valde on new CS:GO update: It can definitely be beneficial for us
In an interview with Pley.gg, the profiled rifler gives his thoughts about the new update and what it will mean for OG.
This Wednesday, the CS:GO developers from Valve stunned the entire Counter-Strike community, as they released a completely new update called Operation Riptide. The update consists of major changes like a rework of Dust2, which blocks the vision down mid from T-spawn, and also a decision to nerf the Desert Eagle.
However, the most impactful and significant change seems to be the new grenade function, which allows any player to drop each type of grenade to a teammate or any other place on the map.
We have had the opportunity to talk with OG’s Valdemar “valde” Bjørn Vangså about the new update and what it will mean for the scene, but also what it means for OG. Talking with the profiled OG rifler, it’s clear that the big brain of Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen is something the European team make heavy use of.
- My initial reaction was that this is a pretty big change – especially the grenade upgrade. Obviously, we haven’t had time to actually try it out yet, but it seems like a massive change, valde said to Pley.gg and continues explaining what it can mean for him and OG.
- I believe it can be a benefit. He (Aleksib) is a guy who thinks a lot about the game, and he’s also super into watching demos and replays to make sure that we always have the optimal way of playing. Aleksib is also really creative in terms of grenade usage, so I think it can definitely help us. But I think you need to see a few tournaments before you can tell what the changes exactly are going to mean.”
Hear valde elaborate his thoughts in the video below.
A big update right before the Major?
One could think that the timing of this update isn’t ideal. The last RMR (IEM Fall) is set to be held in eight days, and with the PGL Major in Stockholm in 35 days. Something, valde also touches on here.
- I think it goes without saying that Valve’s timing of updating the game isn’t the greatest. But I guess it’s just something you have to live with, and at the end of the day you can’t sit here and cry about it. You just have to get going on the server and get used to the new changes. Because I think it’s important to be one of the teams who adapts the fastest, otherwise you’ll have a disadvantage against opponents that are preparing better.
I think that’s just how Valve works. Players are not really that involved with Valve. It’s not like after each tournament we have talked with them or a discussion about what’s going to change in the future. Obliviously, we as players can be vocal on social media if we feel like something needs to be changed. But at the end of the day, we don’t know what’s going to happen – We can wake up one day and then everything has changed completely. I think we’re just used to it at this point, valde concludes.
In the video below, you can see both the new grenade function in action and the renovation of Dust2.
valde and OG's next challenge is on Friday at BLAST Premier Fall Groups, where they will kick off against the current CS:GO rulers from NAVI. OG and NAVI are alongside FaZe and Complexity fighting for a spot at the prominent LAN event BLAST Premier Fall Finals, which is set to be played in Royal Arena in Copenhagen.
The tournament will also be the first opportunity for the team to try out the new changes.
