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Did Valve cancel CS: Legacy?
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Hamza Rashid
Gamer
04 Jul 2025
Posted On
CS: Legacy was pitched as a faithful remake of Counter-Strike 1.6 using the 2013 Source Engine. It gained early attention from longtime fans, promising to retain and preserve the classic gameplay while updating visuals and engine performance. But now, the project’s future hangs in the balance after legal pushback from Valve.
Despite using public tools provided by Valve and committing to a free release, the CS: Legacy developers received a message from a Valve employee questioning their use of the Counter-Strike IP. This follows a similar takedown of Classic Offensive, another fan-made remake. As a result, the CS: Legacy team is facing the possibility of rebranding the game entirely.
While development continues, the original version of CS: Legacy as a Counter-Strike remake may never be released. Here’s what to know about the issues CS: Legacy has been facing.
What did Valve do to CS: Legacy?
The future of the highly anticipated Counter-Strike 1.6 remake, CS: Legacy, is in trouble due to legal pressure from Valve Corporation. CS: Legacy was announced as a free, standalone remake built using Valve’s official 2013 Source Engine SDK, aiming to revive the classic experience for a late 2025 launch.
The game is under development by ex-CSPromod team members, and the team has emphasized its compliance with Valve’s licensing terms, which allow free mods using the SDK. However, recent communications from Valve have caused issues for this fan project.
The developers received a message from a Valve employee suggesting that the use of the Counter-Strike IP might not be allowed without a dedicated license [1]. It contradicts their understanding of the existing Source SDK license and Steamworks guidelines, which they believed allowed their project under the conditions of using the SDK and releasing for free. This issue is forcing the team to go through the possibility that CS: Legacy, in its intended form as a CS 1.6 remake, might be blocked.
What is CS: Legacy's response to Valve?
The CS: Legacy team issued a detailed statement defending their project’s legality in response to the community’s fears after the Classic Offensive shutdown. They reiterated their adherence to the Source SDK 2013 license terms, emphasizing the non-commercial nature of their project. They stated that they were in direct communication with Valve and pointed out that the SDK license terms had been the same since February 2025.
However, following the direct message from the Valve employee raising concerns about IP usage, the developers have faced silence. Despite multiple attempts to clarify the project’s nature and compliance by reaching out to Valve’s legal team, the CS: Legacy developers claim they got no replies.
So is CS: Legacy dead?
The development team has revealed a contingency plan after being faced with the potential shutdown of their CS: Legacy remake. They ensured full ownership of all custom code, assets, UI, and art direction after recognizing the possibility of needing to move away from Valve’s IP and engine. If Valve confirms they can’t use the Source SDK or the Counter-Strike IP, they will divert development to a new game on a different engine.
This new project would be a spiritual successor and not a Counter-Strike remake. It would abandon iconic CS maps and characters and feature original map layouts and factions instead. The core focus would remain on the gameplay they tried to recreate.
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Is CS: Legacy still under development?
Despite the time spent going through the legal uncertainty with Valve, the CS: Legacy team has continued development. They plan to submit their current build via Steamworks, but the original early access release in late 2025 will likely be delayed to 2026 due to the situation. If Valve denies them, then development will shift to the new IP.
The team is developing the Source version of CS: Legacy alongside starting a prototype of the new game. This dual approach ensures they can move forward regardless of Valve’s decision.
Has Valve done something similar to other fan projects?
It isn’t the first time Valve has shut down a fan project. It follows Valve’s sudden shutdown of another long-running fan project, Classic Offensive, in May 2025. Despite receiving initial approval from Valve, Classic Offensive was rejected for its final Steam build in January 2025 and issued a cease and desist when attempting a launch on ModDB. Valve cited violations of the Steam Subscriber Agreement, a move the Classic Offensive developers found unfair, and which prompted other developers to be cautious about working within Valve’s ecosystem.
This abrupt termination of Classic Offensive immediately caused the Counter-Strike community to be wary regarding the safety of CS: Legacy. While the CS: Legacy team defended their project’s legality, emphasizing its non-profit nature, use of the public Source SDK 2013, and 100% original assets, the Classic Offensive situation showcased how fast Valve’s stance can shift.
FAQs
Did Valve shut down CS: Legacy?
Not officially. Valve raised concerns about the use of the Counter-Strike IP, but the CS: Legacy team has not received a formal takedown. Development is still ongoing while the team waits for clarification.
Will CS: Legacy still release?
The current version is uncertain. If Valve denies permission to use the Source SDK and Counter-Strike IP, the developers will shift to a new engine and create an original game with similar gameplay.
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