. With that single act of heroism, Guerrero ignites a firestorm, earning the wrath of a deadly adversary who stops at nothing to eliminate him and his elite squad.

Trending The Young & The Restless Spoilers: Traci...

Netflix’s ‘Counterstrike’ is an action-thriller that immerses viewers in a high-stakes narrative set against the vibrant backdrop of Mexico City. Directed by Chava Cartas and penned by José Rubén Escalante Méndez, Counterstrike showcases the rich cultural and urban landscapes of its primary filming location.

Netflix’s ‘Counterstrike’: Where Was the Film Shot? – Filming Locations & Other Details Mexico City, Mexico

The entirety of ‘Counterstrike’ was filmed on location in Mexico City, the nation’s capital. This metropolis, known for its blend of historical significance and modern urbanity, provided diverse settings that enhanced the film’s intense action sequences. While specific filming sites within the city have not been publicly detailed, the production utilized various locales to authentically depict the story’s events.

Netflix’s ‘Counterstrike’ Plot Overview:

‘Counterstrike’ follows five friends embarking on a shopping trip near the U.S.-Mexico border. Their excursion takes a perilous turn when...

Netflixcontinues to be a popular streaming platform for action movie fans, with their latest John Wick-esque revenge thriller now finding success and crashing into the top 10. Following the likes of such genre hits as Rebel Ridge, Carry-On, The Shadow Strays, and more, the streamer’s new action offering, the brutal and bloody Demon City, is gradually finding an audience since being released at the end of last month.

An adaptation of the manga "Oni Goroshi" by Masamichi Kawabe, Demon City merges violent revenge action with the supernatural in this tale of a highly skilled hitman who resurrects his deadly skills and cuts a bloody path of vengeance after his wife and daughter are (seemingly) killed. While it does sound a lot like a thousand revenge stories before it, sometimes, a no-nonsense action thriller about a former assassin on the warpath is exactly what you need. Clearly, audiences agree.

RelatedNetflix...

A new action thriller has exploded onto Netflixand is finding huge success as audiences flock to stream this tale of a police officer who stumbles upon a conspiracy while investigating the suspicious deaths of two of his colleagues. Combining action and police procedural thrills, Squad 36has shot up the global Netflix top 10, and could be the gritty thriller you’ve been looking for.

Directed by Olivier Marchal and starring Victor Belmondo, Tewfik Jallab, and Yvan Attal, the French mystery action thriller Squad 36 drops audiences in present-day Paris, and centers on a rebellious former elite police officer, Antoine Cerda, who, after two of his former colleagues are killed and a third goes missing, begins his own investigation, discovering a bitter feud withing the police force. Squad 36 is now #2 on the Netflix worldwide chart, just behind another recent action thriller hit, Counterstrike, and you can check out the official synopsis below.

Netflix’s latest Mexican shoot-’em-up, Counterstrike, directed by Chava Cartas, is as straightforward and entertaining an outdoor action movie as can be. With a fairly simplistic plot that sees a small band of special agents surviving against great odds while taking down waves of cartel militia, Counterstrike utilizes a compact, streamlined narrative style that never lets viewers feel the weight of successive action sequences throughout its 80 minute runtime. When it comes to characterization, despite being nothing extraordinary, it does the job of making viewers relate to the key characters and establishes the basic emotional connection that is needed to heighten the tension and balance the action spectacles. Although it would have been better if the Murcielagos unit members, whose interpersonal relations are the heart of the movie, were fleshed out a bit more, and I don’t think it would have hampered the flow of the narrative in any way either.

Netflix continues to bring audiences action movie delights from all over the globe with Counterstrike (Aka Contraataque). Helmed by Mexican filmmaker Chava Cartas, the film is delivering on its promise to bring all the explosions a fan of the genre could possibly want. Having landed on the platform on Friday, the film has jumped straight in at number two on the streamer's chart.

Chava Cartas is best known for the action seriesRosario Tijeras, and written by Jose Ruben Escalante Mendez. Counterstrike stars Luis Alberti, Noé Hernández, Luis Curiel, Leonardo Alonso, David Calderón, Guillermo Nava, Israel Islas, Mayra Batalla, Ishbel Bautista, Frida Jiser. You can check out the official synopsis for the action outing below.

“When a hostage rescue mission creates a new enemy, Capt. Guerrero and his elite soldiers must face an ambush by a criminal group.”

Related'John Wick' Creator's First Action Movies with Dolph Lundgren Are Streaming for Free

Before 'John Wick,...

“Counterstrike” is a Mexican Netflix film directed by Chava Cartas, starring Luis Alberti, Noé Hernández, Luis Curiel, and Leonardo Alfonso.

Netflix releases “Counterstrike”, a Mexican thriller that takes us into the world of the fight against drug trafficking in Mexico and the tough operation to arrest one of them (Josefo Urías).

An action movie, a genre thriller that aims to be an action thriller more than a realistic film, with good cinematographic scenes and well-drawn characters.

“Counterstrike” tells us about the mass graves left behind by drug cartels in Mexico but, beyond being a social commentary, it focuses on its action aspect and on giving the viewer a balanced dose between realism and pure thriller.

Directed by Chava Cartas and written by José Rubén Escalante Méndez, “Counterstrike” immerses the viewer in the heart of a dangerous military operation that goes awry. The film follows Captain Guerrero and his squad of...

Netflix continues to bring audiences action movie delights from all over the globe, with the new trailer for Counterstrike (Aka Contraataque), helmed by Mexican filmmaker Chava Cartas, promising to deliver all the explosions a fan of the genre could possibly want. The footage reveals our first look at the action thriller, which boasts a gripping synopsis, as a group five friends find themselves doing battle with a merciless cartel. You can check out the trailer for Counterstrike below.

Directed by Chava Cartas, best known for the action seriesRosario Tijeras, and written by Jose Ruben Escalante Mendez, Counterstrike stars Luis Alberti, Noé Hernández, Luis Curiel, Leonardo Alonso, David Calderón, Guillermo Nava, Israel Islas, Mayra Batalla, Ishbel Bautista, Frida Jiser and is due to hit Netflix later this month on February 28, 2025. You can check out the official synopsis for the action outing below.

“When a hostage rescue mission creates a new enemy,...

The Counter-Strike 2 Esl Pro League keeps setting record after record. Donk’s historic 38-kill performance against Wildcard set a new record for the event in Season 20 of the highly prestigious event. And then came the longest-ever CS2 match of all time, which made fans suck to their seats for over three hours.

Counter-Strike 2 was released on September 27, 2023. | Credit: Valve.

After 71 rounds of play, M80 defeated Fnatic on Anubis in Group C’s upper bracket semifinal in Season 20 of the Esl Pro League. to set a record for the longest CS2 map ever played. Not only in terms of the length of the match, that semifinal clash also broke many records.

The Esl Pro League Season 20 witnessed the longest-ever Counter-Strike 2 match Esl Pro League is the biggest even in the Counter-Strike 2 circuit. | Credit: Valve.

That day Anubis demonstrated how evenly matched the two teams were right from the start. Bo1 began...

Tucked away amid an unassuming mix of mid-rise office buildings in a quiet part of Berlin is an entire floor that serves as the headquarters for one of the world’s biggest professional gaming organizations — G2 Esports. It has a practice room made to look like a tournament stage, production studios to create content, and several meeting spaces to discuss tactics.

Next door is an apartment block with some interconnected units that house G2’s League of Legends European team; a place for them to eat, sleep, and hang out before and after they train.

"I want each and every one of them torn to shreds!" Not if they take you out first. Netflix has revealed an official trailer for an intense action thriller movie called Counterstrike, made by the Mexican filmmaker Chava Cartas. This is set for a streaming debut on Netflix starting at the end of this month. When a hostage rescue mission creates a new enemy, Capt. Guerrero and his elite soldiers must face an ambush by a ruthless drug cartel. While there have been a few other movies titled Counterstrike before (like this one), this new movie reminds me of the popular video game Counter-Strike made by Valve. With a similar concept about a group of five elite soldiers (basically a group of players hanging out & working together on the same team?) outsmarting the dangerous cartel and taking out the bad guys. Starring Luis Alberti, Noé Hernández, Mayra Batalla, Leonardo Alonso,...

Imagine that you’re a professional gamer. Shoes planted into the base of your chair, hands clenching the mouse and keyboard, adrenaline spiking as the countdown clock ticks away. This is it, the final push toward being a champion. In a technicolor frenzy of sight and sound, the match’s end draws near and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up — yet you remain still, fully locked in. Amid the muted chatter of your teammates on mics, the moment arrives. The clock strikes zero; you’ve done it.

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, there’s a new Twitch charity drive joining the Mafiathon, a new channel for a disgraced pop star, and a new rule in chess.

Creator commotion

Shrould raises over $100,000 with month-long Fragathon. The streamer known for playing tactical shooters like Valorant and Counter-Strike is spending the whole month of January raising funds for St. Jude’s. The Fragathon is personal for Shroud; his father passed away from lung cancer about two years ago.

Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network ventures onto YouTube. The Call Her Daddy host has made a play in the podcast world with a media company that partners with popular creators. Unwell is now bringing that operation to YouTube, where a short-form series led by Kierra Lewis is among the initial offerings.

In recent years, Live Service games have become the go-to model for most studios. This model offers free-to-play experiences and rakes in revenue through microtransactions and in-game purchases. It allows players to enjoy endless updates and fresh content while also keeping studios profitable.

The game started its life as a mod for another game. | Image Credit: Valve

And if we’re talking about live-service games, we simply can’t ignore Counter-Strike, the title that started it all and set the bar high. While gamers enjoy the Cs and its competitiveness, they might not know that it started out as a simple mod for Half-Life, until Valve finally took notice.

The humble beginning of Live Service games with Counter-Strike

In 1999, Minh Le, a student and amateur developer, and Jess Cliffe, a level designer decided to work together and create a mod for Half-Life. Their vision was simple: to create a multiplayer...

Marvel Rivals was released on December 5, 2024. There were some concerns regarding the game as it belongs to the multiplayer shooter genre which is now hugely overcrowded. This was the same reason why Concord and XDefiant failed, but the NetEase hero shooter has turned the table over everyone’s head.

Marvel Rivals is a third-person hero shooter. | Credit: NetEase Games.

The game has become massively popular with over 35 Marvel characters and exciting team-based tactical gameplay. However, there are some reasons for this. The most viable reason has to be the availability of diverse characters according to every player’s needs and playstyle. There are even some characters that don’t even need good aim to control, unlike Valorant.

If you have bad aim, then you can try out these four characters in Marvel Rivals You can play as Moonknight if you have a bad aim in Marvel Rivals. | Credit: NetEase Games.

Michael Grzesiek, aka Shroud, has become a household name in any gamer’s life. He is one of the most popular streamers out there, with over 10 million followers, and he ranks amongst Twitch’s top 10 most followed channels.

Marvel Rivals will soon be going places. Image Credit: NetEase

Shroud started his career as a professional gamer with Counter-Strike and then later moved to full-time streaming before joining Valorant as a pro and returning back to streaming. His current interests seem to lie with the up-and-coming Marvel Rivals, which is getting a lot of attention in the competitive market space.

Marvel Rivals might soon be entering Esports Marvel Rivals’ entry in Esports will be huge for the game. Image Credit: NetEase

During a recent stream, Shroud talked about raising $10 million to form an Esports org for Marvel Rivals with Tenz, a former Valorant pro player. If the same turns out to be true,...

In competitive games like Valorant, players always want to improve their skills and team performance by learning from past mistakes. One of the most effective methods to achieve this goal is through a replay system, which will allow players to review previous matches and analyze their performance.

Players are still requesting Riot add one quality-of-life feature. | Image Credit: Riot Games

Unfortunately, players have been asking Riot for this system for years now, but they always receive either a cold shoulder or some reasoning for the delay. The frustration from the community continues to build as Riot has yet to deliver on its promise to add the highly requested quality of life update.

The start of 2025 and still no replay system on Valorant The system has been one of the most requested features in the game. | Image Credit: Riot Games

Last year, Riot Games assured players that it understands their desires...

Valorant is one of the most popular games right now and this popularity now seems to be going sky high. With the addition of Tejo, the game now boasts a total of 27 agents along with exciting maps and team-based 5v5 tactical gameplay. So, there shouldn’t be any short of fun.

Valorant is going through a tough time handling the cheaters. | Credit: Riot Games.

However, one thing that has become the major obstacle for this shooter is the over-infestation by the cheaters. Despite having an efficient anti-cheat software like the Riot Vanguard, the game can’t just get rid of these cheaters. That is why the developers have taken a bold step to stop this massacre.

Bans in Valorant will feature ranked rollbacks

To combat the most recent cheater wave, Valorant is putting ranked rollbacks into place. Regarding the present state of affairs with cheats, Valorant‘s head of anti-cheat,...

League of Legends is one of the biggest gaming franchises of all time. Not only in casual plays, this Moba title has been a staple in the competitive gaming scenario as well for some years now. Along with Counter-Strike and Overwatch, this game made Esports stand tall among the other conventional sports.

League of Legends was released in 2009. | Credit: Riot Games.

However, things are not the same anymore, as this highly popular game is becoming dull day by day. Even the live-action adaptation, Arcane, couldn’t attract new players to the game despite the huge success of the series itself. As a result, the whole game is on a constant downhill. And it seems the obstinate nature of the developers is the reason behind it.

Why is League of Legends degrading day by day? League of Legends needs a lot of improvements. | Credit: Riot Games.

There are a lot of...

Counter-Strike is one of the most iconic games ever. Any reference to this game in any other game or movie is taken well by the community because of how nostalgic the game is to most of us. Recently, this first-person shooter found its way into an exploration and survival game created by the Swedish developer, Iron Gate Studio, Valheim.

B site on Dust 2 in Counter-Strike | Credits: Valve Corporation

Crossovers are usually a delight in the entertainment and gaming industries. Imagine one of your favorite characters, weapons, or even maps showing up in a different game that you love. Let’s explore how Counter-Strike showed up in Valheim.

What happens when a tactical shooter meets a survival game? A still from Valheim | Credits: Iron Gate Studio

These two games couldn’t be more different: Counter-Strike is a fast-paced first-person shooter demanding precision and strategic thinking, while Valheim focuses on exploration, base-building,...

Marvel Rivals is still breaking records, as the concurrent player count within the past 24-48 hours, reaching higher than titles such as Helldivers 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5. Within less than a month, the title accumulated over 20 million players worldwide, which is no easy feat. With so many heroes to choose from, engaging battles, and competitive play, it's no wonder the alleged "Overwatch killer" is doing so well.

This weekend, Marvel Rivals surpassed over 600k concurrent players, which could be due to the recent release of season one, which brought new maps, new heroes, and a massive battle pass. According to SteamDB, the highest concurrent player count within 24 hours was 644,269 players, which, according to Eurogamer, made it one of the biggest games in terms of concurrent player counts of all time.

Marvel Rivals Breaks Concurrent Player Count Records On Steam It May Not Top Counter-Strike Or Dota, But This Is Still Impressive

Season One,...

Following nearly a decade of work, the developers behind a remake of the original Counter-Strike through a mod on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive have had the release blocked through Steam. The creators shared a post on X detailing their disappointment after Valve denied its inclusion through Steam, following years of discussion and cooperation, according to the developers behind Classic Offensive.

While Classic Offensive's inclusion on Steam has been turned away, the mod is still available through other websites like ModDB, where the last update from the Classic Offensive Dev Team was in 2022. The mod aimed to remake the classic aspects of the original Counter-Strike, as the developers felt that the modern Cs experience focused on "skins and gambling," according to the mod's description. The devs stated that the mod would be "focusing on core gameplay and features that defined what Cs originally meant to the community."

pic.twitter.com/7Z07uD...

The relationship between modders and the developer is one of the most important things in a lot of games. But for Marvel Rivals, the honeymoon phase between the two has come to an abrupt end. The new Season 1 update brought asset hash checking, effectively disabling mods in the free-to-play hero shooter.

Trump’s head on Captain America in Marvel Rivals | Credits: NetEase

Marvel Rivals has been a massive success since its release and has maintained more than 90% of its initial player base after its first month. While the move aligns with the game’s terms of service, it kinda takes away the community-driven PR that comes with mods.

Marvel Rivals is just refusing free PR by removing mods So much new content has arrived with Season 1. | Image Credit: NetEase

Modding has long been a staple of gaming culture, offering players a way to personalize their experience. In Marvel Rivals players...

As Valorant’s newest Initiator, Tejo (pronounced “Teh-ho”) prepares to make his explosive debut later today, a part of the community seems surprisingly measured in their expectations. While Riot’s reveal of the Colombian agent’s kit has certainly turned heads, veteran players are approaching the hype with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Tejo’s got the goods, but veterans aren’t sold yet. | Image Credit: Riot Games

After all, we’ve been here before. Every new agent announcement comes with its share of “broken” and “overpowered” predictions, only for reality to paint a different picture once players get their hands on them. With Tejo’s release just hours away, a growing number of players are suggesting that his seemingly powerful abilities might not be as game-changing as they appear.

And while an Initiator who can clear corners with guided missiles and deploy invisible drones certainly sounds impressive on paper,...

With thousands of players and tons of content for what is only the game’s beta launch, Team Jade’s Delta Force has had an incredible start to life. The tactical shooter is making waves in the gaming community.

Delta Force is making waves in the gaming industry. (Image via Team Jade)

However, the ride hasn’t been all smooth for the game as cheating concerns are dragging down its Steam score. While Team Jade is working hard to fix the issue, it must also deal with an issue that proved to be fatal for The Division 2.

Delta Force must avoid The Division 2‘s matchmaking issues The Division 2‘s PvE raids were not solo-friendly. (Image via Ubisoft)

There’s no denying the fact that Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is a fun game to dive into. However, it’s not free from criticism from gamers. One of the biggest issues...

As part of its Limelight series of audio dramas, BBC will be debuting on December 27th the audio thriller “Don’t Listen to This” on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning Canadian writer Anthony Del Col, the story centers on the death of a top esports athlete and his former team psychologist’s journey to uncover the truth behind it. Her journey through the world of esports – its fans, owners and players - leads her towards the abandoned development of an online arena battle game, its deceased creator and an audio clip from a cut scene… that may have the power to kill people.

“The world of esports is the perfect place to set a story – full of drama, intrigue, friendship, ego, money and more,” Del Col says. “I’m so excited to have teamed up with BBC Studios and a fantastic cast to create this...

Back in 2017, just over two months after Fortnite came out, it had already morphed into a different experience than what was originally intended. Initially envisioned and released as a wave-based survival shooter called Save The World, Epic Games quickly took the toolset they built and reconfigured it into a competitive 100-player battle royale experience to capitalize on the growing interest in the genre.

Now, Fortnite is an entire ecosystem, consisting of several games on one larger platform that touches on every genre under the sun. It has a battle-royale, a...

Sports are a way of life. From their earliest years, people are enraptured by the competitive spirit — whether that means picking up a ball and practicing to be the best or banding together to support the local club. It’s communal, tribal even. It’s a shared experience where everyone has a stake in the game, and the stories that are created on all sides can last a lifetime.

But sports aren’t easy. For players hoping to make it their career, it means years of commitment, siloing themselves in...

There’s no denying the fact that Counter-Strike 2 was one of the most anticipated releases of 2023, as Cs:go had long been Steam’s most popular title to jump on. A fresh version of the exact same thing was what everyone had been hoping for.

Counter-Strike 2 didn’t deliver upon player expectations. (Image via Steam)

However, it’s been a year since the release, and that feeling has soured. Constant complaints about cheaters, lack of new content, and missing modes from Cs:go have mostly led to a negative reception surrounding the title.

However, there’s another thing that Valve still hasn’t fixed with the game: matchmaking.

Counter-Strike 2‘s matchmaking is a complete nightmare Skill-based matchmaking doesn’t have a place in the game. (Image via Steam)

Counter-Strike 2 is basically partly a remake, and partly a new title, using Cs:go as a leaping-off point to bring us new ideas and graphical improvements.

After much speculation and a few leaks, Epic Games is finally reviving one previously canceled Og mode this December. If you haven’t followed Epic Games from the very beginning, you probably haven’t ever heard of the Unreal Tournament. The Unreal franchise used to be one of the most popular Fps series by this American video game company during the 90s.

Fortnite‘s upcoming mode is reviving one-decade-old franchise. Image Credit: Epic Games.

Since it was released in 2017, Fortnite has brought significant change to the battle royale genre, and with its frequent collaborations with other franchises, Epic Games has eventually spread the fanbase. Now that it has been bringing the Og seasons back to the game, probably the developer team is trying to bring one canceled Unreal installment back.

Fortnite’s Ballistic Mode Is Coming Along With Epic Games’ Collaboration With the Unreal Franchise Unreal was one of the...

The all-time concurrent player count on Steam was broken on December 8, as over 39 million players were consecutively logged into their accounts. The figures, which were determined by SteamDB, break the previous record set in September 2024 of 38 million.

The releases of three titles, in particular, have led to the colossal record on Valve's service, which was precisely 39,205,447 players at 09:20 Est. These three titles are Path of Exile 2, Marvel Rivals, and the advanced access Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The combination of these anticipated and hyped games helped propel the large number of players, along with some titles that consistently draw high player counts. The continuous growth of Steam as a platform suggests that it may be able to reach the massive achievement of 40 million concurrent players soon.

Which Games Helped Steam Reach 39 Million Concurrent Players? New Releases and Valve Classics Drew InPlayers

According to data from SteamDB, the...

Valorant and Counter-Strike might be facing direct competition from Fortnite following rumors about it experimenting with a 5v5 Fps mode. Fortnite is one of the most celebrated online shooters in the market.

Fortnite might be experimenting with a 5v5 first-person mode. Image Credit: Epic Games

Since its inception, Fortnite has always belonged to a different genre than the likes of Counter-Strike and Valorant, both of which are competitive 5v5 first-person shooters with a huge Esports fandom. However, according to recent reports, Fortnite seems to be joining them as well.

Fortnite’s Entry Into 5v5 First Person Might Change The Competitive Landscape Fortnite might soon become a threat for Valorant and Counter-Strike. Image Credit: Epic Games

For a very long time, Counter-Strike has dominated the first-person shooter genre in Esports all over the world. Valorant is a fairly recent addition to it. However, both games have been coexisting in the market...

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has finally arrived with a positive reception after years of delays. While the long-awaited sequel successfully captured what made the original games so great, Stalker 2 still lacks one feature that fans have been craving to see for years. Stalker 2 lacks any multiplayer features at launch, and although multiplayer could come in the future, there are no plans for the addition of the co-op campaign.

Despite Stalker 2's lack of a traditional co-op mode, future multiplayer plans may expand on the playable versions seen in past games. The simplicity of the previous PvP modes in previous Stalker games made them something of a letdown when compared to the unique multiplayer experience, being watered-down versions of simple PvP from other games like Counter-Strike. The Stalker franchise is no stranger to complex factions or groups of Stalkers traveling the Zone, and while it would be difficult to add on a technical level,...

In Counter-Strike, players who try to get around or tamper with game systems to harm other players are banned from the game. Among the examples are: cheating, deranking, or inflating your in-game rating or skill group in order to manipulate your matchmaking rank, automation and/or botting, and purposefully disrupting other players’ or game servers’ regular operations.

There are a number of reasons for which you can be banned in Counter-Strike. | Credit: Valve.

These are pretty common in a game like Counter-Strike. However, former Cs pro Bradley “Slugy” Kohler had an astonishing way of getting banned. He played so many matches that the ban message suggested him to get some sleep.

Slugy Was Banned Because He Played Counter-Strike for 3 Days Straight Slugy played 78 matches in a row in Counter-Strike 2. | Credit: Team 7Am Na.

After a tiring three-day gaming marathon in which he played 78 Counter-Strike 2 games nonstop, Slugy was banned from...

There are many games that have risen to huge fame during their initial phases but later faded away as time went on. Starfield is a recent example of it. This space exploration title from Bethesda busted into the scene at the very beginning but then eventually failed to hold on to its consumers.

Starfield was released on September 6, 2023. | Credit: Bethesda.

There are other games like Baldur’s Gate 3, which still hold the heavy ground with its huge player base. Despite being a one-year-old title, this Larian Studios game still jacks more than 50k concurrent players. However, there is a 20-year-old game that is still dominating the Steam charts.

Half-Life 2‘s Unexpected Player Surge Puts Starfield Into Shame Half-Life 2 was released on November 16, 2004. | Credit: Valve.

Half-Life 2 was released more than two decades ago. The game initially got huge popularity for its exciting Fps gameplay. This title combines shooting, puzzles, and storytelling all into one.

Counter-Strike 2 players have found a strange yet oddly familiar bug that lets Counter Terrorists defuse the bomb from elevated heights. This CS2 glitch has been dubbed “Bluetooth defusing,” by players and is quite similar to a very old bug in the game.

Another game-breaking bug not even a week before a major esports event. | Image Credit: Valve

Players are surprised and amused to see an issue resembling a bug from over a decade ago resurface in CS2. But it also has bigger implications than that since the Shanghai RMRs for the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 start soon. Will Valve quickly fix this bug?

CS2 Has Just Gotten Its Newest Game-Breaking Bug

The mechanics behind the bug are fairly straightforward, though unusual. As long as a Ct player can see the C4 directly beneath them, they can start defusing from elevated spots without needing to be physically close to the bomb.

While gaming has been known to be a solo experience for some, for others, it's a great way to connect with friends via complex narrative-driven titles like Baldur's Gate 3 or visceral Fps games like Counter-Strike. In fact, for those who live far from each other, gaming is a convenient way to reconnect and spend time with friends they wouldn't otherwise see in person. With the popularization of VoIP programs like Discord, talking to friends while playing games has never been easier.

However, because of all the great titles out there, it's sometimes hard to narrow down the choices and finally settle on a game. After all, everyone has their own gaming preferences, and some friends won't find certain games fun. Luckily, with all the options available through a myriad of gaming consoles and cross-platform play enabled on many titles, figuring out which game to play with friends has never been easier.

Director Neill Blomkamp is best known for his gritty, allegorical sci-fi films. There’s the alien apartheid District 9 (2009), working class and immigrant team-up Elysium (2013), and a look into the cyclical nature of crime in Chappie (2015). His movies create worlds that feel real, lived in, and now he’s turning his talents to the upcoming video game Off the Grid.

Rolling Stone recently spoke with the acclaimed director about his decision to step into game development and how his specific vision for politically minded science fiction is adapting to the...

Gamers have long debated which titles attract the most intellectually gifted players, but now we might have some hard data to settle the score. A recent survey has attempted to rank game communities by their average Iq, and the results are sure to ruffle some feathers.

Soulsborne enthusiasts won’t be too pleased with these results. | Image Credit: FromSoftware

From the depths of Summoner’s Rift to the unforgiving lands of the Lands Between, the study covered a wide range of popular titles. But it’s the game sitting at the top of the heap that’s sure to get everyone talking!

League of Legends Players: The Unexpected Geniuses? League of Legends appears to have the “smartest” playerbase. | Image Credit: Riot Games

In a twist that’s sure to shock many, League of Legends players have claimed the top spot in WhichBingo‘s Iq survey. With an average Iq of...

Valorant is one of the most played games right now. This 5v5 shooter from Riot Games has been garnering a huge fan base since its launch in 2020. There are some major reasons for this game’s success: intricate maps, exciting team-based gameplay, a diverse agent roster, and extreme optimization on any kind of machine.

Valorant is available on both PC and consoles. | Credit: Riot Games.

However, despite being hugely successful, the game there are some aspects that Riot Games needs to fix. For example, the game has been facing several issues with bugs and glitches for a long time. The game is also becoming an unavoidable space with the infestation of toxic players. And now, there is one more reason for which players are thinking of uninstalling the game.

A Valorant Fan Is Sick of Players Surrendering for No Reason

Recently, a Valorant fan expressed their frustration on Reddit about...

Valorant is right now one of the most-played gaming titles in the world. Released in 2020, this game has garnered a huge fanbase. Its unique and intricate maps, team-based tactical gameplay, and superb optimization on any system made this game a world-beater.

Valorant is available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. | Credit: Riot Games.

This game is always busy bringing much-needed updates along with new content like agents and maps. However, as things stand, we are going to get a bigger upgrade, which the game has never received. The closest competitor of this Riot shooter also tried an overhaul upgrade but failed miserably. Is that going to happen with it as well?

Valorant is Shifting to Unreal Engine 5

Since its release, Valorant has been dominating the scene on Unreal Engine 4. Now, after quite a successful period, Riot Games has decided that the game will be shifted to Unreal Engine 5.

Anna Donlon announced...

The latest update for Counter-Strike 2 brings a purchasable pass called Armory Pass through which gamers can earn Armory Credits that they can use to unlock different items, a concept that Epic Games has also applied to Fortnite as players earn Battle Stars as they finish the battle pass.

The latest Armory features tons of weapons that can be bought using Armory Credits (Image via Valve)

It’s not like a battle pass that we see in many video games nowadays, it’s an Armory Pass that will only give players Armory Credits, which players can then use in The Armory. The update also added Charms and reworked various gameplay elements related to inventory, animation, graphics, audio, network, maps, and workshop.

The Latest Update For Counter-Strike 2 Added The Armory

Valve’s Counter-Strike 2 now has a new unique addition called The Armory, which contains more than 100 new items: three new weapon collections,...

Sony has always been pretty unfortunate with live-service multiplayer titles, the latest example being Concord. All it has now is the Horizon franchise. Set in a retro-futuristic sci-fi world, Concord is a first-person hero-shooter that was released in 2024.

Concord failed miserably in gathering a strong player base. | Credit: Firewalk Studios.

This game failed to attract players despite having potential. It managed to hit a peak player count of only 697 at the launch. Now, as all of Sony’s live service titles are having downfalls, fans are concerned regarding Horizon‘s upcoming installment.

Horizon Online Co-Op Game Is in the Works Guerrilla is working on an online game in the Horizon franchise. | Credit: Guerrilla Games.

Guerrilla Games has been going through a busy phase. Recently, the studio revealed the rumored Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered at the recently concluded PlayStation’s State of Play, which will be released on October 31. Also, another title from Guerrilla,...

Valorant and Concord were both developed over several years, with ambitious goals to dominate the tactical shooter genre. While the hero shooter’s launch ended in disaster, the Tac Fps’s rise to fame has been spectacular.

You really need to know the market for competitive online games. | Image Credit: Firewalk Studios

How did two games, both developed in similar time frames, have such drastically different outcomes? Valorant’s success lies in its careful planning, its understanding of player needs, and the strategic decisions Riot Games made to keep the players happy.

Valorant Has Been a Highlight of The Competitive Online Gaming Scene

Valorant‘s development began in 2014, under the code name “Project A.” The Riot team wanted to make a tactical Fps that would appeal to a big audience, from casual players to competitive veterans. By prioritizing gameplay, user accessibility, and the game’s esports potential, Riot made sure...

Valve’s latest video game, Deadlock has been in playtesting since 2023, and players with access can invite their friends using Steam’s playtesting functionality. The game has received numerous updates but finally, in the recent update, Valve addressed the growing problem of hackers by turning them into frogs when they’re caught.

Deadlock is Valve’s latest third-person shooter (Image via Valve)

This is an interesting way to deal with hackers but this is not the first time Valve decided to integrate this feature into their games. An ex-Valve employee recently revealed that the same concept was planned for Counter-Strike but instead of frog, hackers would’ve been turned into chicken.

Hackers In Counter-Strike Would’ve Turned Into Chickens

As per Valve’s Deadlock‘s September 26 patch notes, when a user is detected as cheating during the game session the opponents will be given a choice between banning the cheater...

When it comes to first-person shooters, one name that pops up in your head immediately is Valorant. Since 2020, this game has been making its fanbase larger and larger. With its intricate maps, captivating tactical gameplay, and brilliant optimization on all systems, this game has won everyone’s hearts.

Valorant has a total of four categories of agents. | Credit: Riot Games.

But there is another reason why this game has seen so much success, and that is its diverse agent roster. Right now, this Riot Games shooter features a diverse roster of a total of 26 agents. Speculations always build around these agents, their nerfs and buffs, and many more. These 26 agents come from different countries. So, which obvious country is missing out?

Riot Games Should Bring an Agent in Valorant from Italy

We have seen how many countries have their representatives in Valorant. Be it Morocco, Germany, India, or Australia, many...

In the world of first-person shooters, Valorant and Counter-Strike are two of the brightest names. Not only in casual gaming, these two games played a pivotal role in putting esports in the same bracket as other conventional sports. Except for the abilities of the agents in the Riot Games shooter, both titles are quite similar, such as movement mechanics, shooting, and gameplay.

Counter-Strike leaves Valorant behind in one area. | Credit: Valve Corporation.

The game modes in them are almost similar as well, where two teams compete with each other for planting and defusing the spike or the bomb, along with conventional Death Match and other dedicated game modes. However, Cs has an important feature that its counterpart lacks.

Counter-Strike Has Tactical Timeout Which Valorant Doesn’t Have The Tactical Timeout feature in Counter-Strike is essential. | Credit: Steam Community.

When you are playing a competitive match in games like Cs or Valorant,...

There are tons of reasons why Valorant continues to dominate the competitive gaming landscape. Alongside Riot Games’ continuous efforts to bring new agents and features to the game, the brilliant maps of the shooter are definitely among the reasons why gamers can’t get enough of the title.

This Valorant map is a massive failure. (Image via Riot)

All of these maps are well-designed and distinctive in their own right. Of course, everyone has their favorites, but the entire community agrees upon the fact that Fracture is one of the worst maps. However, Riot Games has recently added another map to the shooter that snatches Fracture’s title of the worst Valorant map.

Abyss is the Worst Map in Valorant and Can’t be Saved Without Changes Abyss is in desperate need of a rework. (Image via Riot)

With Episode 09 and Patch 8.11 on June 11, 2024, Riot Games introduced a brand-new map...