Shroud highlights why Valorant is “much easier” than CSGO

Valorant may have only just released, but former pro player turned Mixer star Michael ‘shroud’ Grzesiek, is already arguing that the FPS is “much easier’ than Counter-Strike.

Riot’s first foray into the shooter genre only just released on June 2 following a seven-week closed beta. However, shroud has already begun looking deeper under the surface and addressing the game’s skill ceiling. 

While he believes that Valorant will stick around in the long run, he recently argued that the game has a considerably lower skill ceiling compared to CSGO.

“The skill ceiling and the potential is a lot lower than Counter-Strike,” he said in a June 7 YouTube upload. Addressing both titles head on, it didn’t take long for the Mixer streamer to make his mind up that Valorant is intended for a more casual audience. 

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“This game is trying to reach people that don’t play [shooters].” While freakish aim and well-thought-out movement will be rewarded, shroud argues that abilities “make it easier for people to play.”

“It’s obvious enough when you play Brimstone or Omen,” he added. “You push one button” to activate smokes at any section of the map.

This is a crucial difference between Valorant and CS, according to shroud. “That right there is kind of dumbed down to make those lesser players be at the top faster.”

Simplified abilities and easy to navigate utility opens the game up for more casual players. At the end of the day, Riot has designed Valorant with the “goal” of making a “much easier first-person shooter experience,” he said.

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Regardless of your stance on the matter, Valorant has already attracted countless pros from various scenes and shattered records on Twitch. It’s clear that the game has a wide appeal to all levels of play.

Despite having a lower skill-ceiling in his eyes, shroud still “loves” the game. “I think it’s great, but there’s no argument it [has] a higher skill-ceiling than CS. You’d be crazy to say that.”

If you’re just starting out and looking to hit this arguably lower skill-cap as soon as possible, here’s our full beginner’s guide for Valorant.