Is subtick ruining CS2? These pros think so

rachel Published July 5, 2024

The desync and delay issues are only picking up pace in CS2, and now pro players are blaming subtick for the problems.

Earlier, Valve rolled out a hot fix for rubber banding in CS2, an issue that was causing player models to experience a weird jerk. Now, players are sharing clips of whiffed shots and delayed server response time. Typically, this happens due to high ping, and the evidence shared so far all had telemetry turned off. But now, a notable CS2 pro player has shared proof that this issue is hindering gameplay regardless of ping. Taking to X, Ricky “floppy” Kemery shared an in-game clip comparing CSGO’s 64 tick and CS2 sub tick. At first, the clips seemed almost identical.

However, upon closer inspection, it became evident that there was a significant animation delay between the two clips when slowed down.

CS2 pro shares evidence that subtick may be broken

In CS2, the spark from the AK-47 shot happens slightly after the head bob, which is also delayed. This is a departure from the instant head bob and spark that players have become accustomed to in CSGO over the last decade.

With stable FPS and ping, this comparison leaves very few factors as the potential culprit behind the delay in CS2. According to Floppy, the headshot kill also appears late on the kill feed, which also feels unnatural for seasoned CS players.

This is not just a mechanical issue. It also diminishes the satisfying effect of landing a perfect headshot. Besides that, this small but significant issue is breaking the game at a higher level where every second counts.

Despite the solid video, it’s still tough to say that subtick is the problem since game development is complex. Players can only see the tip of the iceberg. Still, there’s a possibility that floppy is correct since subtick systems track more detailed interactions, which means more data needs to be processed. This can strain both server and client resources, potentially causing delays.

If Valve fails to communicate or tackle this issue, players will persist in creating theories and attributing all issues to the new subtick system.