Valve Draws the Ire of the Community Over the New Tick Rate System in CS2

CS2 is not getting away from the community scrutiny anytime soon. The much-awaited sequel to one of the most celebrated FPS classics Counter Strike: Global Offensive finally released on September 27, 2023. Amidst all the speculations surrounding the upgrades Valve planned to offer with CS2, the title came with plenty of surprising innovations. But all these new additions haven’t been received the way the developers would’ve hoped.

Among all the new features that have sparked discussions on social media, the sub-tick system has been a highlight. While CS: GO operated on a 64 Hz initially, CS2 introduced a new format of sub-tick system to enhance the immersive experience of FPS lovers. However, the strategy might have just worked opposite to the plans, as the system has been facing massive criticism for its poor implementation. 

The server tick rate and its significance in a game

For an ideal gaming experience, fans have a long list of checklists that need to be ticked. Among all these requirements, a decent server tick rate is a necessary ask. Keeping this popular demand in plans, Valve envisioned a new set of formats in CS2 called the sub-tick system. It aimed to enhance the smoothness and precision of the FPS gameplay. 

What is tick-rate? 

A tick rate in any game refers to the server’s response time to a player’s update. Basically, the frequency at which a title’s server calculates the updates made in the game. Therefore, the higher the tick rate is, the smoother the gameplay feels like. A higher tick rate means less time for lags and quicker movements. 

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The popular label CS: GO had a tick-rate of 64 Hz. Moreover, for some third-party servers like FACEIT, the tick rate went up to 128 Hz. But when Valve emphasized the revolutionary sub-tick feature in CS2 that allegedly took the server calculation time to the bare minimum, it convinced fans of an ultimate experience. 

The criticism around CS2 sub-tick system

The first few days post the CS2 launch haven’t looked good for the sub-tick system. Most gaming fans from all around the world have rather criticized the feature for being inferior to the CS: GO frequency. 

Popular CS Streamer and YouTuber, known as TheWarOwl, stated, “128 tick is officially dead, CS2 has forced 64 tick consistency. I think it’s better to let the community run servers how we want to. If their new subtick technology makes 128 tick superfluous, let us see that for ourselves through comparison.”

The fans have called out the gameplay for being less responsive in movements and combat besides the branding of the subtick system. “CS2 is fantastic, just need to work on tickrate , shot registration , anti cheat , optimisation , MM & Premier rankings, broken spray control , peekers advantage, colour correction , console commands & the way skins look,”  a player expressed his thoughts on X. 

Another user felt the tick system needed to be addressed. They wrote, “ngl if they fix the tickrate a lot of things will be fixed because of it.”

However, there are still a lot of gamers who feel the innovations cannot be called off in such an early phase after its launch. It will be interesting to see how CS2 builds on the legacy of Global Offensive further. 

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