In a surprising turn of events, Valve has blocked the release of Classic Offensive, a Counter-Strike mod that has been in development for the past eight years. This decision has left both modders and gaming enthusiasts disappointed.
Classic Offensive: A Nostalgic Attempt
The primary aim of the Classic Offensive team was to recreate the classic feel of Counter-Strike 1.6. By drawing inspiration from the original game, they focused on incorporating 1.6 weapons, gameplay mechanics, and sound effects while excluding modern skins and weaponry.
Throughout its extensive development journey, Classic Offensive attracted significant attention and anticipation. In December 2024, the developers announced that they had submitted the final version of their mod for approval back in October but had yet to hear back from Steam.
A Disheartening Response from Valve
After weeks of silence, the Classic Offensive team finally received a response from Valve on January 11, 2025. Unfortunately, the news was not what they were hoping for: their mod did not receive Steam’s approval for a full release.
In an official statement, the team expressed their disappointment, stating, “…we’ve received an automated Steam Support message about having retired our app without any reason explained. This is devastating as we’ve worked on the project for almost 8 years.”
The developers noted that Classic Offensive had successfully navigated the Steam Greenlight process back in 2017. They had engaged in discussions with Valve’s legal team throughout production to ensure compliance with all necessary guidelines.
Despite making the requested legal adjustments and following all guidelines, the team encountered a significant obstacle. This unexpected rejection has led to frustration among fans, many of whom took to social media to express their discontent. One user remarked, “So Valve is now the bad corpo, huh?” while another lamented, “It’s sad that a company that grew out on their mods policy is doing something like this.”
Some community members suggested that Valve might be wary of Classic Offensive taking attention away from their recent release, Counter-Strike 2. An example of this sentiment is encapsulated in a tweet that stated, “Yeah, pretty much expected. They’re scared if csco pops off no one will play their half-baked CS2 game.”
The announcement reached far further than I expected, and I honestly worded it stressfully after people let me know @SteamDB had caught it being delisted, then Steamworks had replied at 1am. Putting Valve in a bad light wasn’t the intent. I’ll give more details: https://t.co/wsZfhUQyuV
— ZooL (@ZooL_Smith) January 12, 2025
In response to the community’s strong backlash, ZooL_Smith, the lead developer of Classic Offensive, shared insights about the mod’s development milestones. He also provided a glimmer of hope, mentioning that other modders have encountered similar rejection messages. He noted, “…Turns out sometimes it’s just a mistake Steamworks employees [make], and it can be reverted.”
As of now, the future of the eagerly awaited Classic Offensive remains uncertain. The gaming community watches closely, hoping for a positive resolution to this unexpected setback.
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