The anti-cheat problem is very relevant in Counter-Strike 2. Matchmaking is literally swarming with cheaters at all levels, making the gaming experience simply dreadful. In this article, we will discuss the first impression of Overwatch in CS2.
Where It All Started
On the night of April 26, the first update for CS2 in a long time was released. In it, dataminers discovered lines of code indicating the addition of Overwatch and improvements to the VACNet anti-cheat system. Furthermore, in the patch notes, developers stated that access to Overwatch would only be given to trusted partners or community members. A rather vague statement.
More than a week has passed, and still, not a single person with access has been identified. Later, new lines of code were discovered indicating that Overwatch was not yet ready and could not be accessible to users. On April 27, a small wave of VAC bans occurred. Those who were banned had a global block displayed through Overwatch in the main menu. The question remains open: how did people receive a ban from Overwatch if it hasn't been activated yet?
The Meat Grinder
Several days after the patch was released, entire lobbies of users began to be banned. In a matter of seconds, it could ban 7, 8, 9, or even all 10 accounts in one match. Previously, a report from a live person in the same match was required for a player to be banned, but now it happens automatically in real time. All such users have bans from Overwatch, which are not displayed in the Steam profile. So what's happening?
Through investigation, Gabe Follower found that the bans were not related to specific cheats. Only accounts that used "rage" functions were banned: aim, bunnyhop, rapid fire, and no spread. Players who used less obvious cheats (wallhack, radarhack) did not get banned. Thus, it can be concluded that the ban occurs from the server side, not the game client.
Fake Overwatch
The first wave of bans was likely a test, and having ensured that there were no false blocks, the developers unleashed the lawnmower at full power. Bans were issued even to those accounts where the last games were played before the Overwatch update. So it's not related to it. Another known fact: only those users who played in Premier mode were banned. Probably, the developers simply threw smoke and mirrors by adding a line about Overwatch in the patch notes. Hidden bans do not reveal the whole picture of what's happening, so one has to rely only on conjecture.
Requirements for Access to Overwatch in CS2
At the moment, Overwatch in CS2 is unavailable to users and clearly is in the process of being refined. So it's premature to talk about access requirements yet. However, we can recall the access requirements in CS:GO, as they will probably be similar:
- Have a minimum of 300 hours played in Counter-Strike
- 150 wins in competitive mode
- Rank no lower than Gold Nova I
- Minimum violations
- No VAC bans
Developers are actively gathering as much data as possible to train the neural network responsible for VAC Live. Despite this, it's too early to rejoice. Fighting cheaters is a game of cat and mouse. The fight must be comprehensive: dozens of systems must be involved, working in parallel or collaboratively. It's not so easy to implement. Valve has a lot of work ahead.
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