Counter-strike: Global Offensive to unite Source, 1.6 fanbase

With Counter-strike: Global Offensive, Valve hopes to bring together two massive gaming communities - the fanbases of both Counter-strike 1.6 and Counter-Sdtrike: Source.

"A lot of Counter-strike: Global Offensive is taking Counter-strike: Source and Counter-strike 1.6 and melding it into a product that every side likes and also expanding the base by putting it out on the consoles," Chet Faliszek told Kotaku.

Interestingly, project leader Ido Magal isn't planning to bring together two disparate groups by broadening Global Offensive's appeal, but by narrowing it.

"Counter-Strike: GO has this kind of objective of homing in. We're taking that competitive experience that's very hard to organize in Counter-Strike: Source... We've taken that and let everyone experience the fun of a five-on-five where everyone is equally matched," he said.

"The product doesn't span all of Counter-Strike. Counter-Strike is zombie mods and all these different things. This is more narrow."

Global Offensive, then, is very clear and what it is - and what it isn't.

"Counter-Strike 2, at least internally, we think about as something different," Faliszek added.

Counter-strike: Global Offensive was officially unveiled last month, and is due on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in early 2012.

Thanks, GameInformer.