Counter-Strike 2 tick rate changes explained

Counter-Strike 2 tick rate changes explained
Images via Valve

Written by 

Harry Boulton

Published 

22nd Mar 2023 17:27

There have been some really exciting Counter-Strike 2 tick rate changes announced that should make your games feel far more reliable. Tick rate has always been a contentious topic in CS:GO, but the new overhaul hopes to address many of the issues that have been plaguing players since its release.

So, if you're wanting the new Counter-Strike 2 tick rate changes explained, then all you need to do is carry on reading the rest of this guide below.

Counter-Strike 2 tick rate changes explained

Counter-Strike 2 tick rate changes explained
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One of the biggest issues players had with CS:GO was the fixed tick rate of 64 on official servers. While you could bump it up to 128 on third-party services like FACEIT and ESEA, it was frustrating if you just wanted to stay within the game's limit.

In short, tick rate determines the number of times the server 'refreshes' within a certain time period, so a higher tick rate value would more accurately track the actions of players in-game. In a game defined by milliseconds like Counter-Strike, tick rate is - as you can imagine - incredibly important.

The trouble with lower tick rates however comes from the fact that there was a chance for actions to be 'lost' if they occurred in-between ticks. When that action could be a game-winning AWP shot or a crucial grenade throw, it ends up being pretty important.

However, in Counter-Strike 2 there is a new sub-tick architecture that supposedly negates the importance of tick rate entirely. Within this sub-tick architecture actions like shooting, moving, and throwing will be tracked independently, ensuring that these actions will always be responsive and land the same way for all players on the server.

This will mean that any grenade lineups that you've learned for Valve official servers will no longer work, but any 128-tick throws you've got stored in your locked will be all good to go.

Harry Boulton
About the author
Harry Boulton
Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.
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