CS:GO launched in 2012 to a lukewarm reception, but Valve kept iterating. The addition of weapon skins, competitive matchmaking, and a thriving esports scene transformed it into one of the most-played games on Steam for over a decade. The skin economy became its own phenomenon, with rare knife skins selling for thousands of dollars. Major tournaments filled arenas and pulled millions of viewers. CS:GO proved that a fundamentally old-school design (no abilities, no hero powers, just aim and teamwork) could thrive in the modern era when supported with the right infrastructure.