Why Operation Shattered Web was big for CSGO
When it comes to CSGO, cosmetics and unique experiences are very important and Operation Shattered Web was a landmark event for the FPS game.
Why Operation Shattered Web was big for CSGO
When it comes to CSGO, cosmetics and unique experiences are very important and Operation Shattered Web was a landmark event for the FPS game. CSGO was known as a tough and serious game but this operation opened the eyes of many to its world.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a game that should always be mentioned when it comes to the top of the first-person shooter genre. In the past, it was a pure game with only the competitive aspect being nurtured. However, when weapon skins came into the game, there was a shift in focus with new players coming.
While CSGO was still a tough game, there was a new player base coming in and Valve wanted to retain these players so that they could sustain CSGO for the future. This led to the creation of Operations which started back in 2013.
The history of Operations in CSGO
Operation Payback was the first iteration of these events and this was headlined by the new maps that came along with it. All of these maps were available to play in the game’s Classic Casual mode. Payback was supposed to last for around three months but Valve extended it for one more as it was popular with the community.
This had a purchasable pass worth $5.99 which opened up many maps that were created by the community. This was also Valve’s way of supporting the creative people as the sales of the pass were given directly to the creators of the maps and not Valve.
It was said that the pass made over $150,000 for the map makers which is a massive number for humble creators of the maps. This encouraged more people to partake in the community who works hard to build custom maps for the community which is accessible by players in the community workshop tab that is in the game.
The biggest Op of CSGO’s early days might have to be Operation Bravo which included a map that became a regular fixture of the game. This map was Cache which became an official map for not just players but also the pro scene. It was a unique addition to the game as it was the perfect map for both experienced and new players.
Cache is a good split of a map as it was a simple model with two sites on the left and right-hand sides of the map. There was a large area in the middle where gun fights would usually break out. There were also some good quirks in the map with the boost spot in mid or the vent area that connected mid and the B site.
It was a unique map that became the scene’s favourite and was the main reason why Shawn ‘FMPONE’ Snelling and Sal ‘Volcano’ Garozzo are two of the most well-known map creators. They even went on to create maps for another big FPS game in Valorant which has drawn comparisons to CSGO as well.
Ops have become a regular part of CSGO ever since and it has continued to be vital for the game. Many players see this essential for the game as it gives them more free CSGO skins to use and some maps that make for a fun time. It can even be seen as a time where you can see possible competitive maps in the future just like Cache with Operation Bravo and Train with Operation Vanguard.
Shattered Web
While most of the Ops of the past were about relatively small updates with its maps and weapon cases, Operation Shattered Web was different. When it was released on November 18, 2019, many were surprised with the $14.99 price tag. However, it was evident that this was a big chance as the maps were not the only draws for the Op.
This was an entirely different update as it had the previous iterations’ maps and cases but it also introduced Operation Missions and Agents. The former includes some unique missions that you can complete during your competitive games or even in the custom maps during the event. The player would then gain EXP points from completing missions and with enough points, they were eligible to get drops.
These drops were the main draw for this event as it gives players the chance to get the best free CSGO skins in the game. While it is not a surefire way of getting the best skins possible, it still gives players the chance to earn their skins rather than buying them in the Steam Community Market or through betting on esports matches.
It remains as one of the fixtures of the CSGO experience as Operation Broken Fang also integrated these missions into the game with similar rewards.
The second of the changes was the Agents update which gave players the chance to have unique player models. In the past, the player models were the usual generic designs but with the new Agents, the players received better looking skins for their bodies. It was a great update because it brought good personality to the game and made it look better compared to the drab colours and designs of the past.
It is amazing how Valve and CSGO has improved with these updates as it brings more players back into the game to play the missions and the maps that we see with every update. Shattered Web was the start of a new era in CSGO which can be seen with the Op that followed with Broken Fang.
The Shattered Web case
With every Op, there is always a new weapon case that releases alongside it and there were a lot of skins in this case. The fan favourite was the Decimator skin for the Tec-9 because of its colours and design. It was a vibrant skin for a gun that usually had plain skins. This skin had a good mix of the neon pink and bright blue which makes it attractive.
However, this brought new life to the weapon which was proven with the amount of players that used the gun because of the new Decimator skin.
Another popular skin during Shattered Web was the Stalker skin for the MAC-10 which was another bright cosmetic that caught people’s eyes. This skin was mainly centred around the yellow but it was amplified by the wild cat art at the backside of the weapon.
As usual, there were knives in this case with the Nomad, Skeleton, Survival and Paracord knives leading the way as the most lucrative part of the case. Many people saw these knives and they were convinced to buy the pass because of how good the designs looked as well as the skins of these weapons.
Why Shattered Web is a sign of things to come for CSGO
We can already see the effect of Shattered Web on the game as Broken Fang is following in its footsteps. There are a lot of positive takeaways from this update but the biggest one is that it retains and draws new players into the game.
CSGO was getting stale in the past but with the rise of new Operations, it has breathed new life into the game and why it still endures as the best FPS game in the market. Of course, Valorant is now there to compete with them but the Riot Games title has lost its early momentum with limited updates and a stale pro scene.
Valve is still the best in the industry when it comes to FPS games with CSGO. It has the best mechanics and gameplay and with these Ops cycling every few months, you can expect more content that you can buy to enhance the overall experience. People might not be required to buy it but it has a lot of positives that can help you while playing.
Shattered Web is the framework for the next era of CSGO while Broken Fang improved on a lot of aspects. The stats page in the BF update was arguably the best aspect of the new Operation. People might not see Shattered Web as the biggest event in CSGO but is definitely influential with the future looking bright for CSGO and its updates every few months.
Gamers did not typically see CSGO as a game that is friendly to casuals but with these Ops, it has become friendlier with casual maps and other game modes that enhance the way people play.
It will not be a surprise if other FPS games follow suit because giving players more content should definitely be the model moving forward while supporting the map creators and developers themselves.
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Words: Pocholo Magsino
