View source for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive engine branch

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{{source topicon}}{{csgo topicon}} 
[[File:Screenshot-CSGO-Source_engine_comparison.jpg|340px|thumb|Screenshot in-game of {{csgo|1}}, using {{Csgobranch|1}}.]]
The {{csgobranch|4|nt=0}} was introduced in 2012 with the release of {{csgo|4}}, branching off from {{l4dbranch|4}} (with some {{portal2|1}} additions). It is the latest Source 1 engine branch available and succeeds the {{portal2branch|4}}.

This branch has been continued to be updated for CS:GO (via {{code|csgo_legacy}} branch) after the {{cs2|2}} release (which replaced CS:GO). But as of Jan 1, 2024, CS:GO is no longer being updated by Valve. The engine branch, however are still remain maintained for third-party games that use the CS:GO branch, including {{strata|1}}, and most likely still available for licensing. 

Like other Source engine branches since Left 4 Dead (except Alien Swarm), the source code was not publicly available. However in 2020, the source code for this branch (dated 2017-2018), alongside the full source code of {{tf2|1}}'s {{Src13|1}}, has been leaked.<!-- DO NOT PROVIDE LINKS TO LEAKED CONTENT -->

{{Note|This engine branch has been upgraded over time, so some games or mods on this engine branch may not have all of these features. Many features are exclusive to {{csgo|2}}.}}
{{Note|{{dota2|4}} used to be the latest Source 1 branch available, succeeding the CS:GO engine branch, but the 2015 Reborn update, which upgraded the game to Source 2, makes CS:GO the latest Source 1 branch available.}}

== Features ==

New since the {{p2branch|4}} is:

; FXAA [[Anti-aliasing|anti-aliasing]]
: Simple post processing effect aimed to remove jaggies on geometry and other object at the cost of image quality, but are much faster than other anti-aliasing method, such as MSAA.
: FXAA can be also used with MSAA (such as 2X) at the same time. This will benefits most lower-end PC that struggles to run MSAA 4X or higher, it will also benefit models, transparent textures and other objects that MSAA was unable to remove jaggies or staircase effect on them.
; Real-time dynamic shadows
: {{ent|env_cascade_light}} provides dynamic, high-resolution cascade shadow mapping for the outdoor light of {{ent|light_environment}}.
; Lightmapped Ambient Occlusion
: [[VRAD]] can now bake ambient occlusion into the lightmaps for a map, leading to enhanced realism.
; [[$bumpmap|Bump mapped]] [[decals]]
: {{ent|LightmappedGeneric}} decals now support bump maps.
; Scaleform (''officially called '''Scaleform GFx''''')
: A vector graphics rendering engine used to display {{flash|2}}-based UI and HUD for games. CS:GO uses Scaleform for the in-game HUDs and the main menu (until 2018).
; VPK version 2
: New version of [[VPK (file format)|VPK file format]]. Later backported to all {{Src13|4}} games.

====Newer Features====
Features introduced with later updates to the branch.
; [[Phong]] reflections on Lightmapped materials
: <code>LightmappedGeneric</code> and {{ent|WorldVertexTransition}} now support diffuse Phong reflections.
; Texture streaming
: Reduce system RAM and graphics card VRAM by streaming textures.
; [https://web.archive.org/web/20230319035111/https://www.counter-strike.net/workshop/workshopmaps#normal_mapped Vertex lighting for bumpmapped static props]
: Static props with bump maps can now receive vertex lighting, better blending them into the environment. All static props also now receive [https://web.archive.org/web/20230319035111/http://counter-strike.net/workshop/workshopmaps#static_prop better lighting.]
; [https://web.archive.org/web/20230319035111/http://counter-strike.net/workshop/workshopmaps#anisotropic Anisotropic reflection emulation]
: Brush shaders can now emulate anisotropic specular reflections using new parameters.
; Bump map blending for {{ent|LightmappedGeneric}}
: Two bump maps can now be blended together for high-frequency and low-frequency bumpmap variation on the <code>LightmappedGeneric</code> shader.
; {{ent|Lightmapped_4WayBlend}}
: A displacement shader that can blend four different materials together by luminance.
; [[Static_Prop_Combine|Prop combination]]
: [[VBSP]] now supports combining selected static props during map compilation, increasing performance and lowering draw calls.
; Increased engine and compilier limits
: The engine now supports more entities, more models and more displacements.
: {{note|Document all of the increased limits.}}
; New first-person weapon lighting.
: First-person weapon view now support more detailed lighting.
; [[Static prop]] scaling
; [[Panorama]] UI
: Introduced in 2018, replacing Scaleform, Valve's new Custom GUI interface that resembles modern web design and authoring (HTML5/CSS/JS). Using .XML and JavaScript files, developers can create dynamic and clean HUDs and menus and even high-quality in-game intractable panels.
; [[Vulkan]] renderer {{only|{{Linux}}}}{{also|{{hl2}}{{portal}}{{tf2}}{{l4d2}}{{p2branch}}{{strata}}{{xe}}}}
: A low-overhead, cross-platform graphics API, successor to [[OpenGL]].
: On Linux, where Direct3D is not supported, the Source Engine defaults to using Valve's in-house library ToGL to translate Direct3D calls to OpenGL. Using DXVK on Linux is usually recommended if the game supports it, as ToGL is known for having somewhat poor performance and causing some graphical issues.
; Other improvements
: {{todo|Document these, this is just the tip of the iceberg.}}

====Features removed/changed====
; Scaleform (''officially called '''Scaleform GFx''''')
: Removed in later updates of CS:GO, in favor of Panorama.
; Dropped support for Shader Model 2 GPUs
: CS:GO branch drops support for all DX9 GPUs without Shader Model 3.0.
{{Todo}}

== Availability ==
{{see also|[[:Category:Counter-Strike: Global Offensive engine branch games]]}}
* {{Code|2012}}{{csgo|4}} (delisted, still available through {{code|csgo_legacy}} beta branch)
** Can still be obtained by selecting the {{code|csgo_legacy}} beta branch in {{cs2|4}} in your Steam Library. No longer maintained as of Jan 1, 2024, which means that CS:GO will now stop receiving bug fixes and other updates, but will remain available and playable, however any features that rely on the game coordinator such as the Inventory will eventually become broken or non-functional. As mentioned above, the branch itself is still continued to be maintained for third-party games.
** On {{mac|4|nt=macOS}} (OS X), aswell as all systems running on 32-bit OS or with DX9 only GPU, which does not support {{cs2|1}}, will automatically have the CS:GO automatically downloaded instead.
* {{Code|2014}}{{Insurgency|4}} (earlier version)
* {{Code|2014}}{{blade symphony|4}} - Previously running on the {{portal2branch|4}}.
* {{Code|2016}}{{Doi|4}} (earlier version)
* {{Code|2022}}{{jbep3|4}}
* {{Code|2024}}{{mcv|4}}
*{{Code|style=2|TBA}} {{p2d|4}} (unreleased) 
* {{Code|TBA}}{{obm|4}} (unreleased)
* {{Code|TBA}}{{hl2r|4}} (unreleased)
:: {{ModernConfirm|While this game is currently unreleased, and not announced yet, it's most likely based off a  heavily modified CS:GO branch (according to SteamDB when viewing the Review_Build depot files) to include support for HL2 entities as it contains some features that can be only found on the L4D engine branch and later (EKV files, replacing the old [[DirectX Versions]] system), Panorama/Qt UI, more...}}
'''A third-party, heavily modified version of this engine, called {{strata|4}}, is also available, and it is used in the following games:'''
:* {{Code|2024}}{{portalrev|4}}
:* {{Code|TBA}}{{p2ce|4}}
:* {{Code|TBA}}{{momentum|4}}

Source code for these branches is '''not''' available. However, authoring tools exist for custom content.
* {{Game link|Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Authoring Tools}} <!-- To edit this page for the default (English) language, click the other edit button. -->
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