Will Counter-Strike 2 Be the Death of VALORANT?

VALVE has recently released gameplay footage of Counter-Strike 2. Many fans of the title have been rejoicing that they are finally going to regain their status as the undoubted top FPS game on the market. With a better version of the beloved title in the midst, many people in the FPS community wonder if the continuous growth that VALORANT is garnering will finally come to an end as its predecessor makes a grand return.

Counter-Strike 2’s Grand Return

The arrival of CS2 was actually long overdue as the fans in the community had long been pestering VALVE to make major improvements to the game to make it more appealing to the fans. The primary thing that held CS:GO’s popularity is its true adaptation of the much-beloved Counter-Strike title that OG gamers grew to love in their childhood. Unfortunately, VALVE did a horrible job at treating the game with the respect it deserves after a few years of milking the title.

Counter-Strike 2 retains most of the core gameplay mechanics, maps, and weapons that fans have appreciated from the title with vast improvements in every department so that it can keep up with many modern titles. While not much is revealed aside from a few gameplay footage and streamer tests, the game has received a positive impression among the fans in the genre. Although, it still doesn’t add anything new which can also be a good thing for loyalists of the title.

The announcement, in itself, is enough for fans to be happy since it gives them a spark of hope that the developers haven’t completely abandoned improving the current state of the game. The new version gives a lot of excitement not only for current CS:GO players, but also for the entire FPS community. After all, Counter-Strike is practically the title that shone the spotlight on aim-heavy competitive First-Person Shooters.

The revamped graphics and gameplay in Counter-Strike 2 are enough for players to once again be reignited with passion for the game. However, many are asking themselves if simply having those factors is enough to make them play the game for more than they have already. With new FPS titles adding more depth to the genre, people are wondering how long the original formula can stay relevant in a world where people are constantly demanding new stuff.

Is VALORANT’s Days Coming to an End?

Unfortunately for the haters, VALORANT isn’t going to die just because Counter-Strike 2 has been announced. That is like expecting your ex-partner to come running to your arms just because you had a proper haircut and change in clothing. A large portion of the VALORANT playerbase are loyal to the concept of the game and is not probably looking to make a permanent change since the gameplay of both titles are completely different.

That is not to say that VALORANT’s active player count won’t drop during the first few weeks since a lot of players will want to try out “the new thing” and it is only natural that they will receive a surge of players. The most important thing to keep in mind is whether or not Counter-Strike 2 is able to keep its popularity after the first month and be able to reach out to the other FPS fans in the community that are currently playing other titles.

VALORANT has its own charm and isn’t the same as Counter-Strike in any way. The majority of the players don’t simply jump to another title just because a new game is announced. The conditions of a player leaving a game are mostly dissatisfaction and boredom so there’s no guarantee that the large bulk of VALORANT players will quit right away. They’ll most likely not even bat an eye about the release of Counter-Strike 2 and just continue playing with their friends.

Riot Games is excellent at creating and developing a solid community that plays together. It is one of the reasons why League of Legends has continued to thrive despite it being an extremely antiquated title. With so many prominent figures backing its content, it continues to be one of the most popular Twitch titles in the gaming category. Since VALORANT has already risen in popularity and developed a core community, it will be difficult for any game to dismantle its structure and cause it to die.

The VALORANT Competitive Scene

Another concern for the fans is whether or not Counter-Strike players who made the switch to competitive VALORANT will go back to Counter-Strike. However, the primary reason why so many professional Counter-Strike players made the switch is not because of the game but because of mismanagement from both Counter-Strike teams and VALVE’s esports department that prevented small-scale teams from making a feasible career out of CS:GO.

That being said, Riot Games’ move to franchise VALORANT esports has also proved to be a large barrier to entry that has scared off a lot of teams from aspiring for their dreams as well. While many CS:GO refugees have already retired or quite from VALORANT, there are still a lot of professional players who are looking to make it in either game. Unfortunately, neither company is making it easy for them to achieve that goal.

Is VALORANT Going to Be More Popular than CS2?

That is difficult to say without the game’s official release. Right now, Counter-Strike 2 is receiving a lot of spotlight from the gaming community because of the high hopes that the players have for the game. However, there are many things that can go wrong when the game goes into open beta since the players will be the harshest critics when the game shows any flaws in its design.

There is no need for VALORANT to compete with Counter-Strike for the title of being the best FPS in the market since it has already created its own working structure. While VALORANT is definitely one of the more popular FPS games today, that may very well change when CS2 fully releases. It will be up to Riot Games to continuously promote VALORANT and create interesting and engaging events for the players and fans.