Flashbangs Are Going Extinct
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มิ.ย. 2024
- The flashbang is a core part of Counter-Strike, from the memes to some truly incredible plays in both CS:GO and 1.6.
But Counter-Strike 2 changed a lot of things. HE’s are better than ever, but flashbangs may be well and truly dead. Fewer flashbangs are being thrown than just a few months ago and we found a guy with the numbers to prove it.
So, why are pros using flashbangs less? Are flashbangs really gone for good?
Written by: Josh Bury (@ThrownGauntlet)
Shot by: Matt Massey
Edited by: Colten Gowan (@theonlyzoltan)
Hosted by: Dimitri Pascaluta (@DPascaluta) and Colten Gowan (@theonlyzoltan)
Produced by: Niall McCrossan and Jason Durante (@JayJay_Durante)
A big thanks to Mahone (@mahone_tv) and Backpackbrain (backpackbrain.substack.com) for their time and insight!
All footage courtesy: pastebin.com/K8QgUman
Music used under license from Associated Production Music LLC (”APM”).
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Thanks for the interview. If you want to check out more of what I do, I occasionally upload more CS related content on my TH-cam channel here alongside other assorted stuff.
THATS MY GOAT 🗣🗣❗❗❗🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐
A
Good work
Why don’t you break down the drop in FB to awpers and non awpers to explain whether it’s mostly driven by less awp usage?
@@mryizhao I did a previous article talking about how AWP usage had gone down near the start of CS2, and in the article that the video talks about I talk about how flashbangs have become less frequently used per round amongst other changes. It is possible that these two changes are linked, and that would be one valid conjecture you could make, but it would not be possible to prove it, in the same way it is not necessarily easy to prove that people want to take more dry peeks due to "peeker's advantage". Since I did an article about AWPs already I did not want to retrace my steps, but the point stands regardless.
cheaters dont peek with flashbangs
best comment
Sheesh good point lmfao some games the enemy teams literally use no util except lethal HE or incen 😅
lmao true.
iif, still up 4 a coordinated boycott 🤙🏼
Well pros mainly play Face It along with most serious CS players.
Don't worry, for every flash bang not thrown in cs2 they're being thrown straight into my retinas on warzone.
“Blinding Light! Blinding Light! Blinding Light! Magic Missile! Magic Missile! Lake of Fire! Lake of Fire!” *Magic castor in Warzone*
@@dawsonmaclean2038 Arcaic Blast!
One thing that could shed light on this trend is extending the comparisons further back. It was mentioned that flashbang usage dropped when comparing CS2 annd LATE csgo. So how about csgo 2, 3 or 4 years ago or even further back. Has flash usage been dropping consistently through out? Which could indicate teams increasing their efficiency when it comes to flash usage. If you know that your flashes are more accurate and more impactful, you won't need to spam throw them like before or like in lower levels of play. To really know where this trend comes from, you need to look at a wider range of data.
🔥
Wait this is a great analysis
In the first majors you barly so any molotovs.Teams just used smoke+he+2x flashes way more often.
@@Black4Cook tbf thats because mollys were EXTREMELY expensive back then, or teams did gentlemens agreements to not use mollies after the buffs
@@strang7739 they did buy them but only like 3 times in the entire grand final. They got added new to the game and most pros were just not used to them. I think back than cs was less tactical and more run and gun. Today most team buy nade and stuff in the pistol. Back then a lot of teams just rushed with 5 guys on one spot. Today you see the crazy nade lineup duck+walk+jumpthrow. Back than you barly saw any crazy lineup.
I find flashes the most difficult of all the utility. You have all the lineups for smokes and Molly's but flash use seems much more dynamic and has a higher skill ceiling
its a skill issue
@@L33TScizorisn't that exactly what he mentioned in his comment tho?
@@ironrazor7244"It's a skill issue" seems to be the trending phrase that kids currently are unable to refrain from using in every other situation.
Mad cause bad
@@k4karot766 Or losers who do nothing but game and need being better then others at something to feel less empty inside lool.
The judge said I can't flash people anymore 😭
Another aspect that perhaps wasn't mentioned as much: peekers advantage simply means you dont need to flash every angle becuase youre likely to get the kill even if you dry peek.
exactly this. it's so glaring i can't help but feel they were purposely avoiding addressing the topic.
yep, seems like such an obvious potential factor here, would've been interesting to see it dug into a bit
Yea where is the guy that "actually knows what hes talking about" but often times seems to NOT know. All game review companies are too terrified to ever actually criticism games and content for fear of bot getting the free play thrus etc
Colten casually summoning some Brazilians with the Flamengo jersey hahaha! Absolutely loved it 😍 😂
Decoy explosion should clear smokes tho
But way smaller like 20% of normal nade
@@snareplug387260%, otherwise it's not worth waiting half a minute for a decoy to explode a smoke.
@valve
my favourite part of all your guys‘ videos are the bits between dimitri and colton. they're hillarious!
Big love to the guy who knows what hes talking about
Big Love to you too!
@@TheOnlyZoltan Sorry to say this, but I actually notice the ina pic half the time you are on screen 😅
took 15 minutes to explain players (especially from T side) used to buy 1 molly, 1 smoke, 2 flashes most of the time but now they usually buy 1 molly, 1 smoke, 1 he, 1 flash.
the CR Flamengo jersey with that hairstyle is a pretty funny combo. Real Brazilian Oktoberfest vibes
I'm truly an INTERNATIONAL man of mystery.
In mm experience, it was common to see people buy 2 flash 1 smoke and 1 molo/he. While now he seems to be a must so people would instead buy one less flash.
exactly man
Why flash when peeker's advantage is as strong as it is in cs2? Just turn your brain off and wide swing.
lowkey really like the mahone zone, helps out
damn if Austin wasn't goated already his flash clip would've got him there 😂
Flashbangs never fail to make me regret inviting my friends to my lobby
considering there is a lil more peekers advantage even on lan, it makes sense the ts dry peek more but thats just a theory
“A game theory” I would have said if I was cringe
@@asinus1266
You actually made me cringe..Not the OP
I mean the c9-gambit play style might’ve done something because players are now more confident to dry peek, and flashes tend to give away position when they’re thrown so to disguise coverages they can walk up and gamble
Flashbangs never die!❤🩹
Flashbàg dance
"is this the era of dry peaking?" made me laugh
8:00 - wtf a flamengo shirt... it really fitted the character
WHASSUP WITH THAT FLAMENGO JERSEY? XDDD - Shoutout from Brazil
I'm not allowed to flash anymore since the accident.
I feel like the AWP is much less consistent, making it much less likely for people to use it to counter one. I think it feels like I just need it less. I still use them to support my team though, and the results are pretty powerful.
Basing and flashing a smoke in cs has to be up there as top 10 pranks
From 2 flashes each round, I moved to 1flash 1 nade.
I honestly just miss csgo, the crisp feel of it, 128tick, not having cheaters in every game. Used to be golden, turned to sheit.
Now you know how us older guys feel who think CSS was a better game than csgo.
it's still the same game with better graphics. maybe because I play cs like 5 times in a year I don't feel that much of a difference
you'll adjust bro, trust me. Not to mention, it would be really weird if they just made a new game to intentionally kill it. There's some evidence that they are looking for data on cheaters for an AI anticheat.
What 128 tick? No cheaters? It was literally the exact same. Fake nostalgia hits hard. I do miss the extra game modes and some quality of life things tho, idk what Valve has been doing since the released the game lul.
@@ANDR0iDwhat do you mean, fixing the geometry on vertigo is an insanely difficult task do you know know?
13:37 that double kill from Zywoo is disgusting 😂
My first instinct: More peekers advantage + less awping due to shorter halves = less necessity for flashes
8:00 O CARA TA COM A CAMISA DO FLAMENGO BOE! THE GUY IS WEARING THE FLAMENGO SHIRT :O
meeeeeengo
COLTEN É FLAMENGO PRA CARALHO
Framengo ouoouououou
ele é um brasileiro que mora fora sera? ou o time de e-sports do flamengo é tão famoso assim?
it will be very interesting to see if fhere is a significant interactions between awp buy/procession and flashbang purchase/thrown.
In addition to the monetary value of the frag grenade, only being able to hold 4 nades makes you usually have to choose between two flashes or one flash and a nade. If nades are better now, more people will opt for the second option
That's literally all that this is, unfortunately this "analyst" doesn't understand that. People used to ignore grenades unless they had a plan for them, because they were only useful in stacks and lineups, and often didn't get damage. In most situations outside of stacks, you needed an incendiary more than a grenade.
Because you can break smokes now, which is very useful for suprise peeks and essential for stopping ninja plants and defuses, you pretty much always want to have one and their use is much more dynamic. As a result, flashes have seen a small decrease in usage.
we should also be speaking about SMG, especially the MP9. Late CSGO was already showing the impact of SMGs, but the new form that CS2 is played turned them almost into new AUGs/Kriegs.
I mean, sure, you can't scope them and etc., but long-distance accuracy seems to be stronger than ever with these wide peeks and running and gunning that CS2 enabled. I might be wrong, cause I haven't checked statistics, but it feels like players with the AK or the M4 are struggling A LOT when countering players with the MP9.
the flamengo shirt xD
When I rush in with a flashbang, I manage to flash myself, my team and my dog
I 100% did not expect the Flamengo jersey LOL
Nice T-shirt!!! Mengooo ❤❤❤
I'd like to get back into CSGO but I have so many games to play lol, so I appreciate these videos cause it helps me keep up with news and mechanics etc
Awper whiffing + peeker advantage
I think in the normal community I'm part of the few that are holding a certain percentage of having an average of 20-30 Flashes a game (56 is my unintentionally record in regular game of MM)
7:53 Ina?! Is he a takodachi?
I'll never tell 😏
theres a bunch of stickers too on the right side
@@TheOnlyZoltan what vtuber was that on the left? 👀
@@delirium4651 Amatsuka Uto
@@TheOnlyZoltan many thanks
frag smoke and molly line-ups only depend on the enemy team's rough positioning, and are designed to guarantee that utility on that particular spot of the map for a short period of time.
The flashbang directly depends not only on the enemy's position but also where they are looking, exactly where they are with respect to cover, and, most importantly, it also depends A LOT on your own team's exact positioning, and crosshair placement. and the effect of the nade is decided in a single game tick. if you could have accurately predicted where your team and enemy team are standing, and where they are looking, at the exact time the flash bangs, it rewards you with it's delayed effect afterwards. if the enemy is able to look away, but your team gets caught, even though you were in roughly the same places on the map, you could throw the same flash and get VERY different results. like INSTANT round loss different :)) as I'm sure you are well aware
Back in CS 1.6 days I'd do anything for literal "death of flashbangs". In those pug games with no team tactics that CS1.6 was about (pro level not included) they were the worst, maybe worse than riot shield.
My flashes for other people feel like they stay flashed forever but peeking my own flashes doesnt work well
Uto stream in the back 👀
Man I miss her. Hope she's doing well mentally in background.
@michaelantonius321 she's back to streaming 🙏 some great news to start 2024
“Does he really knows what he is talking about?”
(Ina in the corner)
Yes, yes he knows
7:37 This was my initial thought. People only have x slots for nades, and they more often than not pick a HE than having 2x flash.
honestly is for the better.... the times I get full flashed by my teammate is countless. whole team on A site already and some random in ramp decides to throw a flash mid air to exit...
I didn't even know this cause I always buy 2 flashes even on eco🤔
Colton with a brazilian shirt, lets goooo
Nice Flamengo shirt editor
They are not in extinction, I continue to blind myself and my team every round
Frag hit sound for info is more useful, and broken peekers advantage means dry peek is safer.
I see you with that flamengo jersey 😂
then there is me who will flash every round no matter what.
I just realized they have an Ina Poster
I think the HE buff is a huge factor aswell
As a T on csgo I used to prefer buying 2 flashes and no HE while I prefer having one of each on CS2
BELA CAMISA DO FLAMENGO AMIGO EDITOR COLTEN GOWAN!
idk about anyone else but ive been throwing decoys, those prob throw people off more than any other grenade, especially if you have it set for awp/xm shots
Also peakers advantage is nutty now, flashes are less neaded
I don't know man I'm still seeing all of the benefits of flashes. Maybe less, but they still blind me and opponents.
Could also be that in the pro scene they save them for moments when they know someone is around a corner and they want a free flash setup kill. But why waste a flash if you have no info. Therefore less usage. TheScore are so stupid sometimes that they do not think something could have an ez explanation like that.
for me as a "noob" player (around 15k rating). molly to stop rushes or to clear strong camping angles, smoke to delay pushes further after the molly is gone / stop mollys as a t in rushes, nade to clear smokes for vision and doing dmg leaves just one flash open. as long i have money i take one of anything to have the most versatile toolkit.
7:56 É ELE ALI? O MALVADO? MENGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Flash Buff: Faster draw time and faster throw time. Done.
Flashbang plays are just too satisfying to do/see
You can't just have a mustache like that and then have an otherwise completely regular appearance and haircut and clothes
Dry peeling is broken with the peekers advantage don’t need to flash to swing anymore
I’m pretty sure it’s because they removed dust 2 from the pool, thereby removing the easiest usage of flashes, chucking them over long
is that a FLAMENGO REFERENCE?
Cheaters dont need flashbangs, and even disregarding the cheaters, the insane peekers advantage in cs2 is also diminishing the need for flashbangs
If the CS:GO data is from the entire lifespan of the game, then this may be explained by the introduction of the molotov. Molotovs were not commonly used for the first 3-4 years of comp CS:GO. So instead of having the "full spread" of util, players would have 2 flashes instead of just 1. Nowadays, since it's common to have a Molotov as part of util, you'll usually only have 1 flashbang, thus resulting in less usage.
Tl;dr: Comp players are carrying less flashes than in early CS:GO because now they're carrying a Molotov.
Well maps are harder to flash on so... Like the mid section of inferno is completely blocked off
10:32 I am a simple man; I see Austin I hit like
More money on HE nades instead of double flash bangs
Your moustache is nice
Maybe they’ll get more use if they add a dark mode
I flash a lot in CSGO but in CS2 I feel like players are more bold. Everytime I setup for a flash, the enemy is already in the corner killing me right after throwing. Either the are abusing the peekers advantage or cheats lol.
lovin the flamengo shirt man
I think the reason less flashbang are used bnecause earlier people were not used to buying nades...and rather opt for 2X flash, smoke and Moli and now people opt for flash smoke moli and nade reducing the number of flash used...to just one 5 flash per team than 10 that was before
idk i be getting flashed non stop and be throwing flashes almost every round i play lmao so imo i dont think theres a issue
7:54 oh!! A fellow takodachi!!
WAH!
@@theScore_Colten WAH
I think because he blows down smokes basically nobody runs double flash kits anymore which is gonna knock a flash or two a round off
Some point that might affect the downtrend of flash usage
1. Peaker advantage, who need flash when you can just dry swing peek everytime ? this also apply to awp being a bit weird compared to csgo
2. Economy management due to mr12 from mr15, normal person should prio smoke over flash, most of the time. tight money mean less spare money to utility
3. Cheater dont blind and dont need to blind enemies too, why buy flash ? over 20k rating it just cheat fest, cant bother buying it
ok the video actually explain it too, well. it all makes up
I think you forgot to mention the peeker's advantage is now so huge that a lot of people are just dry peeking. Even pros are just holding W and wide peeking most angles nowadays...
oh well, it's not like it blinds the cheaters and/or peek with flashes
Flash-bangs don't kill they delay.
Bad player moment
With peaker’s advantage being as bad as it was before the current update, people felt they didn’t need to use flashes. Also, with the meta shifting, people are still figuring out the best utility and flash lineups are hard to do consistently at this point especially in pugs. Good to note we still see a good amount of flashes in esports.
Open sky boxes mean more opportunities to throw mollies and smokes and smokes mean nades. That means less people running 2 flashes smoke nade. It's not like flashes are any less powerful.
I genuinely chalk it up to HE's blowing smokes. More people are carrying 1 of each nade now where as before you'd see a few people with double flashes, a smoke and a molly.
I have a theory, from my own experience.
I never used to buy HE grenades because they are the most situational utility item, but instead bought 2 flashes every round. Nowadays I buy 1 of every nade.
So statistically I use 50% less flashbangs than I used to.
Its crazy how little content there is that they have to talk about decreased flashes usage...
fix the cheater problem valve
is the mustache guy a narrator for pbs eosn or scishow or something. he sounds so familiar
I think an underrated part of why they are used less is because of you loosing audio to your own pop flashes now I’m cs2, it makes it hard to tell from where someone is shooting from if it’s an off angle when you peek
...can it be because releasing nades is delayed like crazy in cs2 compared to csgo?
everytime i want to jump+flash it takes a a whole second for it to release, it's annoying.
why is Colten with a Flamengo t-shirt?! Who and where did you find one of these in the US bro?
Got it straight from Brazil. Exceptionally comfortable shirt.
i miss playing counterstrike, i havent played cs2 due to pc requirements
Sey guys was busy recently, will start playing and dont worry the flashbang usage will be back to normal once i start