Every CS:GO Release Date – Know Your History

CS:GO remains one of the biggest games in the world, and is still one of the most important games in the esports scene. Here, we’ve got every CS:GO release date that is essential to know as a fan of the game.

CS:GO Release Date

The initial CS:GO release date was August 21st, 2012, when the game came to PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The game would later be released on Linux on September 23rd, 2014, as the platform became a more viable way to game.

It wasn’t until over a year after the original CS:GO release date that interest in the game really got going, with Dreamhack Winter 2013 kicking off the first CS:GO Major from November 28th-30th, 2013. It represented an important turning point where many turned their back on Counter-Strike: Source, finally making the jump to CS:GO.

Despite being over a decade since its release, many players still ask – is CS:GO dying? The question has been answered emphatically as of late, with CS:GO breaking multiple all-time player records. This is partly due to the game’s free-to-play update, which was released on December 6th, 2018, making the game fully free. In the years since, it has made CS:GO more accessible to players all over the world.

CS:GO Operation Release Dates

Operations are usually the biggest CS:GO update of the year. They’re a moment of celebration in the CS:GO esports calendar, as they usually mean a spike in interest for the game and its competitive scene. Knowing the release date of previous operations is important, as it’s then easier to predict when to expect future releases.

Here is the CS:GO release date of every new operation so far:

• Operation Riptide – September 21, 2021
• Operation Broken Fang – December 3, 2020
• Operation Shattered Web – November 18, 2019
• Operation Hydra – May 23, 2017
• Operation Wildfire – February 17, 2016
• Operation Bloodhound – May 26, 2015
• Operation Vanguard  – November 11, 2014
• Operation Breakout – July 1, 2014
• Operation Phoenix – February 20, 2014
• Operation Bravo – September 19, 2013
• Operation Payback – April 25, 2013

The release of a new operation is a great opportunity for players to raise their CS:GO ranks, because the active community can make it easier to find a team to play with. CS:GO is always better as a team, with communication so essential to success in-game.

While it’s currently unknown when the next operation will release, players hope Valve is working on the next big CS:GO update for release, sooner rather than later.