CS2 playable again? Cheater kicks, rating and my 20-hour ban

Many players have the same feeling: CS2 was full of cheaters for a long time, and for a few days they have been removed from ongoing matches more often. I experienced this myself. This post describes my experience and my opinion, not an official statement from Valve.

What I experienced

I have been playing for weeks on different maps against changing opponents. I suspected many of them of cheating, and my rating has therefore dropped sharply. The incident I describe here happened on Dust 2.

Later I met opponents who played much weaker. In the first round I played with the pistol, in the second with the scout, and in this phase I did not die once.

On the Terrorist side there was a moment that many Dust 2 players know: through the wallbang at the double door I could hit opponents who jump up there, and in one round I landed two headshots in quick succession. That can be luck. Even so, I did not die once on the Terrorist side.

After switching to the Counter-Terrorist side the match was aborted. Shortly afterwards a 20-hour ban was on the table.

Why this feels good

I have the feeling again that you can play safely without having cheaters in every match. When people are removed live during a match, that feels good. That players who simply have luck, like me with my two headshots, get caught too is unfortunate. Even so, it shows that Valve is now really doing something about cheaters. From my point of view that is a good and important step.

My impression is that over the last years Valve has mainly focused on more skin sales, and players were rarely listened to. Many stopped in recent months and years because they no longer felt like playing against cheaters. That something finally happens is, for me, the most important sign.

What I take from it

• A conspicuous match is not proof. Strong phases, luck and weak opponents can also happen without cheats. Whoever only looks at the result judges too quickly.
• A ban can hit you even without intent. Whether and how Valve checks is not publicly traceable.
• The rating is not a reliable yardstick. It can swing sharply after individual matches.

What you can do if you get kicked

1. Note when the match was aborted and which players were in it.
2. Save screenshots or recordings if you have them.
3. Read the Steam help notes on bans and support requests.
4. Do not keep playing until the ban has ended.

If you want to know who you are playing with

On our site you can check a Steam account with the player check. The result is an estimate from public data, not proof of cheating.