CS2's Tick Rate & Hit Registration Issues Explored: When Microseconds Decide Lifelong Frustrations

When Valve introduced Counter-Strike 2, one of the biggest selling points was the new subtick server system. The idea was pretty simple. Instead of using a fixed tick rate, we can take every action (shoot, deploy, throw a grenade, and move any of those actions) to the same level and record that as it is happening. This was supposed to make hit registration much more accurate, so that when you clicked, your shot would land exactly as intended.

But in reality, is it serving its actual purpose? It has already been a couple of years since Counter-Strike 2 hit the market, many patches and fixes have been introduced and improved, and changed features, but still, one thing remains constant: a consistent complaint about hit reg and subtick issues. Shots that appear to clearly be hitting targets are errors in missed registration. The problem isn’t just simple complaints on Reddit or different social handles; it’s something professional players and analysts have raised again and again. For a game built on precision, the CS2 tick rate is becoming a serious concern.

CS2 Tick Rate vs CSGO: Understanding What's Changed Regarding Tick Rate

In CS:GO, server tick rate was a known factor. Official servers ran at 64 ticks, while competitive or esports organisers, such as FACEIT, ran at 128 ticks, which helped with hit registration, making it feel more natural for esports players. So, there were rules to follow, and players adapted, even if the system was not perfect.

CS2 subtick system works very differently. Instead of breaking player inputs into fixed time intervals, subtick records each action at the exact moment it happens and then calculates the outcome in between server tick updates. On paper, this should feel smoother and more accurate.

For example, let's say the server gets updated every 15ms, and you registered your click at 5ms. However, it is often used to wait till 15ms to update your click. Subtick mechanism eliminated it as it started recording exact duration when click was registered and and even though the server gets updated every 15ms, it's used to execute what was the outcome at that time.

However, many players are experiencing disconnects due to the CS2 tick rate, specifically in terms of the discrepancy between what they see on their screen and what the server displays. Aiming and firing feel inconsistent, as clean headshots can register as body shots while other bullets seem to completely disappear. The mismatch between the player experience and what gets registered by servers creates hundreds of clips online with instances where the game feels like it just doesn't work on the server-side, causing mounting frustrations across the community. The CS2 vs CSGO tick rate is still regularly discussed among the game's fans. You can learn more it our in-depth Counter-Strike 2 Guide.

Why CS2 Subtick Feels Inconsistent

Here’s the twist: what many players see as a problem isn’t actually a problem at all. A major reason players are frustrated with the CS2 subtick system is the difference between what players see and what the server thinks happened.

On your screen, everything appears clear - you line up your Counter-Strike 2 crosshair on an opponent's head, pull the trigger, and even see the blood effect that indicates a headshot. However, the server sees things differently. The server takes your input, places it on its subtick timeline, and now processes its result based on cause and effect. Due to slightly different interpretations of movement, hitboxes, or timing in CS2's tick rate, the server may have aligned your aim slightly lower and counted the shot as a body shot instead.

Players should understand that this is a classic case of "desync", where the timing of their aim and when the server validates it are not in sync. Counter-Strike is about precision, so a tiny disconnect between what you see and what gets registered can feel game-breaking. The CS2 hit registration issues remain an unresolved problem, as acknowledged by the entire Counter-Strike fraternity.