Counter-strike has stood the test of time as the true FPS-king and will continue to do so. | Source: Valve/Steam
- XQC goes after those claiming Valorant will “kill” Counter-Strike.
- However, Valve’s baby has too much of a fanbase to let it die.
- The two games are unique enough to hold their own audiences.
Some think Riot Games’ Valorant will kill Valve’s long-standing Counter-Strike. But it’s naive to claim anything can kill Valve’s baby.
Not only is Counter-Strike a leading esport pulling in millions a year , the two appeal to different fanbases and are different enough to exist on their own.
Counter-Strike Has Lived Through it All
Pro Overwatch player XQC knows this best. In a recent stream, he notes that Counter-Strike has lived through “genre-shifting,” battle-royale hype, and even scandals. If those didn’t kill it, how could another game?
“Why can’t this game have success without CS?” he asks. It absolutely can.
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The thing is, Counter-Strike is a pure experience. There are no classes or abilities. Players like that purity. If they didn’t, the game wouldn’t be helping Steam break new player records 19 years later.
Valorant has abilities and classes like Overwatch. Some players don’t want extra things mucking up their skill-based shooter. Those preferring a pure experience will stick with Counter-Strike. No franchise killing involved.
Valorant Can Exist Next to Other Games
Calling Valorant a “Counter-Strike” killer discredits the work Valve has put into their competitive shooter. It claims the title can’t stand against future competitors, which is ignorant considering the growth in its last two decades.
While Valorant hit an impressive 1.6 million views on Twitch today , CS:GO’s 21 million followers won’t all drop it just for a new title. Hell, they’ll probably just play both.
Dota 2 and League of Legends exist. Temtem and Pokemon exist. These two games can exist as well.
XQC also predicts Overwatch will be fine, contrary to Pokimane’s beliefs. The pro went after those claiming to drop Blizzard’s team shooter for Valorant. He says they’ll look like a “coward” upon returning.
After all, Blizzard games pull a crowd. You can be sure those players will tune back in for Overwatch 2 at release. They wouldn’t miss out on that sweet, sweet exposure.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
