Controversial CSGO spectator glitch that got coaches banned is back

Alan Bernal

The CSGO spectator bug that led to the bans of 37 coaches in September 2020 has resurfaced just months later. It comes after Valve reportedly patched out the issue after the ESIC investigation wrapped up.

37 CS:GO coaches were banned by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) in September 2020 for abusing a spectator bug in-game that gave them more info than was allowed.

Valve promised players that the bug had been patched out. However, with many of the coaches still serving out their suspensions, the bug has cropped up again.

CSGO coach Sergey ‘lmbt’ Bezhanov — who wasn’t banned in the September wave — was surprised to see the glitch reappear in the game.

The clip above is from the coach’s perspective fixed at the top of mid on Mirage. This was an identical angle that was known to be used by some coaches to get information on enemy rotations and the like.

“How the f**k it’s still there?” lmbt asked. “Wasn’t in a coach spot for a while but now I see this?! CSGO I thought it was fixed.”

Many shared lmbt’s confusion, and are speaking out to make Valve aware of the issue, especially since RMR events have resumed in lead up to the Stockholm Major.

PGL CSGO Major
The new CS:GO coaching bug has been uncovered ahead of the Stockholm Major.

 

Unfortunately, despite the September fix, it was believed that more spectator bugs existed in CSGO.

Veteran CSGO referee Michael Slowinski — who also assisted in ESIC’s investigation — explained that more exploits of the same nature could still be in the tactical shooter.

“Unfortunately I think there might be more,” Slowinski told the HLTV Confirmed panel about the bug.

“I think there might be two more different instances that we are looking into right now.”

Despite the promise of a fix, it seems like the CSGO community are still waiting for a meaningful fix to stop this infamous coaching exploit.

While CSGO devs might still have a few loose ends to tie up as far as the spectator exploit is concerned, coaching staff and pros alike who might be tempted have been warned plenty about the severity of using the exploit, and have already seen the consequences that come with using it.

About The Author

Alan is a former staff writer for Dexerto based in Southern California who covered esports, internet culture, and the broader games/streaming industry. He is a CSUF Alum with a B.A. in Journalism. He's reported on sports medicine, emerging technology, and local community issues. Got a tip or want to talk?