Valve is now keeping a close eye on people using SnapTap in Counter-Strike 2, after an update for the shooter went live today. For those currently trying out the controversial feature in CS2, fear not: Valve isn't handing out bans just yet.
SNAP TAP: Worse than you think.
Today's CS2 update includes several map changes and other miscellaneous bug fixes, as well as a significant change to tagging effects, but interest was piqued after data miner Gabe Follower made a discovery over on X (formerly Twitter). Valve has added a pair of strings to the backend containing SnapTap, specifically "SnapTapStats" and "SnapTapDetection", presumably to begin tracking those who use the keyboard shortcut function.
For those unaware, the CS2 community has been up in arms over SnapTap, a new feature coming to a series of Razer-made keyboards that allows users to perform “flawless counter-strafing” – a technique that otherwise takes time, practice, and know-how. Fellow manufacturer Wooting has also developed a similar technology, and while it has been approved by several tournament organizers, some pros and fans believe the feature should be classified under the external assist category and therefore banned.
Now that Valve has added a way to track and detect Snap Tap, many are concerned that the next step will be to ban players who use the technology, but there is no evidence yet that Valve will go this far. ESL and FACEIT made their stance clear in early August, stating that they would not ban users from using the technology, but the use of null binds (a non-hardware method of replicating the effect of Snap Tap without Razer or Wooting keyboards) remains prohibited.
