Shroud says CSGO is "four times harder" than Valorant
Twitch streamer Michael “shroud” Grzesiek is known as the king of FPS, and he thinks CSGO is the superior game when it comes to mechanics.
Valorant’s release in 2020 saw hundreds of players bid
farewell to CSGO. shroud and Tarik “tarik” Celik were the most notable streamers to switch games due to their storied legacy in CSGO. Both former top professional players had started streaming Valorant, with shroud briefly dabbling in the pro scene for Sentinels as well.
It seems Source 2 rumors have tempted them to give CSGO another chance. While playing a game on Mirage, tarik and shroud discussed which FPS is more complex — and the entire lobby agreed on the same game.
On March 16, the two FPS icons got together to play CSGO. The nostalgia-inducing stream was a treat for CSGO fans. During the game, shroud asked the question that remains unanswered after three years of Valorant’s release: Which game is actually more difficult?
“(CS is) harder, 100%. Was that a trick question?” Tarik answered.
The rest of the players also agreed, but shroud remained quiet. The former Sentinel pro then explained why he thinks CSGO is harder.
“I think Valorant is harder strategically, but I think mechanically (CSGO) is four times hard,” shroud added.
Both the top streamers agreed that Valorant has its own challenges due to its complex abilities. But CSGO is tough to master because of the game mechanics. However, both were of the opinion that Valve’s FPS remains superior in terms of gameplay.
In 2023, Valorant has 22 agents, which makes it a tricky game for FPS beginners. Learning new agents, abilities, and more requires much time and patience, which new players generally prefer to avoid. Comparatively, CSGO is easy to begin but takes a lifetime to master. For this reason, even top Valorant pros may struggle in CSGO.
However, both games are unique and challenging. With
Source 2
on the horizon, even Valorant players may be tempted to try out what Valve has created. However, it’s unlikely that Counter-Strike 2 would be much different.
Fariha Bhatti
About Fariha Bhatti
Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.
View full profile
Read Also
Counter-Strike
Vitality vs Falcons betting predictions and best picks: IEM Cologne Major 2026
Owen Harsono
We’re treated to a possible grand final matchup here in the quarterfinal of the IEM Cologne Major, with Team Vitality taking on Team Falcons in an elimination match. These are two of the highest-profile teams in the game right now, but only one of them can continue their chase for the trophy. Here are our IEM Cologne Major Team Vitality vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage: ...
Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 playoffs preview: matchups & predictions
Owen Harsono
The top eight teams at the IEM Cologne 2026 Major are set. Most of the favorites easily secured their spots, but we also have promising underdogs sneaking into the bracket. To keep you up to speed, here’s everything you need to know about the IEM Cologne Major playoffs. We started with 32 teams and are now only down to eight. After a grueling Stage 3, teams have been seeded into ...
Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Playoffs Pick’Em Predictions
Owen Harsono
It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview: who’s making it to the playoffs?
Owen Harsono
The IEM Cologne Major is the biggest tournament of the year, and after two stages of play, it’s finally time to unleash the big boys. Stage 3 will feature the 16 best teams in the world, but only eight can advance to the Playoffs and play on the big stage. Here’s our IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview. Before we got to Stage 3, a lot of things happened in ...
Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major
Owen Harsono
It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap
Owen Harsono
We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...
Counter-Strike
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026?
Owen Harsono
If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...
