100 Thieves' Hiko Compares Pro VALORANT to CS:GO

During a recent stream, 100 Thieves' VALORANT professional player Spencer 'Hiko' Martin compared professional VALORANT and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The former CS:GO pro explained why he likes the direction VALORANT is heading and talked about how brutal professional CS:GO was in his early days.

Credit: Hiko

Riot Games just released VALORANT for PC last year, and the tactical FPS that combines several aspects from CS:GO and Overwatch quickly became a major hit in the esports industry, with many professional players from both scenes switching their focus to VALORANT within just a few months after launch.

Now, one of the game's most popular streamers and 100 Thieves captain has shared his insight into the professional landscapes of VALORANT and CS:GO.

Responding to a fan who asked if he enjoys professional VALORANT or CS:GO career more, Hiko said that he wants to see how VALORANT's LAN scene plays out.

Hiko thinks the smaller amount of LANs in VALORANT makes them more exciting when they occur, building hype for fans and players. Fewer LAN events also means that players won't have to travel as much as CS:GO pros back in the day.

"If there are 12 months in the year, you're traveling for like seven or eight months," Hiko explained.

This makes it problematic for players with families, pets, and other commitments since they'd constantly be away from their homes. Hiko said that consistent LANs in CS:GO led to oversaturation, making it less exciting for both fans and players.

Hiko's 100 Thieves team didn't qualify for the first major VALORANT LAN event, Masters Two Reykjavik, and LAN events were restricted throughout 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related:11 Reasons Why VALORANT is A Better Game Than CS:GO

Hiko also said the possibility of VALORANT adopting a franchise structure, but he'd rather not see it head in that direction.

"I kind of like where VALORANT is heading," Hiko added. "I don't know if they're ever going to actually—what's the word that they used in League—franchise. I don't know if they're ever going to franchise the league. I don't know if it will be good or bad if they do. At this point, I feel like I would rather them not."

100 Thieves made it to the Top 4 at VCT Stage 3 2021 Challengers: North America earlier this month, and Hiko's team is qualified for the Challenger Playoffs taking place on Augst 11 to 15.