4 tips and tricks for VALORANT players learning to play Counter-Strike

As of mid-March 2023, excitement around the iconic Counter-Strike series has never been higher. Reports and rumors abound about the next iteration of the series supposedly releasing during the same month, whether it’s via a massive update introducing the Source 2 engine or even an all-new release.

When VALORANT first launched in 2020, roughly seven years after the release of CS:GO, it of course drew in a ton of players who had experience with CS:GO. And if and when CS2 comes out, there will likely be a big portion of VALORANT players who go try it, and even some younger players who’ve only played VALORANT might try it as well.

The biggest difference to first-time CS players will be obvious: no agents with abilities, only grenades. But if you’re a VALORANT player and you’ve never played Counter-Strike, there are some tips you should know that won’t be instantly obvious until it’s too late.

Tips and tricks for VALORANT players playing CS:GO

No refunds

At the start of a round in Counter-Strike, you buy your weapons and armor the same as you would in VALORANT, but there’s a major catch; if you buy a weapon or armor in Counter-Strike, you cannot sell it back and get your money back. All purchases are final.

Additionally, you cannot request and directly buy for teammates in Counter-Strike. You can still purchase weapons and drop them for teammates though.

Team damage is real

In VALORANT, certain agent abilities can damage your teammates, but all weapons won’t deal team damage. But in Counter-Strike, anything and everything in your arsenal can deal damage to your teammates: guns, knives, and grenades. Be careful if you’re used to swinging your knife around wildly in VALORANT, as you can easily clip a teammate before the round begins.

Don’t be a loser, buy a defuser

Defusing the bomb in Counter-Strike is similar in concept to defusing the spike in VALORANT, but different in two key ways. First, there’s no half-defuse: you have to stick the entire thing, and you have to be looking at it directly. Secondly, players on the CT (defense) side can (and should) purchase a defuse kit for $400 from the equipment menu during the buy phase. Without the kit, the defuse requires 10 seconds, but with a kit, it only takes five. Unless you’re saving money for the next round, if you have $400 to spare you should always have a defuse kit.

Time to learn lineups

Unlike in VALORANT where agents like Omen, Brimstone, and Astra can place smokes with pinpoint accuracy, that same privilege is not afforded in Counter-Strike. Each player can equip a single smoke grenade, which can be thrown over-hand (left-click) or softly under-hand (right-click). VALORANT players with Viper or Brimstone molly lineup experience will adapt quicker, but it’s still going to be a lot to learn or memorize.