Yet again, this year’s FiReLEAGUE Global Finals has brought into focus just how widespread the impact of Counter-Strike is on global video gaming. Valve is a formidable name in professional video gaming, and its expertise spans many genres. Once you compound this with the incredible international success of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO), all indicators suggest that Counter-Strike 2 will enjoy the same success.
However, with early reviews waxing lyrical about just how much of an upgrade CS2 is, can Valve surpass its legendary game, which set them up as the prime first-person shooter eSports competition?
The Importance Of eSports & Subsidiary Markets
Professional video gaming is such a crucial tool for game developers and designers. Not only does it succinctly and effectively highlight the grassroots popularity of a game, but it also acts as an excellent way for the gaming community to come together and highlight the positives and negatives of what the game offers. Tournaments like FiReLEAGUE also welcome other types of markets, which can open up Counter-Strike to a much larger audience. Betting markets are one of the critical subsidiaries of professional video gaming, with many analysts commenting that they bolster global popularity and further legitimise video gaming as a professional competition.
Few people would argue that professional video gaming isn’t a legitimate industry, particularly when you take a look at how popular they are and how varied and diverse the betting markets are. The gambling odds you can find for FiReLEAGUE and a host of other eSports tournaments further strengthen the opinion that eSports is here to stay. CS2 betting on tournaments and individual games will follow the tried and tested foundation of the highly successful CSGO betting markets that have existed for over ten years. Taking the positives of what made this subsidiary market so successful and using the latest in betting and gambling technology could be one of many areas where CS2 surpasses its predecessor.
Transitioning From CSGO To CS2
Although Valve is arguably the most significant game designer involved in eSports, switching from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to Counter-Strike 2 is a monumental operation involving thousands of hours of manpower and millions of dollars. Early suggestions seem very positive for CS2, with many reviewers and gamers commenting on the smoothness and seamlessness of moving to the latest update. At the same time, it might seem like a simple update for many players, but the game’s designers have built this new project from scratch using the Source 2 engine over the last several years.
Although initial reviews have been positive, there’s a polarizing opinion online. Many gamers have spoken about how impressed they are by CS2, with others complaining that CSGO is superior. This is to be expected, given that CSGO has played such an integral role in developing eSports and has such a die-hard fanbase. Back in 2012, when CSGO came out, it didn’t receive rave reviews, but it grew steadily and appealed to more people.
How Could FiReLEAGUE Boost CS2?
Tournaments like FiReLEAGUE played a pivotal role in bringing communities together and underlined the game’s growing popularity. Valve will be hoping that there’ll be a similar pathway for CS2 despite the market conditions being a lot different now that the expectations are much higher.
Back when CSGO first came out, eSports tournaments were still in their primitive stages, and Call Of Duty was by far the most dominant game within the genre. Now that this has completely spun on its head and Counter-Strike is the top first-person shooter game, Valve has a different set of objections, which include maintaining its position at the top. It’s not just FiReLEAGUE that will help validate the quality of CS2, but over the next few years, it will highlight whether CS2 is a better title or not quite the same quality in the eyes of players.
As other first-person shooter games like Valorant begin to close in rapidly, offering gamers a whole host of unique features, Valve will be hoping that CS2 helps give them a bit of breathing space from the high-quality competition breathing down their necks. FiReLEAGUE 2023 will be able to provide gamers and fans with first-hand experience of how the game differs from its highly revered predecessor.
Once fans and players can digest how the game looks and feels throughout a competitive tournament, the picture will become clear as to whether it has the potential to become a more considerable success than CSGO. However, given that CGSO had such an extensive period to grow into popularity, it would be unfair to judge CS2 immediately. Still, there’s no doubt that FiReLEAGUE will give gamers and fans first-hand experience about whether it is able to surpass CS2 in the medium to long term.
