If you’re into competitive games, there is always the temptation to upgrade your gear. From keyboards to CPUs to monitors, gear can almost always get better and the best players on the scene get the best of the best. However, one of the best Michael ‘Shroud’ Grzesiek says that good hardware doesn’t make a player good despite what some people may think.
Talking to his fans on stream in a video later uploaded to YouTube, Shroud gets asked if gaming hardware is a key factor in making a player good. “I don’t think hardware is a factor in becoming a good player because you can learn so many things without having to upgrade your hardware right? You have a brain, you know what I’m saying? Like you use your brain for these game. You know it’s not all the time about being mechanically gifted right?”
The 25-year old does concede that of course hardware can make a difference but it’s not a core part of the process. “Granted if you have shitty hardware your mechanics might be a little off but that’s not that big of a crutch. Most of these games are all brainpower. You’re processing information faster than another person and you’re executing on it – that’s how it is when you’re playing the game right? So hardware, I don’t think, makes a good player.”
To make his point Shroud goes on to use himself as an example of someone who was late to the game when changing from a 60Hz monitor to a 120Hz monitor. “I used it forever and I still slapped ass,” the player jokes. “Hardware can definitely help you, for sure, it makes the process a little easier but not by much.”
So there you have it. If any of you were in any doubt about if it’s your set up that’s making the biggest difference, it’s likely you have other parts of your gameplay you need to improve upon. On the other hand, who doesn’t want to have a new shiny mouse, you know?
