What is sub-tick in Counter-Strike 2?

Valve upgraded tick rates for the newly announced Counter-Strike 2 by introducing a sub-tick system; here’s an explainer of how it will work in-game.

After weeks of rumors, Valve finally lifted the veil on Counter-Strike 2. Of course, this news brought with it a treasure trove of details about what’s changed between releases.

One such change revolves around Counter-Strike’s tick rate system. Older versions of Counter-Strike evaluated a player’s movement and shooting in “discrete time intervals” otherwise known as ticks.

The time between each tick was nonexistent. But while the game still played responsively, the milliseconds that separated a mouse click and tick could often be the difference between a shot landing or missing the target entirely. Valve opted to improve upon this system for Counter-Strike 2.

What are sub-ticks in Counter-Strike 2?

In announcing the new Counter-Strike title, Valve uploaded a video detailing how the team is “Moving Beyond Tick Rate” with sub-tick updates.

With this change, tick rates between moving and shooting no longer matter since the server can calculate each player’s “precise actions between ticks.”

Simply put, the server now knows the “exact moment you fired your shot, jumped your jump, or peeked your peek.” This should ensure the action in Counter-Strike feels more seamless and responsive than ever before.

Some lucky players are already getting familiar with Counter-Strike 2’s sub-tick updates because of a limited beta test. The testing period kicked off today, March 22, but currently has no known end date.

Those invited to participate were given access based on a series of factors, including their Steam account standing and recent playtime on Valve servers.