When superfans of players emulate their favorites, sometimes they can take it too far. These interactions can range from actively harmful, like real impersonation, to merely annoying, like changing your Steam name to your favorite player’s gamertag.
CS2’s leaderboard is currently jumbled up with massive amounts of players with the name “s1mple”, leading Reddit users and fans to ask Valve to add verified professional player tags. It would be a decidedly minor change, but a good one overall for the health of the leaderboard. Plus, it could further emphasize the importance of the esport to Counter-Strike culture.
In CS:GO, FACEIT had a verification system for streamers and professional players so no one could simply change their name and grief games under a pseudonym. The system protected the integrity of the public figures in the server and gave way to some cool moments for ordinary players who got matchmade into games with pros.
Currently, Counter-Strike players are bemoaning the lack of CS2 functions that were available in Global Offensive. Popular casual game modes like Valve-official retakes, Arms Race, and Danger Zone are currently not available, nor are classic maps like Cobblestone and Train. While CS2 definitely has a lack of content available in-game compared to GO, its foundation will be solid for years to come. The game needs work and there are bugs to be ironed out, but it’s nowhere near how broken Global Offensive was at launch.
Ultimately, all of the major pain points with the new game should be rectified over time by Valve. The developer seems more interested than ever in its flagship first-person shooter and is taking steps to make the in-game experience, and esport, better than ever. It’s going to be difficult for the mercurial temperament of the average gamer, but with some patience, Counter-Strike will once again reign as the king of the first-person shooter.
It’s unclear, however, if Valve will listen to the player base and add verified pro player tags to the Premier leaderboard anytime soon.
