Ex-NiP coach slams Valve for CSGO neglect, praises Riot Games

By Fariha Bhatti

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Jan 29, 2021

Reading time: 3 min

Valve’s recent ruling regarding coach-team communication during games has ruffled many feathers in the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive community.

Former Ninjas in Pyjamas coach Faruk “⁠pita⁠ Pita took a dig at Valve on the matter, highlighting some significant issues in the developer’s management. 

The investigation into the coaching bug exploit saw 37 coaches sanctioned. However, some culprits who assisted the Esports Integrity Commission’s investigation during a “confession period” were let off the hook with minimal punishment. Pita was one of the coaches who informed the esports watchdog about his share in the exploit, which saw his suspension reduced. While he didn’t take issue with the suspension itself, he continued to discuss how he tried to alert Valve to the bug two years prior and was met with silence.

In a series of Tweets, the coach lamented that Valve’s disinterested handling of CSGO and suggested the developer does not care about the game. 

The coaching bug scandal was a major blow to the competitive integrity of Counter-Strike, with nine coaches being banned permanently by Valve. pita stated that none of this would have happened, if only Valve actually listened to people in the scene the same way he believes Riot Games does with Valorant’s esports scene. Pita didn’t hesitate from slamming the FPS’ developer while comparing it with its new rival Valorant. 

CSGO coach Pita compares Valve with Valorant developer

pita has been in Counter-Strike for over a decade and despite that pedigree, his warning about the bug fell on deaf ears. By comparison, the coach noted how Riot will have a bug called to its attention and implement a fix within a day. 

Many agreed with pita, which likely comes at least in part due to the ongoing rocky relationship between Valve and the entire CSGO community. Though CSGO is easily Valve’s biggest title at the moment, that has happened in spite of Valve. Former CSGO pro Fatih “gob b” Dayik shared his own experience with Valve, which was basically the same as pita’s. 

Conversely, Riot Games has formed much of its player base by delivering hotfixes to glitches and creating a communication bridge between users and developers. Ask Valorant and official Reddit threads are excellent examples of Riot Games’ attentiveness towards the community.

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pita also stated that Valve is inexplicably less interested in CSGO today while the game is booming than it was when it launched in 2014. While Riot’s approach towards its game has been commendable so far, the company’s handling of League of Legends has been far from perfect over the years. For now, Valorant is winning over FPS fans with its fresh approach.