The ESL has announced a complete ban on Snap Tap, SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions), and other keyboard automation features from its Pro Tour tournaments, which is a huge step forward for Counter-Strike 2 fans and professional players. This audacious action is being taken just in time for the ESL Pro League (EPL), which will take place from September 3–22, 2024. The move follows in keeping with Valve’s earlier stance, since the ESL now wants to make sure that no automation affects player skill in its competitions.
Snap Tap and SOCD are features that simplify movement in games like CS2. Typically, to change direction in games, players must release one key before pressing the other. This is part of a technique known as counter-strafing, a crucial skill in first-person shooters. However, with Snap Tap, players can hold down one key while tapping the opposite key to switch directions instantly. This gives them an edge in movement precision, eliminating the need to master these mechanics manually.
ESL and Valve argue that Snap Tap and similar tools bypass core player skills, creating an unfair advantage. Counter-strafing, for example, becomes significantly easier with Snap Tap, making it unnecessary to learn movement timing. ESL stated that they want to prevent any form of automation, whether through software or hardware, from giving players an advantage that would otherwise require skill to achieve.
Alongside Snap Tap, other tools like Rappy Snappy that offer movement automation are also prohibited. The decision has sparked mixed reactions from the CS2 community. While many players welcome the return to skill-based gameplay, some feel that restricting innovative tools may limit the evolution of competitive strategies.
Whether this ban will stand the test of time or face resistance from certain sectors of the community remains to be seen. However, for now, ESL’s decision has set a clear precedent: automation has no place in the highest levels of professional play.
