System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Dev: Valve Software, Hidden Path Entertainment
Pub: Valve Software
Release: August 21, 2012
Players: 1-16
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p

Here's the deal: every major FPS has its own personal strength and these strengths are what separate one title from another. Battlefield 3 has gigantic maps and vehicle play, Call of Duty has arcade-style gunplay, and Counter-Strike has choke points and weapon balance. By screwing around with the maps and adding additional weapons, Valve puts Counter-Strike's very identity at risk. After only a few minutes of play, I could already tell that the sight lines and choke points have changed drastically, which should worry any hardcore fan.

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I'm also a bit confused by Valve's strange lack of attention to tiny details. The buying system, for instance, obviously had to be revamped for the control pads, but they didn't even attempt to compensate for their interface by increasing the default buy time. Obviously, I'm aware that this can probably be edited by whoever creates the game, but why is Valve creating a control-pad centric interface for an audience of people who have never desired to play with a controller and then not compensating for such a minor detail?

Perhaps they're trying to focus their attention on the hardcore players, and I wouldn't blame them. They have, after all, added keyboard and mouse support to the PS3 edition. But hardcore gamers can't support an entire franchise. And there's no indication that the buying system will be any less awkward for a keyboard setup.

In the end, I'm pulling for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to be a huge hit. Call of Duty could stand to be taken down a few notches and it'd be nice to see the E-Sports community take off again. But if Valve is going to spend most of their time catering to pro gamers, CS:GO will never find its footing. Without new blood, Global Offensive will just be yet another community-splitting Counter-Strike title, which means that my sewing analogy will have been wasted.

By Josh Engen Contributing Writer Date: June 21, 2012