Why it matters: Counter-Strike was originally released for Windows PCs in 2000. It is often referred to as Counter-Strike 1.6 to differentiate it from other games in the series as that was the final major software version released. The game, originally a Half-Life modification created by Minh Le and Jess Cliffe, eventually spawned an entire franchise that remains incredibly popular to this very day.

One of Valve’s most popular first-person shooters is now available to play right in your browser, no installation required.

One of its many successors, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive , is regularly the top game on Steam in terms of current player count .

As Pocket-lint highlights , you can now play Counter-Strike 1.6 right from your browser simply by visiting this site . Servers are reportedly available in Asia, Canada, Europe, Brazil, India and the US that you can hop right into free of charge. If you’re looking for a private server to rent, those are available as well, albeit for a fee.

Of course, if you’re looking for something a bit more modern, the aforementioned Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is free to play on Steam. You'll need to download and install it to play although given its age, it doesn't require a very beefy system to run.

No word on the legality of the browser-based version or if Valve will shut it all down soon. As always, play at your own risk.