Counter strafing in Valorant is indeed slower than in CS:GO, and I'll explain exactly why this is the case.

In CS:GO, counter strafing is a crucial mechanic that allows players to stop almost instantly and take accurate shots. When you press the opposite movement key, your character comes to a complete stop much faster than if you simply released the key. This mechanic is deeply ingrained in CS:GO's movement system and takes significant practice to master.

Valorant, on the other hand, has intentionally designed its movement mechanics differently. The counter strafing effect is less pronounced, making the technique less impactful. When you counter strafe in Valorant, the deceleration time is longer compared to CS:GO, creating a noticeable difference in how quickly you can stop and shoot accurately.

Here are the key differences I've observed:

- CS:GO's counter strafing allows for near-instant stops
- Valorant's movement has more "momentum," making stops feel slightly delayed
- The accuracy reset time in Valorant is longer
- You can achieve accurate shots in Valorant by simply letting go of movement keys

This design choice by Riot Games was intentional. They wanted to make Valorant more accessible to new players while still maintaining a skill ceiling. While counter strafing still exists in Valorant and can provide a small advantage, it's not as essential as it is in CS:GO.

For players transitioning from CS:GO to Valorant, this difference can feel jarring at first. However, it's important to understand that Valorant's gunplay focuses more on ability usage and positioning rather than pure mechanical movement techniques like counter strafing.

My recommendation for players is to practice both methods - letting go of keys and counter strafing - to find what works best in different situations. While counter strafing in Valorant might be slower, it can still provide a slight advantage in certain scenarios, particularly when holding tight angles or during close-range encounters.

Remember that both games are designed with different philosophies in mind, and neither approach is necessarily better - they're just different.

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