Counter-Strike 2 may have a new Valve Anti-Cheat that cancels matches

With the Counter-Strike 2 limited test already underway, files inside the upcoming FPS game point to the possibility of a new form of Valve Anti-Cheat, which potentially borrows a fundamental feature from Riot Games’ multiplayer rival Valorant by immediately cancelling games where cheaters are detected. Ahead of the Counter-Strike 2 release date – which sees CSGO Source 2 receive a full rebranding to CS2 – alongside changes to weapons, skins, and maps, it now seems possible that VAC is being overhauled, also.

We previously reported on all the Counter-Strike 2 changes that we’re expecting come summer, which include new knife skins, reworked smoke mechanics, and of course, maps rebuilt and redesigned using Source 2.

Files connected to the current CS2 limited test now suggest that Valve’s patented anti-cheating software – used in Counter-Strike, Team Fortress 2, and some of the older Call of Duty games – is also undergoing a fundamental change.

Code inside the CS2 limited test makes mention of something called ‘VAC Live,’ and seems to outline two on-screen messages that will appear to Counter-Strike 2 players if a cheater is detected in a game.

The first message simply reads “Cheater Detected,” while the second says “This match has been cancelled by VAC Live.” Discovered and shared by ‘Aquaismissing,’ a full-stack developer and Counter-Strike 2 aficionado, you can see the CS2 code strings below:

Valorant, the Riot Games’ multiplayer shooter and long-time rival to CSGO, features the same system, whereby games are instantly cancelled if Riot Vanguard – the developer’s own anti-cheat software – detects a player using cheats.

As Counter-Strike 2 is still in its limited-test period, it is currently unclear precisely which features will be present in the game’s final release, though an enhanced anti-cheat solution seems like a natural fit for the shooter’s next generation.

Since your items carry over to Counter-Strike 2, take a look at the very best CSGO crosshairs. You’ll also want to push through the CSGO ranks, or maybe try some of the other best free Steam games available now.