Counter-Strike is Valve's tactical first-person shooter series, and it has now been running for more than 25 years. Between the original 1999 Half-Life mod and Counter-Strike 2, there have been 10 Counter-Strike games: 5 main releases, an Xbox port, and 4 spin-offs. As of 2026, Counter-Strike 2 is the active game in the series and the most played title on Steam. Here is every Counter-Strike game in chronological order, followed by a closer look at each release.
Every Counter-Strike Game in Order
| # | Game | Released | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Counter-Strike (Half-Life mod) | June 1999 | Windows |
| 2 | Counter-Strike 1.0 (retail) | November 2000 | Windows |
| 3 | Counter-Strike 1.6 | September 2003 | Windows (later Mac/Linux) |
| 4 | Counter-Strike (Xbox port) | November 2003 | Xbox |
| 5 | Counter-Strike Neo | 2003 (wide release 2005) | Arcade (Japan) |
| 6 | Counter-Strike: Condition Zero | March 2004 | Windows |
| 7 | Counter-Strike: Source | October 2004 | Windows (later Mac/Linux) |
| 8 | Counter-Strike Online | 2008 | Windows (Asia) |
| 9 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | August 2012 | Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox 360, PS3 |
| 10 | Counter-Strike Online 2 | December 2013 | Windows (Asia) |
| 11 | Counter-Strike Nexon: Zombies | October 2014 | Windows |
| 12 | Counter-Strike 2 | September 2023 | Windows, Linux |
That is 12 releases on the timeline, or 10 distinct games once you count the 1999 mod, CS 1.0, and CS 1.6 as versions of the original Counter-Strike.
Counter-Strike: 1999 Mod to 1.6 (1999–2003)
The first Counter-Strike began as a modification for the original Half-Life, with its first beta released on June 19, 1999. Minh "Gooseman" Le and Jess "Cliffe" Cliffe designed the mod before Valve acquired the rights and published Counter-Strike 1.0 as a retail game in November 2000. It introduced bomb defusal and hostage rescue alongside the iconic weapon set the series still uses today.
Numbered updates followed until Counter-Strike 1.6, which arrived in September 2003 alongside the launch of Steam. CS 1.6 became the definitive version of the original game and still has an active community in 2026. You can even rent CS 1.6 server hosting to run your own classic server today.
Counter-Strike on Xbox (2003)
Ritual Entertainment ported Counter-Strike to the original Xbox in November 2003. The console edition added exclusive maps and offline bot matches, but it never received the constant updates of its PC counterpart. Until CS
arrived in 2012, it was the only Counter-Strike game playable on a home console.Counter-Strike Neo (2003)
Counter-Strike Neo is a Japanese arcade adaptation published by Namco, first playable in its LEDZONE arcades in 2003 before a wider rollout in 2005. Running on Linux-based arcade hardware, it swapped terrorists and counter-terrorists for anime-styled futuristic factions. Namco even promoted it with a visual novel spin-off called Counter-Strike Neo: White Memories. The arcade's online service ran until 2010.
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (2004)
Developed by Turtle Rock Studios and Ritual Entertainment, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (CS
) was released in March 2004. It delivered updated versions of the classic CS content and introduced single-player missions with bots. A companion release known as Deleted Scenes offered a more story-driven, mission-based experience. The game received mixed reviews in contrast to its predecessor.Counter-Strike: Source (2004)
Counter-Strike: Source (CS
) was a complete remake of the original game on Valve's then-new Source engine. After a beta in August 2004, it launched in October 2004 ahead of Half-Life 2. Classic maps were rebuilt from the ground up with improved lighting, physics, and design. For years it ran alongside 1.6 as the series' second pillar, and its community servers remain online in 2026.Counter-Strike Online (2008)
Counter-Strike Online is a free-to-play spin-off developed by Nexon with oversight from Valve, released in 2008 for Asian markets. Built on the original GoldSrc engine, it added a micropayment model managed by a custom version of the Steam back-end. It grew far beyond classic CS with PvE modes, unlockable weapons, and zombie content.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (2012)
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS
) launched on August 21, 2012, developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment for Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. It introduced skill group ranks, weapon skins and cases, and a built-in competitive matchmaking system. CS became the most popular game in the series and the backbone of CS esports for over a decade. It also spawned huge community scenes, including surf servers, AWP servers, and zombie escape servers.In September 2023, CS2 replaced CS
entirely on Steam. If you miss the old game, here is how to play CS after the CS2 release using Steam's legacy beta branch.Counter-Strike Online 2 (2013)
Counter-Strike Online 2 (CSO2) was announced in 2012 and released by Nexon in December 2013, again aimed at Asian markets. Unlike its GoldSrc-based predecessor, it was built on the Source engine with modernised visuals. The game never matched the popularity of the original Counter-Strike Online, and its services shut down in 2018.
Counter-Strike Nexon: Zombies (2014)
Counter-Strike Nexon: Zombies brought Counter-Strike Online's content to Steam worldwide on October 7, 2014. The free-to-play, GoldSrc-based spin-off shipped with 50 maps and 20 game modes, spanning classic PvP and PvE modes like cooperative campaigns and base defence. It was criticised for its dated graphics and heavy microtransactions. The game was renamed Counter-Strike Nexon: Studio in 2019, then simply Counter-Strike Nexon in 2024, and it is still playable in 2026.
Counter-Strike 2 (2023)
Released on September 27, 2023, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is the current era of the series. Built on the Source 2 engine, it features sub-tick updates, volumetric smoke grenades, and fully reworked maps. CS2 replaced CS
as a free upgrade, with all player inventories and stats carried over.As of 2026, CS2 is the most played game on Steam for the third year running, averaging over a million concurrent players after an all-time peak of 1.86 million in April 2025. If you are jumping in, check our CS2 practice config guide, the full list of CS2 commands, and the CS2 system requirements.
Which Counter-Strike Game Should You Play in 2026?
From a free Half-Life mod to over 40 million units sold, Counter-Strike has shaped competitive FPS gaming for more than 25 years. Counter-Strike 2 is the obvious starting point today, while 1.6 and Source live on through dedicated community servers. Whichever era you prefer, you can host your own server with our CS2 server hosting guide.