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Valve is bringing user-reviewed replays back to Counter-Strike to deal with hacking/cheating reports. Players can now head on over to the ‘VACNet Labeling Portal’ and see if their Steam account qualifies for the new CS2 Video Review program. Unlike the Overwatch system we had back in the CS:GO days, the new system is purely browser-based, at least for the time being.
In the previous Overwatch system, reviewers were shown several clips from the same match within the in-game replay viewer to determine whether a player is cheating (or being unsportsmanlike). According to reports so far, the new CS2 Video Review instead only gives you “a 10-15 second segment” of the entire match, suggesting there will be multiple reviewers for each case.
How does CS2 Video Review work?
Unlike Overwatch, which gave trusted players the power to directly affect ‘The Suspect’ (now called ‘The Subject’) by handing out bans or timeouts, the CS2 Video Review instead is all about training Valve’s VACNet models. Screenshots shared online reveal that accused players are not “directly affected” by the reviewer’s verdict, which should help deal with anyone too quick to judge.
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VACNet is an AI-powered anti-cheat system that uses pattern recognition to analyze gameplay and determine suspicious behavior. So, while VACNet may be able to deal with obvious cheaters, such as spinbotters or hilariously overtuned aimbotters, it seems Valve is now turning to players to train its AI model even further to snuff out those better at hiding their cheats.
Source: @aquaismissing on X
A small 42MB update to CS2 last night, which added new references to VACNet, was the first indication Valve was up to some kind of Overwatch-style reporting system. It didn’t take long for invites to start being sent through to players. The exact requirements for joining the program are unknown, but it’s safe to assume it’s reserved for trusted Steam accounts.
In the prior Overwatch system, players required a certain rank (reportedly Gold Nova 1), along with plenty of matchmaking wins, a high Trust Factor, and sufficient playtime and account age to be eligible. All these measures were put in place to deter bot accounts, but they weren’t enough. Overwatch did not carry over to the CS2 release, supposedly due to abuse of the system.