A new free-to-play version of Counter-Strike will be entering an open beta phase later this month. Known as Counter-strike Nexon: Zombies, it was originally assumed to be a Western port of the Korean Counter-strike Online 2. However, it is apparently a genuine new standalone title, and will feature new game modes and models. Despite all this, it appears to be unavailable in Asia.
New to the Counter-strike franchise will be the player-vs-environment game modes that challenge players to build a shelter and defend it from the zombie horde. Unlike regular CS games, this will mean total cooperation from all players against an AI controlled opponent. To break the monotony of fighting zombies, the traditional CS game modes and maps are also available; although it is hard to imagine anyone buying this to just play regular CS.
Other new game modes that have been listed are: Bazooka Mode, Beast Mode, and Football Mode.
Scheduled for a Q3 2014 release, and going into open beta on 23 September, the game is noticeably absent from Asian versions of Steam. This is apparently because developer Nexon is making the game available in Europe, North America, Oceania, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union nations). An odd move considering that Nexon itself is from South Korea and has a headquarters in Japan.
