Counter-Strike creator Minh Le gave an interview to Eric Shock where he shared memories of the game's creation, his career, and his views on the evolution of the industry. During the chat, he talked about how this iconic shooter came to be, why he stopped playing, recalled his favorite maps and modes, and talked about working with Valve, the problem cheating and the popularity of CS, which has existed for more than two decades.

The first question in the interview was about how long ago Counter-Strike creator Minh Le played his game and why he stopped playing.

I played when I created the game in 1998. Until 2003, I played every day and I was in the top 3 players. But after 2005, I stopped playing because I spent too much time on the game and didn't become a professional gamer. The last time I played was about five years ago with friends in CS:GO. It was fun, but now I'm not as good as I used to be.

Talking about his feelings while playing the game, he noted that it was one of the best periods of his life.

When I play actively, it brings great emotions. I like to run and shoot, especially with the MP5. I'm a sniper player and have always loved the dynamics of the game. Counter-Strike has given me many friends, whom I have met throughout the game. It was one of the best periods of my life.

He shares memories of old modes and maps that have disappeared from the game and also shares his favorite maps.

I really like the hostage rescue maps, such as CS_Siege, CS_Militia, and CS_Assault. It was a unique gaming experience, but now bombardment maps have become more popular due to their balance. However, I like to remember the old regimes.

Regarding his last gaming experience, he said that he is no longer as good as he used to be, but the memories of the past are still vivid.

The last time I played was about six years ago. Before that, I stopped playing in 2005, when I moved on to other projects and games. Returning to the game, I realized that my reflexes weren't what they used to be, but the memories from the past made each session special.

The creator expressed his opinion on Valve's approach to game development, noting that Valve is doing well and that he is satisfied.

Yes, I'm very happy. Valve has a methodical approach to development, not making changes for profit and not completely changing the game. They focus on maintaining stability for both old and new players, which makes the game special.

After leaving Valve, he received several offers but chose a different path of development.

After leaving Valve in 2006, I received many offers but I did not accept. After that, I worked on several projects such as Tactical Intervention and Rust, as well as collaborating with Korean companies.

He also spoke about the problem of fraud and methods to combat it.

Cheating in games began in 2002. Valve actively fights it, but cannot completely eliminate the problem. Fraud is like a virus that needs to be constantly updated. Despite the difficulties, Valve did everything possible to control the situation.

Continuing the discussion about fraud and anti-cheat, he answered a question about the potential of AI in fighting cheaters.

Yes, AI-based anti-fraud can be a powerful tool. But it's important to note that there can be false positives. An ideal solution would be to combine AI with human verification, like in the Overwatch system.

He proposed his vision to solve the problem of fraud.

I will use an approach similar to the Korean system, where players register using passport data. This greatly reduces the possibility of fraud. However, such a system is difficult to apply in Europe and America due to privacy concerns.

The creator recalls working with Gabe Newell and shares his impressions.

Gabe is an incredibly creative and interesting person. He is passionate about many things, from collecting knives to singing. His vision for Steam changed the gaming industry.

He talked about how he felt about selling the game to Valve.

I'm very happy to be working with Valve. That allows me to collaborate with talented people and develop games with them. I have only good memories of working there.

While working at Valve, he participated in development until version 1.6 and tried to create a CS2 prototype.

I worked on Counter-Strike until version 1.6. Then I tried to create a CS2 prototype, but the project failed.

Finally, he confessed that he did not expect the game to be so popular.

Valve doesn't radically change the game, which allows veteran players to go back and enjoy the same progression they remember, and newcomers to easily get used to it. It's like soccer in the world of competitive gaming: it takes years of practice and the game retains its unique character. I hope people will still be playing Counter-Strike in 25 years. Valve has done a great job keeping the game alive and interesting.