Game · High risk
Is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive safe for your child?
Age guide
17+
We advise Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from age 17 and up. Overall risk 9/10 (high risk).
- 5-8
- Children this age should not be playing CS:GO due to its mature themes, realistic violence, and highly toxic online environment.
- 9-12
- This age group is still too young for CS:GO.
- 13-15
- While some in this age group may be drawn to CS:GO, it is still generally not recommended due to the M rating and the prevalence of mature content, strong language, and potential for harassment in online chat.
- 16+
- Older teens might be mature enough to handle the competitive nature and violence of CS:GO, but parents should still be vigilant about the online chat and potential for exposure to toxic behavior and gambling-like mechanics.
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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a multiplayer first-person shooter where two teams, Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists, compete to complete objectives like planting/defusing bombs or rescuing hostages. It is known for its competitive gameplay and esports scene.
- Age guide
- 17+
- Overall risk
- 9/10
- Violence
- 8/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 9/10
- Stranger contact
- 9/10
- Addiction risk
- 9/10
- Language
- 8/10
- Influence
- 7/10
What parents should know
CS:GO is a highly competitive and mature first-person shooter with realistic violence, including blood and gore, though it can often be disabled. The game features unmoderated voice and text chat, which is frequently toxic and contains strong language, hate speech, and harassment. It has a significant esports presence and an in-game economy for cosmetic item trading.
What to do about Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is 17+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Counter-Strike: Global Offensive setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Counter-Strike: Global Offensive without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that mean it is time to step in.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive?
Parentwise puts Counter-Strike: Global Offensive at 17+. We advise Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from age 17 and up. Overall risk 9/10 (high risk). Violence scores 8/10, language 8/10, stranger contact 9/10 and addiction risk 9/10.
Can a 10 year old play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive?
Not by default: we advise Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from 17+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. This age group is still too young for CS:GO.
Can a 12 year old play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive?
Not by default: we advise Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from 17+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. This age group is still too young for CS:GO.
Can a 13 year old play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive?
Not by default: we advise Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from 17+, so at 13 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. While some in this age group may be drawn to CS:GO, it is still generally not recommended due to the M rating and the prevalence of mature content, strong language, and potential for harassment in online chat.
Is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive appropriate for kids?
CS:GO is a highly competitive and mature first-person shooter with realistic violence, including blood and gore, though it can often be disabled. Parentwise rates Counter-Strike: Global Offensive overall as high risk (9/10), with stranger contact at 9/10 and addiction risk at 9/10.
Is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive family friendly?
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the higher-risk titles we rate, so treat it as supervised rather than family viewing. The game features unmoderated voice and text chat, which is frequently toxic and contains strong language, hate speech, and harassment.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive parents guide: what should a parent know first?
CS:GO is a highly competitive and mature first-person shooter with realistic violence, including blood and gore, though it can often be disabled. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (9/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (9/10).
Is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive safe for kids?
We advise Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from age 17 and up. Overall risk 9/10 (high risk). The game features unmoderated voice and text chat, which is frequently toxic and contains strong language, hate speech, and harassment.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.