Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro Epitácio ‘TACO’ de Melo is looking for changes to be made to the game’s smoke grenades before the prestigious IEM Katowice Major gets underway.
The smokes issue supposedly allows players to create a bind that means they can quickly zoom in on their radar and see opponents on their mini map before they appear in the smoke. Some players will spam the bind as a smoke grenade is fading in a bid to get a radar prompt that shows a nearby enemies location.
While not a cheat, it is a controversial part of the game and one that some fans and players believe is an unfair exploit. Some pros, including MIBR players, want changes to be made ahead of the Katowice Major to prevent the use of the trick.
TACO tweeted the tournament organizers, ESL, asking for changes to be made: “Hey my lovely ESL, I know it must be late but I have two request. 1- Make hats allowed again. 2- Ban this RADAR bind that makes it possible to see our opponents on the radar before the smoke fades. The #2 is really important. I want real CS. #FairPlay”
The Brazilian also added that he has been using the bind to level the playing field: “I have been using this radar bind because I’m tired of getting fucked by idiots crouched in the smokes waiting for it to fade. Make CS fair again!”
I have been using this radar bind because I’m tired of getting fucked by idiots crouched in the smokes waiting for it to fade. Make CS fair again!
— Epitácio (@TACOCS) February 11, 2019
However, not all pros were supportive of TACO’s request – with Fnatic’s Jesper ‘JW’ Wecksell taking an ‘adapt or die’ attitude to the bind, despite not being a fan of it. He replied to his longtime opponent, stating: “I found this zoom bind about one month ago, I heard players were using it so why not, you know adapting?
“I don’t defend it, I’m telling you where the problem is. I have never used anything that is banned from tournaments, Mr. using banned aliases during tournaments ;).”
I found this zoom bind about 1 month ago ish, i heard players were using it so why not, you know adapting? I dont defend it, im telling you where the problem is. I have never used anything that is banned from tournaments, Mr. using banned aliases during tournaments 😉
— Jesper Wecksell (@JW1) February 12, 2019
Not even TACO’s own teammate, Fernando ‘fer’ Alvarenga, believes the radar issue is the biggest problem in the game – with the AUG rifle being at the top of his list.
He responded to Taco, saying: “1 – I don’t give a fuck. 2 – there is AUG still (in-game), so who cares about radar?”
1 – I don’t give a fuck.
2 – there is AUG still, so who cares about radar :shrug:♂️
— Fernando Alvarenga (@fer) February 12, 2019
Not all pros have resorted to using the exploitative bug, though..
Former Tricked Esport and Nordavind player Allan ‘AnJ’ Jensen added that he has refused to cave in: “I’ve been too stubborn to use it myself, which is just stupid because it gives such a big advantage. I want it gone too :(“
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I've been too stubborn to use it myself, which is just stupid because it gives such a big advantage.. I want it gone too 🙁
— Allan Jensen (@AnJcsgo) February 11, 2019
The smokes in CS:GO have been a hot topic for some time. Back in November, following the ECS Season 6 Finals, FaZe Clan’s Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač called out in-game exploits being used with the smokes as Astalis players picked up some jaw-dropping kills through them.
- Read More: Sources: TSM exploring options in CS:GO
The Danish powerhouse squad had been accused of using ‘special Nvidia settings’ to see through smokes but they refuted all the claims against them – with the majority of the CS:GO community, including pros like JW, jumping to their defense.
However, Astralis’ in-game leader, Lukas ‘gla1ve’ Rossander, doesn’t even appear to know about this particular issue, as he questioned what TACO was talking about.
I dont really understand the thing about the radar bind? Is it just the bind to make the radar more zoomed in?
— Lukas Rossander (@gla1ve_csgo) February 12, 2019
Current FaZe Clan coach Janko ‘YNK’ Paunovic was one of the first personalities to jump to the defense of Astralis back in November and he questioned why TACO had asked ESL to make a change to the long-standing bug and not gone to Valve – seeing as ESL are only a tournament organizer.
I don't see how ESL can do this, it's a game thing, it would have to be a fix from the devs and seeing how it has been in the game for forever, doesn't look like that's gonna happen anytime soon.
I suggest you keep practicing it guerreiro, just like the AUG 😀
— Janko Paunovic (@YNk) February 12, 2019
It is unlikely that changes will be made to the current bug, despite the Major being just around the corner and some pro players being so vocal about it becoming increasingly prominent in-game.
UPDATE
As the issue continues to garner more and more attention online, former pro turned analyst Chad ‘SPUNJ’ Burchill has explained exactly how it works in-game.
There are other tweaks with position and size of the hud its self that you can do to make it even bigger. This is why you will see on the face cams pros looking at the top left while standing in or next to smokes in tight choke points.
— Chad Burchill (@SPUNJ) February 12, 2019
We will continue to update this post as the story progresses.