Counter-Strike 2 is still missing many features from CSGO, though Valve has been issuing updates and fixes regularly since its release. Sadly, Valve’s servers were overloaded due to the overflow of enthusiastic players to experience the biggest technical leap in Counter-Strike history. One of the sacrifices that had to be made was to disable demos and replays in CS2 so that the servers have more breathing space to absorb all the players playing the game right now. Given that many players are interested in having their demos and replays for various purposes, the question of when they will return to CS2 is raised, and we are here to bring our findings to you.
When Will Valve Enable Demos and Replays in Competitive Matchmaking and Premier CS2?
Valve has “temporarily” disabled demo and replay recording near the end of September 2023 and hasn’t made any statement since. Upon the release of CS2, the record for maximum concurrent players in CS2 has been shattered. It is just above 1.5 million (CSGO’s record to beat is 1.8 million, set back in May 2023).
It is unknown when Valve will re-enable demos and replays for CS2 Premier and Competitive Matchmaking matches. Hopefully, it will be done soon so that we can preserve our highlights from the matches we play.
Why Did Valve Disable Demos and Replays in CS2?
While there are community rumors and theories about Valve “hiding” something by disabling automated demo and replay recording in CS2, the issue could definitely and legitimately be of a technical nature. CS2 is a lot more demanding regarding hardware requirements for the players, and it’s logical to assume that Valve’s servers are more strained than during the CSGO era per player (and server) online. The sub-tick mechanic probably sends more “ticks” from each player than the “good ol'” 64-tick mechanic did, which will put more strain on the server. Everyone vividly remembers that Valve was adamant about not implementing 128-tick servers for Competitive Matchmaking due to technical reasons, so many players were (and still are) jumping to third-party services such as FaceIT and ESEA, which offer 128-tick servers. Hopefully, Valve will introduce more servers in the future. The community relies on them.
If you are new to CS2 and have some CSGO hours under your belt, check out 8 tips for new CS2 players coming from CSGO.
Published: Oct 17, 2023 12:03 pm