Over the past decade, the multiplayer competitive first-person shooter title, Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CSGO) from Valve Corporation has dominated the FPS genre. But with the release of the new hero-based first-person shooter Valorant, developed by Riot Games, this genre received a new, extremely tactical game. Valorant is now challenging CS:GO for that top spot, and many fans wonder who will win in the battle of Valorant vs CSGO.
Helping it gain popularity, Valorant brought in a lot of new elements to the genre. Some of the best additions included named agents and abilities. These made Valorant stand out compared to CSGO. With the addition of unique agents and agent abilities over the classic tactical shooter game mechanics, Valorant offered its player base tremendous possibilities in gameplay. During its public beta and right after its release, Valorant ignited the internet, and since then, the internet has greatly expanded the game’s online presence.
Many people referred to Valorant as “the CS:GO killer” on numerous online platforms after its initial release on June 2, 2020. Despite Valorant being roughly two years old and CS:GO being more than ten years old, it is safe to say that both games are unquestionably performing exceptionally well right now, bringing in both seasoned and new FPS players to the genre each month.
Examining the everlasting online debate on which game is superior, let us determine the shared and unique characteristics that make the two games similar and distinct simultaneously.
Differences between Valorant vs CS:GO
Despite both games being in the same competitive genre and having developed based on quite similar mechanics, the two games defer in many gameplay aspects. First of all, let us explore the differences between these two widely popular and successful games.
01. Gameplay in Valorant vs CSGO
A team must win 13 of the 24 intensely competitive rounds to be victorious in Valorant matches, while a CS:GO match can go up to 30 rounds. And to win a match in CS:GO, a team must win 16 of them. So to speed up and make the matches more interesting, Riot Games took care to eliminate the overall playable round requirement in Valorant.
That can be associated with one of the key distinctions in the battle of Valorant vs CSGO. This is possibly because Valorant games can be more intense and chaotic simultaneously, while CSGO takes a more tactical and disciplined approach.
02. Unique Character Roles and Character Abilities
Riot Games’ Valorant appears to have been developed to lure in many third-person shooter fans and introduce them to the competitive and tactical FPS action. By the time patch 5.01 was released, Riot Games had so far added 19 intricately detailed and unique characters to draw in a player base used to fantasy themes into their competitive shooter title. Players comparing Valorant vs CSGO will definitely see more lore and world-building from Valorant.
The Valorant characters known as “Valorant Agents” have been classified by Riot game designers into four unique classes; Duelists, Controllers, Initiators, and Sentinels, according to their abilities and gameplay aspects. A well-formed Valorant team combination would typically consist of at least one Agent from each of these classes, giving the team composition some variety and providing both offensive and defensive abilities.
When it comes to CS:GO, it does not have any role-based or ability-based classifications that can affect gameplay, as in Valorant. This marks a huge difference between these two competitive FPS titles. During “Operation Shattered Web” released on November 18, 2019, Valve introduced purchasable player models that can be used as cosmetics items within the game. But these Agents are merely CS:GO’s addition of full-body character cosmetics, like weapon skins that do not affect any gameplay aspects.
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03. Map Design
Map design is one of the most interesting things Valorant is altering in the tactical shooter genre when compared to CS:GO. In Valorant, the maps are often more compact and smaller when compared to CSGO maps. There are fewer wide hallways and open areas, which is one of the main reasons Valorant games are more intense than the slow-paced and disciplined CS:GO rounds.
Although Valorant maps are similar to CSGO maps in general layout, Valorant map designers have added some fascinating features and changes that make Valorant vs CS:GO maps differ from each other. For instance, Bind has two one-way teleporters that make fast rotations possible. Icebox has an extremely intricate midsection and an interconnecting zip line in bombsite A. On Haven, rather than the standard 2 plant site maps, the players are forced to cope with 3 plant sites.
When it comes to CS:GO, its map designs are less complicated. It is safe to say that Valorant maps are definitely inspired by CS:GO maps. Yet, Riot’s map designers have made them completely different from the CSGO maps by including the above-mentioned modifications and features into their map designs.
04. Look and Feel of Valorant vs CSGO
Counter-Strike takes a very practical and realistic approach to its setting, impacting how the general public perceives the game. CS:GO features a game scenario where a squad of terrorists must plant a bomb or eliminate the counter-terrorists, while the counter-terrorists have to defend the bomb sites, where each of whom is armed with models of real-world weaponry. These include a lot of popular weaponry such as the AK-47, Desert Eagle, and the AWP among shooting game lovers.
When compared to CS:GO, Valorant offers a considerably brighter, more colorful, and vibrant environment. Even though both games have a very similar game scenario, Valorant is more about the attackers and defenders, just as in real-life sports.
A simple teleportation device named the Spike must be put up on plant sites by the attackers or disarmed by the defenders. Valorant doesn’t attempt to replicate reality with the agents’ abilities, weapons, or cosmetics. An Operator, a Vandal, or a Phantom will be your weapon during your game. These of course do not exist as weaponry in the real world. This makes a huge difference worth noting in our Valorant vs CSGO comparison between the looks and feels of the two titles.
05. Esports Scene and Events
The Counter-Strike majors are still one of the largest eSports events in the world. But the CS:GO esports scene is incredibly tight, and only a select few players can thrive there. But regarding Valorant, Riot Games has contributed significantly to the Valorant Esport scene’s rapid expansion and growth.
Various events and opportunities are currently available at all levels of Valorant competition, ranging from national championships like the VRL to Valorant Champions. The top Valorant talents frequently get the chance to establish themselves and climb up to the next level in open tournaments. It also provides fans with the security of being able to see their preferred teams in regular games.
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Similarities between Valorant and CSGO
Now that we have explored the differences between these two FPS titans in our Valorant vs CSGO comparison, let us dive into the aspects that make these great games similar to each other.
01. Game Flow
Both games require quick reflexes, acute preparation, execution, and teamwork due to their high level of practicality involved. Both games have incredibly competitive and compelling online forms because of the 5 vs 5, “bomb defusal” gaming format.
Additionally, the two bomb sites on the map and the spike (CS:GO’s equivalent of the C4 bomb) focused scenario provides for an exhilarating online competitive gameplay experience.
02. Economy System
When comparing CSGO and Valorant, both games have a win-to-earn structure. The players will have more money/credits for a complete buy the more rounds and number of kills they manage to secure by the end of each round. This will also increase the odds of a team winning their next round.
Both games heavily rely on eco rounds, and Valorant’s mechanism for buying weapons and abilities is extremely similar to CS:GO’s weapon purchase system, except for the ability to resell purchased weapons within the buy phase in Valorant.
03. Comparing Weapons in Valorant vs CSGO Shows Many Similarities
Both games have pretty much identical firearms. The Vandal in Valorant resembles the AK-47, and its role in CS:GO, while the Phantom is similar to the M4A1-S in CS:GO. Players may easily switch between the two games since the recoil patterns of the weapons are also pretty much identical.
Additionally, in Valorant, the Operator serves as the primary AWP, and the Ghost does damage and fires at a pace comparable to the USP-S of the CSGO. Players who are switching from CSGO to Valorant or trying CS:GO as a Valorant player will gravitate toward these weapons as their top choices.
04. Both Games Relly Heavily on Weapon Skin Sales
All seriously competitive gamers love to show off their skills. They can’t help but want to show other players that they’ve put in the hard work and are masters of their favorite game. What better way is there to show off your skills than with rare and expensive weapon skins?
There is little difference in how Valorant vs CSGO handles these purchases. Both games have made large numbers of cosmetic changes available to die-hard fans. We have also been pulled in by the beauty of both games’ skins, causing us to write in-depth guides covering both the best weapon skins in CSGO and the most amazing weapon skins in Valorant.
Final Thoughts on the Current State of Valorant vs CSGO
In conclusion, it appears that Valorant borrows a lot from its wildly popular seasoned competitor, CS:GO, while also improving on many of its key aspects. Given that both games provide players with a unique gaming experience and that it is a question of personal taste, the heated argument over whether it will surpass CSGO is of little consequence.
Regarding online FPS games, CSGO is currently the leading title and will continue to succeed. Yet Valorant also has a lot to offer and appeals to a slightly more diverse audience, making it a well-liked title. In fact, the Valorant player count is growing very rapidly. In the near future, we may see and hear far more about Valorant than CSGO.
What do you think of Valorant vs CSGO? What if your favorite, go-to competitive FPS game? Is it one of these titans, or is it another emerging hit? Please feel free to let us know in the comment section below.
