Valve is currently showing off Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the next game in its hugely popular multiplayer shooter series, at PAX Prime this weekend. Now more info about the game, which Valve is co-developing with Hidden Path Entertainment, has been revealed. According to a preview at Kotaku, the game will feature cross-platform multiplayer between the PC, Mac and PS3 versions of the game. In addition the PS3 version will also support keyboard and mouse controls, something that"s rare for any console game. It will also support the PS3"s Move motion controller.
But what about cross-platform support for the Xbox 360 version of the game? That may not happen anytime soon. The PC, Mac and PS3 support is due to all three platforms having Valve"s Steamworks features. However, In a chat with Eurogamer, Valve founder Gabe Newell says its up to Microsoft to decide to relax its very strict networking system for the Xbox 360 to allow Steamworks to work with Xbox Live. He says, "We"d love to see those relaxed. Other developers on the PS3 are starting to benefit from Sony"s more open approach. Hopefully that will help Microsoft see that"s a good strategy for making customers happy, that the barbarians won"t tear down the walls of Xbox and turn it into some chaotic wasteland."
Meanwhile, Valve and Hidden Path continue to work on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. A closed beta for the game will be released for the PC version sometime in October and the game itself will be released via download for the PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PS3 in early 2012. Pricing for the game has yet to be revealed.