shroud says CS2 is "easier" than Valorant

Olivia Richman Published 21/09/2023

FPS star Michael “shroud” Grzesiek has boldly claimed that Valorant is now the “number one” first person shooter right now.

shroud has a long history as a top FPS player, starting as a Counter-Strike pro at the beginning of his career. He competed for five years before retiring and becoming a full-time streamer. His content largely focuses on his FPS prowess, ranging from Apex Legends to Valorant to Counter-Strike. He also ad a brief stint as a Valorant pro for Sentinels.

It’s safe to say that shorud has had a lot of time invested into Counter-Strike and Valorant, so his opinion is often respected in the gaming community.

shroud gives his latest opinion on CS2

After playing Valorant and Counter-Strike in a professional setting and at high competitive ranks, shroud previously concluded that Valorant is easier to play than Counter-Strike. But he has recently taken this opinion back.

Thanks to his experience playing Counter-Strike 2 ahead of its looming release, shroud has some new views on the ongoing rivalry between Counter-Strike and its colorful, new opponent. Now shroud believes Counter-Strike 2 is an “easier” game than Valorant, no question.

“I’m telling you. You guys just don’t understand. If s1mple goes to Valorant, he can’t compete,” shroud explained after backlash from his friends on stream.

While Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is known for its focus on mechanical gameplay and straight up strategy, shroud has often criticized CS2 for being more like Valorant. Now it seems that the changes have made Counter-Strike 2 “easier” for players to master.

So that’s shroud’s opinion — for now.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile

Read Also

Counter-Strike

ENVY Returns to Counter-Strike After Five Years, Picking Up an “Unpaid” 3DMAX Roster Owen Harsono North American esports organization ENVY has officially made its return to Counter-Strike. After putting its CS:GO division on hold in 2021, the org returns by signing the full former 3DMAX roster, so they aren't starting from scratch. ENVY is not only a massive esports organization, but also a legendary one in Counter-Strike. The org fielded one of the strongest French rosters in history, winning the DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca Major in ...

Valorant

Complexity Gaming shuts down after 23 years – Here’s what we know Khizar Mundia Esports organization Complexity Gaming is ending its 23-year run, as its founder announces its shutdown. Complexity is an organization that has been around since the early days of esports. The organization had rosters in multiple games, including Counter-Strike and Valorant. Despite this, Complexity’s CS roster was the most famous, as it won several major events. This is why it was a surprise for fans to hear that Complexity is shutting ...

Counter-Strike

Team Vitality vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Owen Harsono We have a clash of titans in the StarLadder StarSeries Fall consolidation final, as Team Vitality will take on FURIA for a grand final spot. Both teams have shown signs of shakiness throughout the event, so expect some scrappy Counter-Strike. Here are our Team Vitality vs FURIA predictions. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs – Lower Bracket Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: These ...

Counter-Strike

MOUZ vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Owen Harsono MOUZ are set to take on FURIA in a do-or-die match in the $500,000 StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 lower bracket. Both teams have already suffered losses at the event, but we believe one team is in much better shape than the other. Here are our MOUZ vs FURIA predictions for September 19. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: MOUZ ...

Counter-Strike

StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026: Teams, format, schedule, and prize pool Owen Harsono Top-tier Counter-Strike is back on the menu with StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. It’s not a 16-team tournament with every top team in attendance, but it’s still bound to entertain us for a solid four days. Here’s everything you need to know about StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. Tier 1 Counter-Strike lands in Spain again for the first time in a while, with only eight teams in attendance. StarLadder StarSeries will be ...

Counter-Strike

Team Spirit vs Team Falcons at BLAST Open Fall 2026: best predictions and picks Owen Harsono We’re in for a treat, as the BLAST Open Fall semi-final will feature a matchup between Team Spirit and Team Falcons, with the winner booking a spot in the grand final. It’s a battle between the world number one and number two, so this is a match you definitely don’t want to miss. Here are our BLAST Open Fall Team Spirit vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: BLAST Open Fall 2026 ...

Counter-Strike

Is CS2 Dying in 2026? Owen Harsono Counter-Strike is one of the longest-standing esports franchises, having built a loyal fanbase over the course of two decades. However, if you’ve browsed through social media platforms across the past few months, you might have seen people claiming that the game is dying or on a steady decline. Below we’ll take a look at why people are talking about this and answer the question of “is CS2 really dying?” One ...