The Convoluted History of Chickens in Counter-Strike

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is an outstanding esports game, and deserves to be among the top competitive shooting games on the world market. However, despite the community’s efforts, CS:GO has not made it to Steam’s “Best Use of Pets” list.

If you’ve ever shot CS:GO Death Match, you’ve probably seen a few chickens in the server. Always at the center of being killed when discovered, it’s time for their merits to be recognized. From the time in zombie mode to the time the chicken killed a pro player in the game, let’s take a look at the counter-strike history of this chicken.

Moult Updates

Every holiday, festival updates are updated. While other games have big events: adding new levels or game modes and adding more accessories, CS:GO also has… more chickens. As of Halloween 2013, Valve added a small costume update to change the atmosphere: the chickens look a bit creepy or the chickens put on their coats. Starting with cute chickens to Christmas costumes, pumpkin heads, deer horns and more.

Each update includes its own unique accessories, like the Easter bunnyhop chicken. The most impressive change is to mention Halloween 2014, when information about the update said: “Chickens won’t go to hell…” Players quickly realized that chickens don’t die when shot, they dig. Grave up and become green ghosts that cling to the entire map. It sounds a bit boring, but Valve tried their best.

History of the chicks

The love for chickens in Counter-strike – the game’s mascot – goes back to CS 1.6, when two chickens could be seen at the market in the map cs_italy. The chickens are now unable to move, can only stick their heads out until they are killed. Despite their limitations, early players help them shine brighter. Chickens return in Condition Zero’s single-player mode, Deleted Scenes, which includes two hidden chickens (referred to as easter eggs for that part).

Sadly, after Counter-Strike Source was released in 2004, the chicken was nowhere to be found, and the game’s mascot was gradually forgotten. Until 2012, CS:GO was born.

The return is a moment of celebration for the developer, who announced the arrival of the chickens before the game was released. The changes are clearly visible, from stiff chickens to being able to start moving. Chickens can walk on the map and react when the player moves or shoots. Now on Inferno, Cobblestone, Italy, Militia and Rush, chickens can be spawned anywhere in Deathmatch, and each chicken is worth 1 point if killed. Compared to the original 1.6, two slaughtered chickens can be found, hanging in the market.

And at a glance at the offices in the newly updated Nuke map, you will find a message telling employees that “no chickens are allowed inside the factory.”

Since its release, chickens have appeared in many games under Operation, requiring the player to destroy them in a variety of ways. Even bots in CSGO have a grudge against them

Valve has done a lot to support this mascot, adding a chicken coop to T-spawn on the inferno map, and allowing players to accept chickens as disciples. Press E on the chicken, and they will follow you to death, they will return to spawn if they survive that round. When killed, the time of discipleship will appear, to remind you of the good times together.

Professional AWPers have the ability to react in a blink of an eye, and this rooster made Skadoodle shoot just as kennyS was about to poke his head out, killing him through the corner.

At R1SECUP 2015, in Fallen (Keyd Stars) against rampage Killers. Fallen is made by the chicken as a protective barrier, as it obscures SHOWTiME’s view. But not so lucky because in the end rampageKillers still won that round, despite the noble sacrifice of the chicken.

After complaints from some players, Valve was forced to update the chickens: reducing the player’s ability to react to the player’s movements and the sound of crowing. When asked directly, the opinions of the players were quite mixed. Some want to keep them, others want to get rid of them altogether.

Despite the complaints, they still want to attract attention in the game.

Chicken became famous

Their popularity in the game has created a sizable fan base, helping to create fan art, in-game stickers, videos, and mods.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33MU_gXqmaA

^{Have you ever come across this situation and wondered why Valve put chickens in the game?}

The chicken attack version in 1.6 will turn one side into bloodthirsty chickens with the task of biting the other side to death.

And at Global Offensive, players can organize a chicken race

Or try to defuse the bomb mounted on the chicken

Source Filmmaker (filmmaking software) and the Saxxy award have made for interesting video clips from chickens, especially early 2014: Defuse on the Fly made by Deviant Picture Films

It seems that chickens don’t just appear with in-game shapes. Chiken, a silver ranked player, was noticed for repeatedly infiltrating the lobby of major CS:GO streamers, and even the semi-finals in the LAN tournament.

At first, Chiken was quite friendly, and said that he just wanted to play with him. However, after being kicked out repeatedly, Chiken turned evil and left a message: “This is just the beginning”. With security fences tightened, Chiken’s return in upcoming events is still a question mark.

Adding the funny chicken to the game has helped reduce the tension in this shooter game somewhat. So the next time you see them, think twice before ending the life of the chickens.

Source: pcgamer.com