Dataminer Gabe Follower reported that Valve developers are actively testing the new VAC 3.0 anti-cheat for Counter-Strike 2. According to him, the system has been undergoing internal testing for several months, and its full-fledged launch may occur soon.
We attached his YouTube video for you to see (you can use English subtitles).
Valve has been testing the operation of VacNet since August 2024. According to Gabe Follower, the developers have been periodically enabling different anti-cheat elements to test their functions for random periods and not giving much information to cheat creators.
The developers have been regularly turning different anti-cheat modules on and off. It could last for a week or a few hours. The duration [of anti-cheat tests] was random, likely to confuse the cheat coders. <…> Last month, they enabled all the modules at once. According to my information, the results of their work were highly positive.
As soon as a user enables any [cheat] function for one round, the VACnet bot joins the server and checks the following actions. The bot joins the client side, too, as affected users have an intense lag and FPS loss at this moment. If the player continues to act suspiciously, he gets kicked from a server and receives a 24-hour ban, significantly decreasing the Trust Factor. When such a player continues to play, he competes in a pool with other cheaters.
– Maxim “Gabe Follower” Poletayev
Exactly when VacNet 3.0 will be released is not yet known. The gaming community eagerly awaits the official announcement, as VAC 3.0 could become a powerful tool in the fight against cheaters who spoil the fun of the game. If the rumors are confirmed, the coming week could be essential for all Counter-Strike 2 fans.
