Thour recently sparked a discussion on potential changes to the Overwatch system in Counter-Strike 2. Analyzing newly added strings to the game, Thour suggests that "part of your Counter-Strike work" could imply a shift towards using specially hired personnel to oversee the review of game demos for cheating. This would be a significant change from the current community-driven Overwatch process in Counter-Strike 2, where trusted and experienced players serve as investigators.
In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch allows selected players to review replays of suspected cheaters, deciding their fate in tandem with Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC). Investigators work to determine if a player has violated the game's integrity, leading to potential bans if cheating is confirmed. Access to Overwatch requires maintaining an active competitive rank, which has not changed even as Overwatch was quietly removed from CS:GO in March 2023 without mention in the patch notes.
The proposed new system for Counter-Strike 2 would represent a move towards professionalizing the review process, possibly improving the accuracy and efficiency of cheat detection. However, as of now, no players have been given access to such a patrol duty in CS2, leaving the community curious and somewhat in the dark about the future of cheat prevention in the game. Thour observations suggest that Valve may be considering an overhaul to how game integrity is managed, potentially involving third-party agents rather than solely relying on community members.
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