Valve puts in a lot of effort to make sure that Counter-Strike 2 is fair for everyone. However, every now and then, someone manages to figure out an exploit that they can use to get an unfair advantage. Backtracking is one of those exploits. Here’s a complete explanation of what Backtracking is.
Understanding Backtracking In CS2
Backtracking is a technique where gamers exploit lag compensation designed to help make the game fair for high-paying players. So how does it work? We must first understand lag compensation to understand what Backtracking is. Let’s say you are playing CS2 on high ping, above 250ms. Because of that, if you see an enemy and shoot them, the shots might not connect if your opponent goes in cover on their screen.
To fix this, lag compensation looks at your crosshair placement and the positioning of enemies on your screen to determine if you were aiming correctly and if the shots should hit the opponent. In other words, even if an enemy goes in cover on their screen, they’ll get shot if you shoot them on your screen and take damage thanks to lag compensation.
However, players have figured out a way to exploit lag compensation to get an unfair advantage over their opponents. The thing is, there are several ways that you can fake your ping in CS2. If you can get an unrealistically high ping, like over 500ms, the game will think you have a disadvantage and give you lag compensation. You’ll be able to hit enemies even if they hide behind cover.
Conclusion
While Backtracking might seem like a unique way to get an advantage, you should know that it is considered a bannable offense. Plus, the advantage you get isn’t even that huge, so risking your account isn’t worth it. It is also why CS2 players rarely use it to get an advantage.