Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, like all of its predecessors, is an online focused multiplayer game.
Multiplayer Game Modes
The game retains the classic modes found in the previous Counter-Strike games: Bomb Defusal, Hostage Rescue and Team Versus, but also adds three new different modes never found before in any of the previous CS installments, with the exception of Counter-Strike Online.
Classic Casual and Competitive
Counter-Strike's most well-known game mode, both involving Bomb Defuse and Hostage Rescue missions.
In Bomb Defusal, Counter-terrorists win the round by successfully protecting one or multiple bombing sites until the time runs out, or by defusing a bomb once planted. Terrorists win the round by successfully planting and detonating a bomb, which has a set countdown, or by killing all CT members while the bomb is planted. Victory may also be achieved by any team if the opposing team gets eliminated before the bomb is planted.
In Hostage Rescue, Counter-terrorists win the round if they successfully rescue all hostages before time runs out. Terrorists win the round by preventing the rescue of all hostages. Alternatively, victory can be achieved by eliminating the opposing team.
Arms Race
A deathmatch-based mode where each player is rewarded for each kill with a new weapon, with the first player to get a kill with every weapon in a predetermined set winning the game.
Demolition
A round-based mode that removes weapon and equipment purchasing, instead rewarding players who manage at least one kill by giving them the next weapon in a predefined set of weapons, starting with handguns and ending with the more powerful assault rifles.
Deathmatch
A mode consisting of 10-minute matches. Players must gain the highest possible score by earning kills with different weapons. The number of points from a kill depend on the weapon. Players may also take advantage of bonus timers for different weapons, using them to score extra points. Like in Arms Race, players automatically respawn after getting killed, but also when they choose to respawn with bonus weapons.
Single Player Game Modes
The game offers two single player modes:
- Offline with Bots, where players create and play matches with bots using the multiplayer maps as if they were real human players.
- Weapons Course, where players try weapons and refine their aiming skills by clearing challenges.
