Since its inception, VALORANT has often been compared to Valve’s legendary Counter-Strike franchise. The arrival of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) in 2023 has further strengthened this rivalry, especially in the world of esports. With unique ecosystems and different gameplay approaches, the two games compete to win the hearts of esports fans around the world.
Counter-Strike has a long history in the esports space, especially with a strong base in the EMEA and South American regions, where it has long been a fan base. On the other hand, VALORANT, with its innovative approach through unique agents and special abilities, has managed to establish its foothold in North America, China, and Korea.
In 2024, a shift began to be seen in both ecosystems. The Mongolz, a CS2 team from Mongolia, began to steal the show and bring a new wave of Asian fans to Counter-Strike. Events such as the Perfect World Major Shanghai 2024, with a peak viewership of 1.33 million, helped Counter-Strike expand its reach in the Asian region. Meanwhile, VALORANT began to gain traction in Europe, driven by the Masters Madrid and Kickoff Masters Bangkok 2025 tournaments.
According to Esports Charts, Counter-Strike remains the leader in tactical shooter esports viewership:
Counter-Strike 2:
PGL Major Copenhagen 2024: 1.85 million peak viewers.
Perfect World Major Shanghai 2024: 1.33 million viewers.
IEM Katowice 2025: Started the year strong, reaching 1.3 million peak viewers.
VALORANT:
VCT Masters Madrid 2024: 1.69 million peak viewers.
Champions 2024: 1.4 million viewers.
Masters Bangkok 2025: Became the most-watched Masters tournament so far.
While VALORANT is showing impressive numbers, CS2 continues to steal the show with its long history and solid narrative. Even with Riot Games’ innovative strategy, VALORANT has yet to match the global hype that CS2 has created.
One of the main differences between the two is the approach to gameplay. CS2 maintains a focus on precision gunplay, while VALORANT increasingly emphasizes unique agent abilities that prioritize skill-based strategies over weapon mechanics. This difference is attracting a new generation of players to VALORANT, making it more independent of Counter-Strike’s influence.
Additionally, VALORANT is starting to produce “native players” — professional players who have grown up in the VALORANT ecosystem without switching from Counter-Strike. This is creating a new dynamic that could shape the future of tactical shooter esports.
