Starting with ESL Pro League Season 20, which kicks off on September 3, ESL is banning the use of certain keyboard features, such as Razer's Snap Tap and Wooting's SOCD, in face-to-face competitions.
ESL's decision is important not only because it affects the future of tournaments, but also because it raises questions about how technology is evolving in eSports and where the line should be drawn between what is allowed and what is not. Restrictions on the use of keyboard features can significantly alter how players approach the game, making this decision particularly significant for professional eSports.
Background
Features like Snap Tap and SOCD became a topic of discussion in the cybersports community in the early summer of 2024. These technologies, while making controls easier, began to spark debate about whether or not they were in the spirit of competition. On August 19, Valve, the developers of CS2, released an update banning the use of nullbinds and Snap Tap-like features on official servers.
Bans and their impact on eSports
ESL, following Valve's lead, has decided to ban the use of Snap Tap and SOCD features on their in-person tournaments. The ban will go into effect for ESL Pro League Season 20, which begins on September 3. The organizers said that such features will be allowed at online tournaments for now, but that could change if reliable tools are developed to detect them.
Ahead of #ESLProLeague Season 20, we are announcing that the use of SOCD or similar assistants that produce the same outcome will no longer be allowed.
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) August 29, 2024
For more details, see our blog post: https://t.co/riT9Sfvnex pic.twitter.com/ahzFVjChxZ
BLAST, have also imposed similar bans on their tournaments, including online events. This confirms the seriousness of the problem and the willingness of leading organizers to maintain fair playing conditions. An ESL spokesperson in an interview with HLTV noted that the organization's stance may change as new technologies to detect banned features become available.
Conclusion
The banning of keyboard features such as Snap Tap and SOCD could significantly change the landscape of eSports competition. This decision highlights the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all participants and shows how seriously organizers take the integrity of the game. In the future, eSports is likely to face new challenges related to the development of technology, and such decisions will play a key role in its evolution.
Source: HLTV
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