Valve take stance against Snap Tap-like features, remove jump-throw binds

"We are no longer going to allow automation via scripting or hardware that circumvent core [coordination] skills," the developers said.

Valve have issued a blog post addressing the usage of keyboard hardware features and scripts that allow players to partially automate their movement in-game.

In it, the developers have taken a hard stance against such features, which recently became a hot topic in the community following the release of Snap Tap and SOCD on Razer and Wooting keyboards, respectively.

The two keyboard features, along with a config script equivalent known as 'null binds,' effectively removed the skill of coordinating multiple movement key presses while counter-strafing by prioritizing the latest key press.

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This is against Valve's idea of what is acceptable in Counter-Strike, the statement says, and players using these features will be kicked from their matches on official servers moving forward.

"We've decided to draw a clear line on what is acceptable"

"Developing one's coordination and reaction time has always been key to mastering Counter-Strike. Recently, some hardware features have blurred the line between manual input and automation, so we've decided to draw a clear line on what is or isn't acceptable in Counter-Strike," the statement reads.

"We are no longer going to allow automation (via scripting or hardware) that circumvent these core skills and, moving forward, (and initially--exclusively on Valve Official Servers) players suspected of automating multiple player actions from a single game input may be kicked from their match."

To prevent "accidental infractions," Valve also disabled in-game binds that include "more than one movement and/or attack action." Other than the aforementioned null binds, this also includes various jump-throw binds that have become prevalent in both professional and casual play.

Valve has urged players who have a keyboard with input automation to disable the feature before they play on official servers.

Changes hit two days before Major qualifiers

The hard ban on these aids comes at a crucial time. The qualification process for the Perfect World Shanghai Major begins later this week with online qualifiers taking place all around the world — some as soon as two days following the change.

It is expected to impact professional play substantially, not least because keyboards with these features have quickly become widespread among pro players following their release this summer. With Valve's response also removing step-jump-throws, which allowed various advanced utility to be thrown with absolute precision, there is precious little time for players to adjust to the changes.