Bless Gabe Newell or curse him depending on what side of the spectrum you’re on. Either way, CS: GO is now free to play in every sense of the word. Be it offline, online or even with the new CS: GO Battle Royale mode.
People that have been playing CS: GO before it went free will have their own benefits though, known as Prime. Such as souvenir items and exclusive weapon crates. As well as their own matchmaking with fellow prime players. No doubt to avoid higher level players being annoyed by the influx of new players.
Overall, a good balance for both new players to experience the now free CS: GO and older ones to not have their own experience with the game changed. Prime benefits can be accessed by new players as well, but only after reaching rank 21. Similar to Overwatch’s level bar of 25 for competitive matchmaking.
Another topic of interest that came to us alongside the game going free, was a new game mode. That’s right people, CS: GO Battle Royale. Valve has hopped aboard the trend train alongside others like Battlefield and Call of Duty.
The new CS: GO Battle Royale mode has been dubbed the “Danger Zone” game mode. And while it follows the traditional royale elements of scavenging, the last man standing and a shrinking map. It’s also much more fast-paced. With one game lasting up to about ten minutes at most. As compared to what can be 30-minute games of PUBG for example.
The map that Danger Zone will use is known as Blacksite. The game mode itself features up to 16-18 player bouts. With teams of either 2, 3 or solo queuing possible. 4 man squads not being a thing here.
The Danger Zone matches will also feature missions within them that grant players with money. This money can then be used to purchase and order special weapons through drone deliveries. These orders are made by a tablet device that also holds info on the shrinking map and remaining players.
Is this a surprise though? Yes and no. I mean CS: GO going free isn’t really. The game’s become old and making an old game free to play is a good send-off while also attracting players that missed out originally. Starcraft did the same.
The battle royale part isn’t that surprising as well since nearly everybody has hopped onto the bandwagon by now. The interesting part of the CS: GO Battle royale introduction is honestly the fact that it was made free to play as well.
Since usually, trends are followed as cash grabs. At least in my experience. This may also be Valve’s damage control to how badly Artifact’s been doing as well. But who knows.
