History
The cases, operations and items that shaped Counter-Strike.
HistoryCS:GO coach bug scandal (2020): the spectator exploit, ESIC and Major bans
How a CS:GO spectator bug let coaches see parts of the map, why ESIC banned 37 of them in 2020, and how Valve's Major bans and the appeals that followed played out.
HistoryCS2 player count: concurrent player records from CS:GO to CS2
CS2 player count records with dates and sources: the CS:GO player count since 2012, the first million in 2020 and the 1,862,531 peak of April 2025.
HistoryCS2 cases in Brazil: the loot box ban for minors and a ruling against Valve
CS2 cases and Brazil's loot box ban for minors since March 2026: the 2021 lawsuits, the R$10 million ruling against Valve and the ministry's push for age checks.
HistoryWhen did CS:GO come out? The 2012 launch, the beta and a slow first year
CS:GO release date: August 21, 2012, for $14.99, after a delayed 2011 beta. What the console versions missed and its slow first year behind 1.6 and Source.
HistoryCS2 and CS:GO in China: Perfect World, the 2017 launch and the case odds
How Perfect World brought CS:GO and CS2 to China: free play after an ID check, two sticker capsules, the official odds page, Steam China and the Shanghai Majors.
HistoryiBUYPOWER match-fixing scandal (2014): skin bets and Valve's Major bans
iBUYPOWER CS:GO match-fixing scandal: how a thrown 2014 match, skin bets on alternate accounts and leaked texts led to seven Valve bans, two of which ended in 2025.
HistoryHistory of CS2 cases: from the first CS:GO case to key-free Terminals
CS2 case history: the first CS:GO case in the 2013 Arms Deal update, operation and community cases, the 2019 key change, the Armory and key-free Terminals.
HistoryCS2 operations: every CS:GO operation and the collections it introduced
Operations in CS:GO and CS2: every one from Payback in 2013 to Riptide in 2021, the cases and collections each added, and why CS2 has had none so far.
HistoryAWP Dragon Lore: its history, souvenirs and why it became iconic
The AWP Dragon Lore never came from a case. How the Cobblestone Collection skin became iconic, where every copy and souvenir came from, and what changed in 2026.
HistoryM4A4 Howl: its history and the story of the Contraband rarity
Why the M4A4 Howl is the only Contraband weapon skin: the 2014 art theft, how Valve redrew it and froze its supply, and what the 2026 souvenir changes mean for it.
HistoryOperation Bravo Case and Operation Payback: CS:GO's first operations (2013)
The Operation Bravo Case and CS:GO's first operations: Operation Payback's map pass for mapmakers, then Bravo's competitive maps, scorecard coin and Alpha Collection.
History