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.