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"Populous", "Black & White" and beyond? The evolution of the god simulation
by Kim Muntinga
Ex Counter-Strike pro: «Once you’ve fallen in love with that competitive scene, you’ll never get rid of the feeling.»
11.4.2024
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
What does Counter-Strike have in common with tennis? Why are there so many Danish CS professionals? And which map is the best? Swiss ex CS pro Mathieu «Maniac» Quiquerez explains all this and more.
With the launch of Counter-Strike 2, probably the most important update in the series, there was and still is a lot for Mathieu to talk about. I spoke to him about a quarter of a century of Counter-Strike, how Part 2 is being received in the community and whether he sometimes gets itchy fingers to get back on stage himself.
You’ve been playing Counter-Strike since the very beginning. What are your first memories?
How have professional players changed over the years?
I’m a big tennis fan. When you watch a tennis match from 30 years ago, you’ll quickly think: «What are those guys doing?» The level of play was much lower. Counter-Strike has gone through the same process – only faster. When I look at professional games I played in 2015, I ask myself: «What the hell are we doing? How are we aiming? What are we trying to achieve?»
Physicality isn’t the issue. But as you get older, your priorities change and you lose the necessary ambition.
Back then, you were on your own. Today’s pro teams have a completely different infrastructure. How does this affect the game?
Today you have analysts, coaches, nutritionists, sports psychologists, all spending their time helping players stay healthy. Ten years ago, this wasn’t the case. We’ve made massive progress in this respect. The game itself has become more tactical. Decisions are made faster, the game is more complicated and there are finer details in gameplay. Younger players today are achieving things that I would never have thought possible when I was younger.
Like what?
Still, isn’t Counter-Strike essentially the same game it was 24 years ago?
Tactical understanding of the game hasn’t really changed. But the level of play is much higher today. Every player who was active in my time and is still active today has put in an incredible amount of work to keep up with the new generation. Today’s kids have access to better hardware right from the start, from mice to PCs. And they invest an incredible number of hours in the game from an early age.
Another interesting aspect is age. It’s often said that esports are only for the young as the ability to react decreases with age. But many players in professional teams are approaching 30, so age doesn’t appear to be a limiting factor.
It’s less to do with physicality, and more with being willing and able to invest the necessary time. If you’re 16, 17 or 18 years old and you’re lucky enough to get a professional contract, you can probably pump as many hours into the game as you want. When you’re 25 or 30, you often want to devote yourself to other things. Maybe you have a family or you want to lead a more balanced life. That’s when things usually start to get complicated.
When a duel breaks out today, it practically always ends with a headshot.
20 years ago you could win Olympic gold in snowboarding with a 720° backside. Today, that’s not even enough to qualify. Are these differences in Counter-Strike just as stark?
The work that teams do today is at a much higher level than it was in my day. However, the time invested hasn’t changed much. They simply make much better use of it. Everything is optimised, so progress is quicker. My generation figured out the main principles of the game. In doing so, we laid the foundations for future generations to build upon and improve. We were the pioneers. Today you have professional coaching staff that deal with breaking down strategies.
What’s the concrete difference when playing?
The way you move and aim in the game is at a higher level than before. As a result, everything is faster. The game still plays the same, but everything looks and feels faster. When a duel breaks out today, it practically always ends with a headshot. All these small advances increase quality of play.
Can you give a tactical example?
And today?
What are other success factors for a good team? Communication? Spatial awareness? Good reflexes?
Certainly communication, it’s essential in Counter-Strike. You operate in a so-called Fog of War. What you can’t see isn’t displayed on your radar. Good teams are able to pass on information efficiently so that everyone in the team understands it and can make the right assessment. At a higher level, you give each other flashbangs, cover each other or switch positions to support teammates.
How important is team spirit?
Team spirit is definitely undervalued. You see it in all team sports. Basketball, football, ice hockey, whatever. A good team functions even when you lose, knowing how to bounce back in difficult moments. This is also extremely important in Counter-Strike.
Counter-Strike 2 completely messed up the Inferno map
I’ve watched the last few big tournaments. I noticed that many players come from Denmark and Northern Europe. Do you have a guess as to why this is the case?
That region has been producing high-level players for many years. This inspires new generations of fans to watch Danish players win and become professionals themselves. Since Scandinavia had a lot of success a few years ago, I think they can capitalise on that. The entire CIS region, i.e. Russia and Ukraine, produces extremely strong players. Their mentality means they play an incredible amount and have an impressive, almost frightening dedication to the game.
That probably answers my next question. Do you think CS is more interesting to watch today than it was ten years ago?
100 per cent. Ten years ago, I was right in the middle and really enjoyed it. It can hardly be compared with today’s style of play. There are players with different profiles and histories, and there’s also overlapping generations. Professionals from my time are brought together with young players from today. This creates an interesting mix. Counter-Strike is in very good shape and the professional scene is very interesting to follow at the moment.
Let’s talk about Counter-Strike 2. Smoke physics have been completely overhauled. Does it really have as great an influence as Valve repeatedly emphasised?
How did the scene react to Counter-Strike 2? Especially since it replaced Counter-Strike GO.
What are the biggest issues at the moment?
I much prefer everyone changing over together. Even if we have to suffer for a few months until the game is in good condition.
Don’t the pros still play in low resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio? Then requirements should be within reason.
By now, more people have started using 16:9. Some even play in full HD resolution. However, there are still hardcore professional gamers who play with 4:3 and a distorted picture despite a 16:9 monitor. They’ve been doing this for years and aren’t prepared to adapt.
Were you surprised that Counter-Strike GO was replaced? As an outsider, I assumed that it’d stay around like the old versions.
Which is your favourite map to play?
I’d have liked to say Inferno, it was my favourite map for years. But CS2 completely ruined it. It makes me really sad. I hope Inferno will rise from the ashes and become a cool map again. Until that happens, I’d go for Nuke. I really like seeing the map come up, it offers something for everyone. You can play it in a variety of ways, there’s more than one avenue to tackle it.
You played your last professional tournament six years ago. Do you miss it?
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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