S1mple Exposes Smoke Bug Exploit in the CS2 RMRs
Following his elimination from the Perfect World Shanghai Major RMR, Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyljev shared on his Telegram channel important information regarding a bug that let players see through smokes.
CS2 News initially broke down and translated the update as requested by the Ukrainian AWPer on X, with him urging the Counter-Strike community to pay attention to his posts.
S1mple Reveals Smoke Bug Exploit
"So, I woke up today and decided to share something. First off, I don’t know why Valve still hasn’t told anyone, but a day before the start of Group A at the Europe RMR, we sent them an email. It was Magisk who found this bug. You could see players through smokes.”
– s1mple on Telegram
According to s1mple, playing on lower resolutions allowed players to see through smokes. Notably on Nuke through the second and third Secret smokes. Although Valve acted quickly and fixed the bug the next night, it was handled quietly without informing the players which is troubling considering the bug had existed for six months, if not a year.
After reporting the bug to both Valve and Perfect World, the Tournament Organizer informed all participating parties in the RMR via WhatsApp, yet no one asked about the nature of the bug which can only mean that teams might’ve had previous knowledge of the bug.
How the Bug Worked
The PGL Stockholm Major MVP detailed how the bug worked as it’s not consistent and only happens at specific positions and distances. Also, not all players could see through smokes including s1mple who tried but without success.
“On resolutions like 1024 or lower—1280, and even 960—you could sometimes see through smokes. Not always, though. For instance, I personally couldn’t see anything, no matter how much I tried. But other players could, and they sent full clips to Valve. What did Valve do? They rolled out an update within five, six, or maybe ten hours…”
– s1mple on Telegram
“It also depended on distance. For example, when smokes are thrown at Yard—first, second, and third smokes toward Secret—you’d stand by Heaven or under heaven, and you could see models moving through the smokes while they were shifting. The key was that the models had to be shifting through the smokes for you to see them.”
– s1mple on Telegram
S1mple’s concern Over Potential Abuse in Tournaments
s1mple expressed frustration over Valve’s decision not to announce the issue publicly, noting that the bug had existed in the game for some time. He expressed concerns about its possible exploitation during tournaments and urged a review of demos and analysis of situations to identify any potential misuse.
“I just want to understand why Valve didn’t announce it, considering this bug was already in the game, meaning someone could have been using it in tournaments. I’m curious who. To figure this out, we’ll need to download demos and review the situations.”
– s1mple on Telegram
Although the bug doesn’t appear on all maps, Oleksandr mentioned the maps affected by the bug including Dust 2, Anubis, Inferno and Ancient.
Controversy Over Tactical Notes
In addition to the bug, s1mple also touched on a recurring issue involving tactical notes visible during matches, raising concerns about tournament oversight. While watching the G2 Esports vs. Team Spirit game, he noticed a shift-tab menu that Spirit’s Leonid "chopper" Vishnyakov had notes containing tactical information. This discovery reminded s1mple of a previous instance he reported during Group A matches, where he observed a similar situation involving another team.
At the time, Perfect World admins responded to his report, confirming that such notes were prohibited as they required internet access. Despite assuring S1mple they would address the issue, no official statement or announcement followed.
S1mple expressed frustration that the problem persists, as he again encountered tactical notes, this time linked to chopper. While he clarified he had nothing against the player, he questioned why the issue remained unresolved over a week later, suggesting a lack of effective action or transparency from tournament officials.
"I'm currently watching the G2 vs Spirit game, and at halftime, I saw a shift-tab, clicked on Chopper, and noticed he had notes. You know, notes with tactical rounds. When I first mentioned these notes about a certain team, 20-30 minutes later, the Perfect World admins came to us and asked, “Where did you see this?”
– s1mple on Telegram
“From what I can see, the notes are still there. This time it was only with one player, Chopper. I’ve got nothing against Lenya, but I’m just curious how this keeps happening. You’re told one thing by the admins, and then, a week and a half later, when a new group starts—and by the way, we hadn’t even started Group A at that point—it happens again"
– s1mple on Telegram
These issues—the smoke exploit, the tactical notes controversy alongwith yesterday's last-minute decision to change a ruling for EU RMR B—paint a troubling picture of inconsistent oversight in a tournament as prestigious as the Counter-Strike major. With none of these incidents publicly disclosed by Perfect World or Valve, the competitive integrity of the Major remains under scrutiny, raising questions about transparency and fairness in the management of CS2's biggest event.
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