The issue of cheating is extremely pertinent in Counter-Strike 2, with matchmaking plagued by cheaters at every level, severely diminishing the gaming experience. In this article, we’ll explore the initial impressions of Overwatch in CS2 and what it entails.
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The Beginning of Overwatch in CS2
On April 26, a significant update for CS2 was released. Dataminers discovered code indicating the introduction of Overwatch and enhancements to the VACNet anti-cheat system. The patch notes mentioned that Overwatch access would be granted only to trusted partners or community members, though the specifics remained unclear.
Over a week passed without any known individual gaining access. New code later revealed that Overwatch was not yet ready for user access. On April 27, a wave of VAC bans occurred, with affected users displaying a global block via Overwatch in the main menu, raising questions about how these bans were issued if Overwatch wasn’t active.
The Surge of Bans
Days after the patch release, numerous users found themselves banned in large numbers during matches. Previously, a player needed to be reported by another live person in the match for a ban, but now, bans were happening automatically in real-time. These bans were from Overwatch but not shown in Steam profiles, leading to much speculation.
Gabe Follower’s investigation revealed that the bans targeted accounts using blatant cheats like aim, bunnyhop, rapid fire, and no spread. Users employing less obvious cheats like wallhack and radarhack were not banned. This suggests that bans were server-side rather than client-side.
The Illusion of Overwatch
The initial wave of bans was likely a test phase. Once developers confirmed there were no false positives, they initiated a more aggressive ban wave. Bans were even issued to accounts where the last game played was before the Overwatch update, indicating the bans were not directly related to Overwatch. Notably, only users playing in Premier mode were banned. The developers might have misled users by mentioning Overwatch in the patch notes, as the hidden bans obscure the full picture.
Requirements for Access to Overwatch in CS2
Currently, Overwatch in CS2 is not available to users and is still being refined. Thus, discussing access requirements is premature. However, we can speculate based on the requirements from CS:GO:
- Minimum of 300 hours played in Counter-Strike
- At least 150 wins in competitive mode
- Rank no lower than Gold Nova I
- Minimal violations
- No VAC bans
Developers are gathering extensive data to train the neural network responsible for VAC Live. Despite this, the fight against cheaters is an ongoing battle requiring multiple systems working in tandem. Implementing such a comprehensive anti-cheat system is challenging, and Valve has substantial work ahead.
Conclusion
While Overwatch in CS2 holds promise for improving the anti-cheat landscape, its full implementation and user access are still in progress. The measures taken so far indicate a concerted effort to address cheating, but the fight is far from over. As the system evolves, players can hope for a fairer and more enjoyable gaming experience in Counter-Strike 2.
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