Update 10/20/2023: Valve has released an update that adds a startup check for the issue drivers. It'll now begin reversing the VAC bans for players affected by this problem.
Today Valve warned that using a relevant feature included in the latest AMD graphics drivers could result in a ban from Counter-Strike 2.
According to the announcement made on X (formerly Twitter) the new Anti-Lag/+ made available for the game in the latest driver build detours the engine's DLL functions, and that's bad.
Basically, that's considered as tampering with the game's code and will result in a ban from VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat). On top of that, we learn that Valve won't be able to start identifying and reversing unwarranted bans until AMD ships an update to the feature.
Here's the announcement in its entirety.
AMD's latest driver has made their "Anti-Lag/+" feature available for CS2, which is implemented by detouring engine dll functions.
If you are an AMD customer and play CS2, DO NOT ENABLE ANTI-LAG/+; any tampering with CS code will result in a VAC ban. Once AMD ships an update we can do the work of identifying affected users and reversing their ban.
Unfortunately, it looks like those who already incurred Valve's anti-cheat's wrath are out of luck until AMD makes a move.
We will keep an eye out for updates on the issue and will add to this article if anything relevant is shared.
Counter-Strike 2 is currently available as a free-to-play game exclusively for PC via Steam after its release which happened at the end of last month.
The game was surprisingly announced earlier this year as an evolution of the old and glorious Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Valve defines it as "the largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike's history." According to the developer, it will be updated for years to come, and considering the history of its predecessor, that's certainly easy to believe.
