The topic of sub-tick in CS2 has suddenly returned to the center of attention after comments from Freakazoid, who retold a conversation with Valens. According to his version, Valens personally visited Valve’s office, spoke with the developers, and heard from them that the company fully understands that the current state of sub-tick is not working as well as it should.
The loudest part of this statement is the claim that 128 tick is supposedly also “on the table,” meaning it is among the options being discussed. But there is a key clarification here: this is not an official Valve announcement, but a retelling passed through the chain Valens → Freakazoid → the public. And Freakazoid himself directly admitted that this is not 100 percent confirmed information, but rather what was relayed to him.
What exactly Freakazoid said
The essence of his statement comes down to several important points. First, Valve supposedly understand how bad sub-tick looks right now and are trying to find a working solution. Second, according to him, the company could not make major changes during the Major, which sounds logical from the standpoint of tournament stability.
Then comes the most interesting part. Freakazoid said that changes are expected to come later, and among the possible directions he mentioned a different kind of animation update, an animgraph update, or even 128 tick. It was this last point that exploded in the community, because it is one of the oldest and most painful topics in Counter-Strike dating back to the CS era.
Why this topic is so big in the first place
The problem is that sub-tick was presented as a technological step forward that was supposed to make the game more precise regardless of classic tickrate. But a large part of the scene — from regular players to professionals — never stopped feeling that in real matches the system creates strange sensations in shooting, hit registration, and the overall feel of the game.
That is exactly why any hint that Valve themselves also see the problem instantly becomes a major news point. If earlier the discussion often looked like a conflict between players and developers, now for the first time the claim has been voiced this loudly that the developers themselves supposedly admit that the current implementation is not producing the desired result.
128 tick is not news yet, only a possible scenario
The most important thing here is not to twist the emphasis. Freakazoid’s words do not imply that Valve have already decided to bring back or introduce 128 tick as an official standard. The only thing they imply is something else: according to him, that option is being discussed.
That is a very big difference. Discussing a possibility and approving it are not the same thing. Moreover, Freakazoid himself phrased this part carefully and emphasized that he is not giving a 100 percent guarantee. So right now, the correct way to read this story is not “Valve are bringing back 128 tick,” but rather “Valve may already be seriously discussing more radical technical options.”
Why nothing was changed during the Major
Another interesting part is the claim that major changes were intentionally avoided during the Major. This is one of those details that sounds the most plausible even within the limits of an unofficial story.
The Major is the scene’s biggest tournament product, and any serious patch during it could turn into a disaster. If Valve really believe the system needs significant refinement, then it would make more sense to postpone risky changes until after the biggest championship is over rather than disrupt the environment at the most sensitive point of the season.
What this means for the scene right now
In practice, this statement means one thing: the discussion around sub-tick is still far from over. More than that, if Freakazoid’s words are even partially accurate, then it means there is no sense inside Valve either that the problem has already been solved.
For the pro scene, this is an important signal. Not because a 128-tick patch will necessarily arrive tomorrow, but because the very direction of the conversation has shifted. If before, part of the community felt like its criticism was simply being ignored, now at least an indirect signal has appeared: the issue is alive, it is being discussed, and none of the possible scenarios looks completely closed.
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The main weak point of this story
At the same time, it should not be forgotten that the whole story is built on an indirect retelling. There is no statement from Valve, no direct comment from the developers themselves, and not even a public message from Valens confirming all the details in this exact wording.
So the most honest frame for this news is this: it is a strong and telling signal, but not an official confirmation of a future update. And that is exactly how this information should be read. It matters not as final truth, but as an indicator that even behind the scenes the problem may be taken more seriously than it seemed before.
