Valve Removes CS2 Jump-Throw Binds, Bans Snap-Tap Usage

As a seasoned gamer with decades of Counter-Strike under my belt, I must say that Valve’s recent decision to crack down on automation and scripting has left me both relieved and amused. Relieved, because it levels the playing field for those of us who haven’t invested in top-tier hardware with built-in automation features. Amused, because I can finally tell my friends with their fancy Razer keyboards that they’re not any better than me, just richer.


On the night of August 19th, 2024, Valve rolled out an update for Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), and some enthusiasts might have overlooked it. Yet, this update carries significant weight as it eliminates keybinds that involve multiple movement or attack actions simultaneously, such as the popular Jump-Throw action.

In various forms, minor scripting and automation have consistently played a role in Counter-Strike games, and Jump-Throw serves as an excellent illustration. The developers, in fact, enhanced its reliability within the game, without requiring any specific keyboard shortcut.

In the blog post titled “Avoiding Shortcuts,” Valve has articulated their views on automation and certain types of coding quite explicitly. Here, the developer outlines that:

In Counter-Strike, enhancing your coordination and response speed has always been crucial to becoming proficient. However, certain hardware features have made it challenging to distinguish between manual inputs and automation. To maintain fairness and preserve the essence of skill-based gameplay, we’ve decided to establish clear boundaries regarding what is acceptable in Counter-Strike. From now on, we won’t tolerate automation (such as scripting or hardware) that bypasses these fundamental skills. Initially, this rule will be enforced exclusively on Valve Official Servers. Players suspected of using automated multiple actions from a single game input risk being removed from their match.

In simpler terms, if your keyboard has functions like Razer’s Snap Tap Mode for auto-input, you should turn it off to avoid being kicked out of a game. Additionally, keybind combinations that perform multiple actions, such as jump-throws, may not function properly in the game.

To prevent any disruptions during your games, make sure to turn off any input automation features on your keyboard, such as Snap Tap Mode, prior to joining a match.

Lately, certain hardware aspects have made it challenging to distinguish manual input from automation in Counter-Strike, so we’ve chosen to establish a definitive boundary regarding what is and isn’t allowed. More details can be found in our latest blog post titled “Avoiding Unfair Advantage: Skill Boundaries”.

— CS2 (@CounterStrike) August 19, 2024

To get a comprehensive look at the recent updates to CS2, simply click on the text beneath to view the complete technical details.

CS2 Update (20 August) Patch Notes

[ INPUT ]

  • Certain types of movement/shooting input automation such as hardware-assisted counter strafing will now be detected on Valve official servers, resulting in a kick from the match
  • Input binds that include more than one of the following commands will now be ignored by default. Support can be re-enabled using the cheat-protected convar `cl_allow_multi_input_binds 1`
    • sprint, reload, attack, attack2, turnleft, turnright, turnup, turndown, forward, back, left, right, moveup, movedown, klook, use, jump, duck, strafe, zoom, yaw, pitch, forwardback, rightleft
  • The jump-throw confirmation grunt sound can now be heard by other players nearby

[ VacNet ]

  • Initial testing of VacNet 3.0 has begun on a limited set of matches. If you believe your match was incorrectly cancelled, email us the match details at csgoteamfeedback@valvesoftware.com

As someone who has been a dedicated CS2 player for years, I must say that utilizing Snap Tap functionality can indeed provide an edge to players with high-end hardware like a Razer keyboard. However, as a seasoned gamer, I’ve also noticed that this feature automates certain aspects of the gameplay excessively, which takes away from the skill and strategy required in traditional CS2 gameplay. This shift towards automated actions can detract from the overall gaming experience for me and many other players who prefer a more hands-on approach to our games. In my personal opinion, it’s essential to strike a balance between convenience and maintaining the essence of the game that has made CS2 so popular among gamers worldwide.

The change does come just days before the Perfect World Shanghai Major qualifiers begin, however, so it will be interesting to see if there’s any impact.

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2024-08-20 10:13