VALORANT arrived and it’s here to stay. Because of the esports history behind League of Legends, one of Riot's other games and one of the biggest titles in esports history, it’s almost safe to say that VALORANT has a very promising future in the competitive world of shooters. Due to the nature of the game and due to it being so influenced by Counter-Strike, there are a lot of players, and even professional ones, shifting to it. But although the game is similar, it can also be very different in several aspects.

Emmalee "EMUHLEET" Garrido is the captain of the female CS:GO team from Dignitas, the first female team to ever compete in two titles - the team decided to also compete in VALORANT after its release. Since changing games can sometimes be a daunting task after spending countless hours in one, we talked with her to learn some tips on transitioning to VALORANT and even being able to play both games competitively.

What are the biggest challenges you’ll always face when changing from CSGO to VALORANT?

Although very similar, both games have their differences from one another. When asked this question, EMUHLEET had the following thoughts:

“The speed of Valorant is a lot slower than CSGO. This is the biggest challenge to adapt to because, if you're an impatient player like me, you'll tend to push things you shouldn’t.”

VALORANT has a slower movement in general. Although the abilities grant the game a mix of chaos and unseen speed that sometimes can’t be matched in CS, the game is mainly focused on gun-to-gun combat and the characters just have a slow movement speed in general. Depending on the type of player you are, you should be cautious when trying to play faster due to this. Even the type of Agent you choose is important when deciding your playstyle. Example, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to play as Sage if you’re constantly rushing in front of your team.

“Remind yourself that timing is different in this game. Remembering the sound cues is a good idea too!”

EMUHLEET also took the time to remember that sound has an enormous impact on VALORANT - just like CS, but there are countless abilities and each one has a different sound cue. With playtime, you’ll eventually learn which one belongs to each ability - but pay attention to them. Knowing what Agents are close to you can be the difference between winning and losing the round.

What can you bring from one game to the other?

Since both games are FPS games, the skill you gained in one game will not go to waste by switching to another. However, it’s important that you set up both games to feel as similar as possible - matching sensitivities and mouse settings are especially important. You can use this online free converter to know exactly what is the numerical value of sensitivity when going from CS:GO to VALORANT.

“Apply the way you adapt and can isolate the enemy.”

EMUHLEET was quick to point when questioned this that the way you can adapt to your opponents and being able to isolate the enemy can be really useful in both games, as both share a very similar goal - take the bomb to one of two spots and plant. Your goal here is easy to understand, but many times hard to implement: understand the tendencies of your opponents and try to outsmart them.

Is it good or bad to try and play both games in a similar way as much as possible?

Playing different games in similar tactical ways can most of the times be a recipe for disaster, because of different mechanics, whether that’s shooting or even movement. But CS:GO and VALORANT are so close to each other that playing them similarly can actually be an advantage to you.

“I would normally say it's bad. But since VALORANT and CS:GO complement each other and have so many similarities, it’s fine the play them both similar.”

EMUHLEET had the same opinion when asked the question. When we’re talking about playing them the same way, it’s mostly about the way of thinking and how to outsmart the opponents. We already know that both games feel very similar, but since the objective is also the same for both teams in the two games (plant the bomb or don’t let them do it). Try to outsmart your opponents, do different plays every round, make sure you try to push over rotations with fake pushes, the sky is the limit. If you’re transitioning from CS:GO, you already know the drill. Since professional VALORANT is already getting some shape and form, you can also take a look at how some teams play and setup their Agents.

What about settings?

We already know that both games feel the same while playing, but how should you configure your settings? Above all, it’s a personal preference. The thing is: if you’re trying to play both games at a decent level, you should make them as close as possible to avoid any need of getting used to them when switching games.

“Since I am personally playing both games on a consistent level, I try to keep all my keybinds the same. Most of my nade binds are the same in both games so, once I switch, I don’t get caught off-guard pressing the wrong buttons”

This would include settings like sensitivity (as mentioned earlier in the article), jump and weapons keys, abilities/utility, etc. Having them as similar as possible will avoid any unnecessary mistakes that could cost you rounds and even entire matches.

And what about video settings?

This is actually a harder question to answer. It is widely known that professional CS:GO players generally don’t use the best settings (due to being used to other ones) like Shadows on high, which could help them spot enemies at greater distances. Since VALORANT is new, there aren’t that many known settings that could have a big impact on how you play the game - and, in fact, that actually seems to be the case. Riot seemed to have worked hard to avoid any advantages on more powerful PCs, leaving every player at the same level with different configurations.

“This is one thing that I changed. If I could go back and change my video settings in CS:GO I would, but its definitely too late for that and I am too used to my graphic settings. I've kept my Valorant settings default for now.”

Even EMUHLEET still has trouble with its settings, but rapidly admitted that she would like to change her CS:GO settings since she knows they’re not the best… she’s just used to them. The main point I want you to take of this point is: don’t blindly follow professional players’ configurations just because they play better. It’s not their settings that make them better. They use their settings because they like them or are used to them. This is the approach you should take.

I would like to thank EMUHLEET for taking her time to answer my questions and help me compile this article! Thank you for reading - you can reach out to me via Twitter for questions and/or feedback.