The AWP, short for Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Police, became famous through Counter-Strike after the game launched in 1999 and later grew with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Counter-Strike 2. In game it is expensive, slow to reload, and famous for killing with a single shot to the torso, which made its firing sound a symbol of risk and skill. Clips of AWP plays spread through early frag movies, YouTube montages and streaming highlights, keeping the sound instantly recognisable to FPS players decades later.