The Secret AMD Feature Causing Mass Bans in Counter-Strike 2 - Players Beware!

Highlights

Valve warns AMD graphics card users playing Counter-Strike 2 on PC to disable the "Anti-Lag+" feature to avoid false VAC bans until a fix is released by AMD.

The "Anti-Lag+" feature is only available on Radeon RX 7000 graphics cards, with the goal of reducing input latency. In contrast, the previous Anti-Lag feature was designed to lower CPU load.

AMD is collaborating with Valve to address the problem, and once the solution is implemented, bans imposed on impacted users will be lifted.

Valve has issued a warning to AMD graphics card users who play Counter-Strike 2 on PC, advising them to disable the "Anti-Lag+" feature until AMD releases a fix. Valve explains that this feature, which is implemented by detouring engine dll functions, may mistakenly trigger a VAC ban for Counter-Strike 2 players who have enabled it. However, Valve assures that once AMD addresses the issue, they will work on lifting the bans for affected users.

In October 2023, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition was updated to version 23.10.1, which introduced support for games like Lords of the Fallen and added Anti-Lag+ support for Counter-Strike 2. AMD states that Anti-Lag+ is an exclusive feature for the Radeon RX 7000 line of graphics cards, including the recently released Radeon RX 7700 XT in September 2023. According to AMD, this technology utilizes frame alignment within a game's code to reduce input latency. In comparison, the older and more widely available Anti-Lag implementation reduces CPU load to decrease input latency, albeit at the expense of a few frames per second in specific scenarios. Users can activate or deactivate both of these settings within AMD Software's graphics panels, either on a per-game basis or system-wide.

However, Counter-Strike 2 players who wish to continue playing must disable Anti-Lag+. This is because the game's code, when accessed by AMD, triggers Valve's Anti-Cheat within Steam, leading to false bans. In response, Valve acknowledged these erroneous flags on social media and is collaborating with AMD to develop a solution. It is worth noting that users of older AMD graphics cards, like the highly-regarded Radeon RX 6700 XT, remain unaffected as Anti-Lag+ is exclusive to the Radeon RX 7000 series.

Once the bans came to light, AMD quietly removed version 23.10.1 from their support page, leaving only the previous version, 23.9.3, available to the public. Users took to social media to criticize both AMD and Valve for allowing this issue to occur and expressed hope that their quality assurance teams would quickly address the problem. Additionally, some users continued to voice their complaints about Valve's decision to replace Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with CS2.

$657 $699 Save $42

The Anti-Lag+ issue should be a concern for Counter-Strike 2 players as both AMD and Valve have not yet resolved it. Despite being among the top choices in 2023, it is crucial to note that AMD and Nvidia graphics cards are currently lacking a fix for this problem. Furthermore, the price for the game is currently set at $657 on Amazon.

Counter-Strike 2 is available now for PC.