CS2 Operations & CS:GO Operations
The first CS:GO operation, introduced by Valve in 2013, is a downloadable content (DLC) pack that revolves around community-created content. All CS operations invite players to engage with special missions, community-created maps, and various collectible items. However, with no new such content at the time of writing in CS all operations are remembered only by skin collections, stickers, graffiti, patches, and weapon crates. With operations, both developers and players find a dynamic platform for growth and entertainment within the broader Counter-Strike ecosystem.
At the time of this writing, the number of operations is 11. Previously, any Counter Strike operation typically spanned 2–5 months, followed by a one-month break. Several have also seen extensions providing players extra time to finish missions and claiming rewards.
Every CS operation is a pivotal event that marked periods of significant growth and change in the game. This article will provide you with all CS:GO and CS2 operations. So, let's examine them all in detail!
Operation Payback
The very first of its kind and the start of all CS:GO operations, Operation Payback started on April 25th,2013, and lasted till September 2nd of the same year. The DLC was an instant success, reportedly earning over $180,000 for community map creators who took part in developing its content. For a low price of $5.99, players could access a pass that unlocked seven all-new community-created maps. It included four hostage rescue maps: Downtown, Motel, Museum, and Thunder, as well as three maps designed for bomb defusal scenarios: Favela, Library, and Seaside.
Playing in classic casual mode, players could receive up to three coins representing their progress in the operation. A bronze coin was given immediately after purchasing an Operation. Players had to spend 10 and 50 hours in the game to receive a silver and gold coin, respectively.
Operation Bravo
Operation Bravo, the second Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Operation, commenced on September 19, 2013, and was initially set to conclude on January 20, 2014. However, due to its popularity, it was later extended to last until February 5, 2014.
The operation included eight Steam Workshop maps: seven new maps and the one returning from Operation Payback. Later, with the Winter Offensive Update, players got two additional maps developed by Valve—Cobblestone and Overpass. Unlike its predecessor, Bravo’s maps were available across casual, competitive, and deathmatch game modes.
Bravo introduced “Operation weapon finishes,” unique skin collections available only through Operation Case drops. Alpha collection skins were exclusive to Coin owners. As with Payback, players who purchased the pass received an Operation Bravo bronze coin right away. Getting a Silver coin took at least 10 hours of play and five Competitive Wins, while a Gold Coin required 30 hours and 10 Competitive Wins.
Operation Phoenix
Operation Phoenix, launched on February 20, 2014, was initially set to conclude on June 4 but once again was extended to June 11, 2014. Instead of introducing new maps, it brought back the top eight community-favorite custom maps from previous Counter-Strike operations.
Players could purchase a pass for $2.99, which included an Operation Phoenix bronze coin. Like Bravo, Phoenix continued the tradition of awarding coins to players and introduced the Phoenix Case, initially exclusive to pass owners but made available to a wider audience after June 11, 2014. This case featured iconic skins like the AWP | Asiimov, AK-47 | Redline, USP-S | Guardian, and MAC-10 | Heat.
Operation Breakout
Operation Breakout, the fourth Counter-Strike: Global Offensive expansion, launched on July 1, 2014, with a price tag of $5.99 and ended on October 2, 2014. It introduced six new community maps, including two hostage maps, Rush and Insertion, and four bomb defusal maps: Black Gold, Castle, Mist, and Overgrown.
It also featured three exclusive weapon collections (Baggage, Cobblestone, and Overpass), a thematic weapon case, new missions, and the all-new Operation Journal feature. Notably, it marked the debut of the now-legendary AWP | Dragon Lore and a popular M4A1-S | Cyrex.
The coin progression system was revised to include the newly introduced journal tasks—five quests for a silver coin and 15 for gold. Also, following the ESL One Cologne 2014 tournament, the Cache collection became available as a mission reward.
Operation Vanguard
Operation Vanguard, launched on November 11, 2014, was initially set to end on February 10, 2015, but was eventually extended to the end of March. It introduced seven new community maps, including the iconic Train, and featured an operation-themed weapon case, four campaigns (Vanguard, Weapons Specialist, Maghreb, Eurasia Theater), and an operation journal. The coin progression system shifted to earning stars instead of completing journal tasks. Notable among the new skins introduced by the Operation Vanguard Weapon Case was the P2000 | Fire Elemental.
Operation Bloodhound
Operation Bloodhound was launched in the May 26, 2015 update. It reintroduced two maps from the previous operations and added four all-new community-created maps: Agency, Log, Rails, Resort, Season, and Zoo. It lasted till September 30, 2015, and included six skin collections: Cobblestone, Overpass, Cache, Gods & Monsters, The Rising Sun, and Chop Shop.
Bloodhound revamped the campaign structure with story-driven Marksman and Revolution missions, shifted mission rewards from drops to experience for profile ranks, and increased the requirements for Silver and Gold coins to 9 and 14 stars, respectively. New mission types like Guardian and Assassination offered additional ways to earn stars. Bloodhound also introduced the iconic Falchion Knife and AWP | Medusa.
Operation Wildfire
Operation Wildfire, which lasted from February 17 to July 15, 2016, introduced nine maps, including an improved version of Nuke and a new co-op map, Phoenix Compound. It featured two campaigns, Gemini and Wildfire, and maintained the same coin tracking conditions as before—9 stars for Silver and 14 for Gold.
Exclusive to Wildfire coin holders, the Wildfire Case included 16 highly-rated community-created weapon finishes and introduced Bowie Knives to the game. Coin holders also received exclusive weapon drops from collections like Cobblestone, Overpass, Cache, Gods and Monsters, Chop Shop, and Rising Sun.
Operation Hydra
Operation Hydra, available from May 23 to November 13, 2017, for the standard price of $5.99, introduced three new game modes: War Games, Wingman, and Weapons Expert. It featured nine maps, including two Hostage Rescue, five Bomb Defusal, one Wingman, and one Flying Scoutsman map.
This operation once again revamped the coin progress system by introducing a Diamond tier. Players could earn one star per week for 18 weeks, requiring all weekly stars plus campaign completions (7 stars) to achieve the 25 stars needed to get the new Diamond coin. Notable weapon skins introduced included the AK-47 | Orbit Mk01, M4A4 | Hellfire, and AWP | Oni Taiji.
Operation Shattered Web
This was perhaps the most revolutionary of all CS2 operations. Valve launched Shattered Web on November 18, 2019, and kept it available until March 30, 2020. This operation featured four maps tailored to unique scenarios: Studio (C4), Lunacy (Flying Scoutsman), Jungle (Danger Zone), and Phoenix Facility (co-op).
Shattered Web introduced a Battle Pass-like reward system, with players earning rewards at various star milestones, with the pass priced at $15. Unlike previous CS:GO operations, there were no campaigns; stars were awarded for completing weekly mission cards. Players needed to complete 33 missions for Silver, 66 for Gold, and 100 for Diamond Coins.
Additionally, the operation introduced playable agents to CS:GO, “praise” at the end of the match, and debuted the Norse, Canals, and St. Marc Collections, which included high-profile skins such as AWP | Gungnir, AWP | The Prince, and AK-47 | Wild Lotus.
Operation Broken Fang
Operation Broken Fang, running from December 3, 2020, to March 29, 2021, featured eight maps and five scenarios, namely Bomb Defusal, Wingman, co-op, Danger Zone, and Hostage Rescue. This operation introduced Retakes mode and Broken Fang Premier mode—exclusive 5v5 competitive matches with map picks and bans, which became available to all players by the end of the operation.
Costing you $15, the Battle Pass allowed operation participants to earn stars from weekly missions and spend them on agents, cases, graffiti, and more, with the conditions for earning Coins staying the same as before. Broken Fang also introduced three new collections, The Havoc, The Control, and The Ancient, which included highly sought-after skins like the M4A1-S | Printstream, Glock-18 | Neo-Noir, and AWP | Fade.
Operation Riptide
Operation Riptide, the last in our list of CS:GO operations, ran from September 21, 2021, to February 21, 2022, featuring a $15 Battle Pass. It introduced five new maps: Basalt (C4), Insertion II (hostage), Ravine and Extraction (Wingman), and County (Danger Zone). New game modes included Private Competitive, Short Competitive, and updates to Deathmatch, Demolition, and CS2 Arms Race.
The Operation was built around a star system, with players earning stars by completing missions and redeeming them for agents, weapon skins, stickers, and graffiti in the Operation Shop. A new game mechanic, police shield, was also added to the hostage rescue maps, available to counter-terrorist teams.
Riptide also launched a dedicated operation case and four collections: 2021 Train, 2021 Dust II, 2021 Mirage, and 2021 Vertigo, featuring standout skins like the USP-S | Whiteout, Desert Eagle | Fennec Fox, and M4A4 | Red DDPAT.
