shroud wishes Valorant had custom maps and modes like CSGO

Michael “shroud” Grzesiek brings a unique dual perspective to Valorant discussions, combining his professional Counter-Strike background with his current streaming expertise. His critical analysis of Riot Games’ tactical shooter reveals both admiration for its competitive foundation and clear vision for its untapped potential.

As one of Twitch’s most respected FPS authorities, shroud has built his reputation through exceptional mechanical skill paired with unfiltered game design commentary. Following his recent examination of Reyna’s post-nerf viability, the content creator now focuses on features that could maintain long-term engagement for both casual and competitive players.

Despite temporarily exploring New World’s gameplay mechanics, shroud returned to Valorant on November 6th with specific improvement proposals. His central recommendation involves implementing a structured system for community-generated maps that maintains quality through Riot’s oversight.

Shroud’s Blueprint for Community Maps

“A carefully managed approval workflow would ensure quality control while empowering creative community members,” shroud explained during his broadcast. “Not every submission should go live, but Riot-curated selections could dramatically expand gameplay variety.”

Shroud anticipates player-versus-environment scenarios would dominate early community creations, offering cooperative experiences fundamentally different from Valorant’s standard competitive matches. He envisions teams solving environmental puzzles, completing objective-based missions, and facing AI-controlled challenges that current gameplay modes don’t accommodate.

“The community would enthusiastically embrace these opportunities,” shroud emphasized. “Players crave fresh experiences that maintain the game’s core mechanics while exploring new playstyles.”

The streaming professional believes Riot will eventually implement such features, noting the tremendous success of community content in titles like CS:GO and Overwatch. However, development priorities currently favor expanding the competitive map rotation rather than building creator tools.

Design director Joe Ziegler’s 2020 statement highlighted the resource allocation challenge: “Developing scalable community platforms and map creation utilities would require multi-year investments. When comparing this against immediate content production using existing teams, the decision heavily favored current development priorities.

Riot has maintained relative silence on the subject since that initial assessment. However, prominent community voices like shroud bringing renewed attention to the concept may prompt development updates.

Shroud’s Competitive Gaming Philosophy

While possessing professional CS:GO credentials, shroud has strategically positioned himself as a full-time Valorant streamer rather than tournament competitor. His limited 2021 competitive appearance demonstrated the significant practice commitment required for professional play.

“The gap between streaming and professional competition continues widening,” shroud recently observed. “Maintaining tournament-ready skills demands daily dedicated practice that conflicts with content creation schedules.”

This practice disparity creates frustration during high-level play sessions, as shroud noted the intensive training regimen necessary to compete with full-time professionals. Consequently, streaming remains his primary focus for the foreseeable future.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » shroud wishes Valorant had custom maps and modes like CSGO Shroud advocates for community-created Valorant content and explains his streaming-focused competitive approach