Counter-Strike is officially 20 years old today. The first beta version of a PvP mod of the original Half-Life released in June 2019, and has today grown into one of the most iconic FPS franchises in the world. In a blog post published early this morning, Valve said that “twenty years ago, a humble Half-Life mod changed the gaming world. Constantly evolving and shifting over the years, Counter-Strike has never lost its fundamentals: it’s easy to learn, takes a lifetime to master, and is supported by a massive global community.” While the game’s official launch didn’t take place until November 2000, modders Minh ‘Gooseman’ Le and Jess Cliffe released early tests of their game in 1999. The pair were eventually brought on by Valve, which purchased the series IP and has gone on to release a total of four Counter-Strike games, culminating in 2012’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. That game in particular has gone on to become one of the biggest games on Steam, and regularly draws in some of the biggest esports audiences in the world.