Valve cracks down on CS2 input automation & SOCD Snap Tap exploits

Valve has announced that input automation via macros, or hardware modes like Snap Tap, will now be penalized on official servers in Counter-Strike 2.

Counter-strafing has long since been a core part of Counter-Strike’s skill ceiling. The ability to quickly stop and fire at targets enhances aim and reduces recoil: so long as you have nailed the skill itself.

To perform it, you have to quickly tap the opposite strafe key during movement (usually A or D key) to instantly stop yourself in place, rather than sliding to a stop, minimizing momentum and inertia. Mastering this skill is a huge part of competitive Counter-Strike, regarded as a key skill for new players to practice to reach the next level of play.

However, in July 2024, Razer introduced an input mode named “Snap Tap” on the Razer Huntsman V3 keyboard.

This was a response to Wooting’s “Rappy Snappy” mode. The feature has since been replicated in Arbiter Studio’s “Super Tap” mode in their gaming keyboards.

The Counter-Strike community has been in uproar, since the allowance of a Snap Tap mode effectively lowers the skill ceiling, giving hardware a genuine advantage to users.

This led some users without a supported keyboard to use input automation scripts and null binds to replicate Snap Tap’s efficacy in counter-strafing.

Valve clamps down on “input automation”

Valve has announced in a news post on August 19 that these hardware features and community-written scripts will not be permitted on Counter-Strike 2’s official servers. An excerpt reads:

“We are no longer going to allow automation (via scripting or hardware) that circumvent these core skills and, moving forward, (and initially–exclusively on Valve Official Servers) players suspected of automating multiple player actions from a single game input may be kicked from their match.”

The post continues to detail that both null binds and jump-throw binds are among those affected by the ruling. The Counter-Strike 2 developer recommended that keyboard modes like Snap Tap should be disabled before joining a match. However, Counter-Strike 2 players have reported being wrongly kicked for input automation.

Marc Winther, Director of Game Ecosystems in CS2 for ESL commented on the situation in late July: “We do not whitelist or blacklist any piece of equipment and this has been our stance long before the introduction of new features by Wooting, Razer etc.”

Razer & Wooting respond to ban

Razer, the company behind Snap Tap, has told Dexerto in a statement:“We have noted inquiries regarding the Razer Snap Tap feature on our Huntsman V3 Pro line of gaming keyboards. Razer Snap Tap is disabled by default. Users who opt to activate this feature can disable it any time through Razer Synapse or by using a simple hotkey combination, FN + Left Shift.

Razer is committed to innovation that enhances gaming performance while also allowing gamers to comply with the rules of each game.”

Wooting: “it was very clear this shouldn’t be legal”

A Wooting representative shared a detailed statement regarding Valve’s ruling on Snap Tap. SOCD, which was implemented following Snap Tap’s debut. Confusingly, Wooting’s Rappy Snappy is functionally distinct and only measures which key is registered deeper than the other.

Wooting shared in a detailed statement to Dexerto: “We thought of SOCD in the past but right away didn’t want to put it into action because it was very clear this shouldn’t be legal. It just seemed obvious that Snap Tap is the same as a null bind but built into hardware.” 

The company continued to describe how Razer’s Snap Tap initiated an internal dilemma:

“…a lot of professional players use Wooting keyboards primarily for its performance and reliability. If we do not provide them an advantage that is legal in their game, then we are withholding them from reaching the highest potential. We had a poll on Twitter asking our customers if we should add SOCD. And a huge majority asked us to add it.”

Now, Wooting has stated to us that they do not intend to remove SOCD from their keyboards, as it still has functionality in other titles.

“…we are just sad Snap Tap got pushed so hard that CS2 players can’t use jump binds anymore” the company continues.

“But in the end we are happy CS2 is back to a skilled base game again.”

SOCD explained

At the heart of the issue is an input cleaning methodology named SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Direction). With Snap Tap, you could effectively switch the last input pressed to the opposing cardinal direction, while having the opposite button pressed at the same time.

This isn’t the first time SOCD rules have caused a stir, as Capcom cracked down on similar concerns for Capcom Pro Tour events ahead of the release of Street Fighter 6, thanks to the advent of leverless controllers like the Hitbox.

Capcom’s eventual ruling on SOCD cleaning was to determine that hitting two opposing directions, most pertinently, Up and Down, will result in an Up input.

This was handled via hardware firmware updates, which manufacturers scurried to update following the ruling. But, for Counter-Strike 2, the result leaves ramifications for the brands and players that championed the feature.