CSGO grenade update introduces hilarious new way to fake a flash

Alan Bernal
csgo flash bang fake valve update

A new tactic has been unlocked in CSGO that’s letting players ‘clear’ multiple angles using a single Flash Grenade – while not exactly having to pop the utility.

Players are having a ball in CSGO after the Operation Riptide patch update that introduced the ability to drop grenades, similar to how you would with weapons. While there’s split opinions on the latest changes, there’s certainly enough changes to have an immediate impact on gameplay.

That’s what Mythic’s Josiah ‘JoJo’ Jimenez found after testing out a tried-and-true troll tactic against an opponent. Essentially, they did the weapon drop fake that can sometimes fool an AWPer to shoot.

But now that you can drop utility in the same fashion as weapons, it opens up the possibility to force seasoned CSGO players to look away from the Flash – even though there’s no chance it’ll actually pop.

“Use one flash to clear multiple angles is new meta,” JoJo quipped, showing a clip of their gameplay where they dropped the flash in a way that appeared similar to an underhand toss for grenades.

The clip utilized the new drop mechanic to perfection, since the opponent clearly reacted to the fake throw giving JoJo a clear opportunity to exploit.

At this point in Counter-Strike’s community, even lower ranked players know they should at least look away when a cylindrical object jumps across your screen.

csgo flash bang fake valve update
There’s a clever way to fake Flash grenades after the CSGO Operation Riptide update.

JoJo started the motion of dubbing this tactic the ‘NA Flash,’ which would give a new meaning to the long-running meme.

While the new CSGO changes still need to be felt out, there’s plenty of people already planning to experiment with this strat in their own matches.

Valve will surely monitor how the Operation Riptide changes will affect CSGO in the long run, so it’ll be interesting to see if this fake Flash could actually work on a consistent basis.

About The Author

Alan is a former staff writer for Dexerto based in Southern California who covered esports, internet culture, and the broader games/streaming industry. He is a CSUF Alum with a B.A. in Journalism. He's reported on sports medicine, emerging technology, and local community issues. Got a tip or want to talk?