Valve cancels anticipated Counter-Strike mod Classic Offensive

The creators of Counter-Strike mod Classic Offensive have announced that game developer and publisher Valve has cancelled its release.

According to the mod creators, Valve has implemented ‘narrow conditions’ regarding successful mods that are available for players to download.

In an X (formerly Twitter) post published on May 7th, the creators of the mod received a cease and desist notification from Valve hours before Classic Offensive was meant to launch.

In the months prior to release, Valve had initially greenlit the release of the mod, leaving fellow modders and fans concerned for the future of modding for titles released within the publisher’s ecosystem.

“This position stands in stark contrast to Valve’s own greenlight approval of Classic Offensive,” reads a statement from the creators of Classic Offensive. “This situation has implications far beyond our project, raising serious concerns for the future of modding within Valve’s ecossytem.”

Classic Offensive has been in the works for the last eight years and aimed to reconstruct the original iteration of Counter-Strike for the current audience. Described as an ‘homage to the original vision,’ the mod was set to launch on May 7th.

The mod’s website showcases a full timeline of Classic Offensive’s development, including details on its issues with earning Valve’s approval. Additionally, the website reveals over 100 developers had worked on its creation across the eight years.

Thanks to Valve’s cease and desist, it’s unclear if Classic Offensive will ever launch, much to the disappointment of those waiting to play a remade version of the original Counter-Strike title.

From an esports perspective, the release of the mod shouldn’t impact the wider ecosystem with all tournaments using Counter-Strike 2. However, the mod could’ve featured as part of throwback events or showmatches that often act as the prelude for a tournament final.