In mid-2008, Valve and Nexon launched “Counter-Strike Online”, a free-to-play spin-off based on CS: Condition Zero, targeted towards the Asian gaming market. It’s filled with loads of new game modes (including, but not limited to an assortment of challenge modes, and boss attack modes), characters, maps and weapons. It also uses a micro-transaction system that makes you pay for your weapons, using a combination of in-game post-match points, and real money (believe it or not, it’s actually doing pretty well). It has been distributed in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and there’s even plans to release it in India. And it’s actually really successful.

In a… pretty surprising move, actually, Valve and Nexon have announced that they’ll be doing all of that… all over again.