Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is an online first-person shooter developed by Hidden Path Entertainment and Valve Corporation. It is the fourth game in the main Counter-Strike franchise. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on August 21, 2012. The Linux version was released in September 2014. It features classic content, such as revamped versions of classic maps, as well as brand new maps, characters and game modes. Cross-platform multiplayer was planned between Windows, OS X, Linux, and PlayStation 3 players, but was ultimately limited to Windows, OS X, and Linux because of the differences in update-frequency between systems. The PlayStation 3 version offers three input control methods, which include using either the DualShock 3 controller, PlayStation Move or USB keyboard/mouse.

Gameplay

Like the previous games in the series, Global Offensive is an objective-based multiplayer first-person shooter. Each player joins either the Terrorist or Counter-Terrorist team and attempts to complete objectives or eliminate the enemy team. The game operates in short rounds that end when all players on one side are dead or a team's objective is completed. For most game modes, once a player dies, they must wait until the round ends to respawn.

Counter-Strike

Counter-Strike (also known has Half-Life: Counter-Strike) is a first-person shooter video game developed by Valve Corporation. It was initially developed and released as a Half-Life modification by Minh "Gooseman" Le and Jess "Cliffe" Cliffe in 1999, before Le and Cliffe were hired and the game's intellectual property acquired. Counter-Strike was first released by Valve on the Microsoft Windows platform in 2000. The game later spawned a franchise, and is the first installment in the Counter-Strike series. Several remakes and Ports of Counter-Strike have been released on the Xbox console, as well as OS X and Linux. It is sometimes referred to as Counter-Strike 1.6 to distinguish it from other titles of the series, 1.6 being the final major software update the game received.

Set in various locations around the globe, players assume the roles of members of combating teams of the governmental counter-terrorist forces and various terrorist militants opposing them. During each round of gameplay, the two teams are tasked with defeating the other by the means of either achieving the map's objectives, or else eliminating all of the enemy combatants. Each player may customize their arsenal of weapons and accessories at the beginning of every match, with currency being earned after the end of each round.

Electronic Sports League

The Electronic Sports League (ESL, formerly ESPL) is an eSports league, which is operated by Turtle Entertainment in Cologne, Germany. Today it has more than 5,000,000 registered members and consists of over 1,000,000 teams, which have played over 22.5 million games in addition to leagues, tournaments and VERSUS, the ESL's own online matchmaking. The ESL supports over 50 games in different genres through various national and international leagues. Games are usually broadcast via Twitch.tv, or played publicly at conventions such as Gamescom or CeBIT. ESL also operates the Intel Extreme Masters world championships.

History

ESL was founded in 1997 as Deutsche Clanliga (DeCL) by today's CEO, Ralf Reichert, and members of SK Gaming. It was renamed in 2000, making it the oldest league of its kind in the world. In July 2015, Modern Times Group (MTG) bought a majority share within Turtle Entertainment for $86 million.

Until June 2015, the Electronic Sports League was operated by the German company Turtle Entertainment GmbH, headquartered in Cologne. The main sources of income are sponsorship revenue, online advertising, merchandising and international licensing business. Licenses to operate their own national branches of ESL are assigned to partners from across Europe.

ESL One Cologne

ESL One Cologne is a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major tournament run the Electronic Sports League and sponsored by game developer Valve Corporation. There have been two tournaments by the name so far: