Though it's been just over six years since its release, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is still going strong, with a highly-competitive gameplay scene to boot, and is nothing short of one of the key pillars of the contemporary eSports scene.
It is a tiny bit odd, however, to see that Valve have just released a completely free version of CS: GO, titled 'Free Edition' this late in the shooter's lifespan. Granted, it's a great offering nonetheless, so why complain!
In short, what is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Free Edition? Well, it's a primarily offline CS: GO client, where players can engage in solo play versus bots, play LAN matches against friends, and spectate competitive games via GOTV.
The reasoning for releasing a limited free edition of the game might be that Valve are still trying to minimise the amount of hackers/cheaters attempting to damage their ecosystem, the number of which would undoubtedly skyrocket if the base game itself were to be completely free.
In any case, this ought to allow for some great, classic LAN matches without much in the way of flashy skins and whatnot, and comes as a way to test the groundwork in place for including the new MP5-SD primary to the competitive scene. Download CS: GO Free Edition via Steam to see what it's all about.
