Latest news with #CS2
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is dima_wallhacks? CS2 streamer gets hit by Valve Anti-Cheat mid-Twitch stream; match canceled live
(Image via @dima_wallhacks) The Counter-Strike 2 world got its latest viral moment when Twitch streamer dima_wallhacks was flagged by Valve's Anti-Cheat (VAC) system, live during a match. Viewers tuned in expecting another long grind to the top rank. What they got instead? A live ban alert, a confused streamer, and a whole lot of internet chatter. Valve drops the banhammer mid-match as dima celebrates round win On the evening of July 20, 2025, CS2 content creator dima_wallhacks was deep into a Twitch broadcast, chasing a rank-up as usual with a squad of teammates. The match was flowing smoothly. His team had just snagged a round win. The vibes? Immaculate. But just seconds later, everything froze, and a full-screen pop-up appeared: 'VAC has detected irregular gameplay and has canceled the match. The player who was flagged by VAC and their party have received a cooldown.' It wasn't just dramatic. It was visible to every single person watching live. Was it dima or the teammate? Twitch chat explodes in confusion Immediately, chat went wild. Viewers clipped the moment, and X lit up. Dima himself seemed stunned. On stream, you could hear him reacting in real time: 'You got VAC live?! Nah, bro… Cheap a** hacks, or what?! He got flagged for that ?!' Though dima_wallhacks wasn't the one cheating, the VAC system reportedly flagged one of his teammates. Because they were in a party queue, the entire squad was hit with a 24-hour cooldown from competitive matchmaking. Who is dima_wallhacks, and why is this such a big deal? If you're new to the scene: dima_wallhacks is a known name in the CS2 streaming community, formerly grinding Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and now fully pivoted to Valve's newest iteration. His streams often run marathon-style, six hours or more, where he tackles rank challenges, solo queues, and community dares. dima_wallhacks got a VAC Live on his first Premier game today because one of his teammates were chea His broadcasts are filled with chaotic energy, high kill counts, and a fair bit of tilt. So when VAC interrupted his climb live, the irony wasn't lost on anyone, especially with a name like dima_wallhacks. VAC'd on stream: How the internet reacted By the next morning, 'VAC Live' was trending in CS2 circles. Dima's clip was posted with captions like 'caught 4K,' 'name checks out,' and 'cheaters never prosper, unless they stream.' Some defended the streamer, saying he's just guilty by association, while others argued that streamers need to vet their squads more carefully. As for Dima? He promised he'd be 'back tomorrow' after the cooldown ends, hopefully with less irregular gameplay this time. What's next? For now, dima_wallhacks will have to sit out a day from CS2 matchmaking, or at least competitive mode. Whether he'll use the time to meme it up or investigate which of his teammates tripped the VAC wire remains to be seen. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
CS2 Premier Season 3: Everything you need to know
Premier Season 2 has officially come to an end, with the upcoming CS2 Premier Season 3 being announced by the developers through the game's social media handles. At the time of writing, the Premier game mode has been disabled, with several changes expected to be made when it goes back live. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With the release of CS2 Premier Season 3, there are several new things expected in the game's community, including new map pools, anti-cheat updates, and more. Alongside that, the ratings will also get reset, requiring players to start the grind again. Changes in CS2 Premier Season 3 CS2 Premier Season 3 will lead to the arrival of a brand-new competitive season, succeeding the previous Season 2. As always, the competitive ratings will receive a reset, and you will subsequently have to win 10 placement matches to find out your Premier Rating in CS2. Based on your performance, you can expect the rating to either increase or drop by a few hundred points. If you managed to play and win at least 25 matches in Premier Season 2, you will be awarded the Premier Season 2 model upon the release of the new season. For the same, you must ensure that your competitive skill rating is visible and hasn't gone away due to inactivity. Speaking of the maps, it is widely anticipated within the CS2 community that there could be possible changes made to the Active Duty Map Pool. As of now, the map pool features the following maps: Dust 2 Ancient Anubis Train Inferno Mirage Nuke There are chances that one of these maps gets replaced by other popular maps like Cobblestone, Overpass, or even Cache, which has particularly received a brand-new overhaul in CS2. Additionally, Valve has also acquired the rights to Cache from the creator, increasing the chances of the map's return very soon. Finally, there has been news regarding Valve improving CS2's anti-cheat and rolling out VACnet 3.0, which has been in development for a while now. Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, it is a much-needed change, given that CS2 Premier matches often get infested with cheaters. With VACnet 3.0 potentially rolling out, it will make it a lot better for regular players, who have been demanding a cheater-free experience. This is all you need to know about CS2 Premier Season 3, and it will soon be made available inside the game in the coming days.
Miami Herald
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
jL Explains Why He Stepped Down From The Natus Vincere CS2 Roster
It is not often that Counter-Strike players of high caliber step back from the spotlight so early. This time, jL of Natus Vincere is taking a break from the active roster and giving the spot to a promising youngster from NaVi's junior team, makazze. Justinas "jL" Lekavičius is a 25-year-old CS2 player known for his rifling skill, which led his team to multiple Tier 1 tournament wins, including a Major title. He had a fantastic run with NaVi throughout 2023-2024, but ultimately fell short of achieving good placements throughout the first half of 2025. After the announcement of the new roster, jL explained in a YouTube video why he chose to do so, stating multiple factors. He expressed that his move towards the bench was a mutual agreement between him and NaVi. His primary reasons include dissatisfaction with his performance, the lack of breaks in between tournaments, and personal responsibilities to his family. He also planned to take only a limited break and seeks to return to professional Counter-Strike after around six months. The new Natus Vincere roster for the next season includes Valerij "b1t" Vakhovsjkyj, Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen, Mihai "iM" Ivan, Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov, and Drin "makazze" Shaqiri. Stay tuned to GameDaily for more Counter-Strike news and updates. Copyright The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Saudi Gazette
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
BLAST responds to BESTIA Visa controversy ahead of CS2 Austin major
THE ES TIMES — Tournament organizer BLAST has responded to mounting criticism regarding its recent decision to replace BESTIA with Legacy Esports for the upcoming Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Major in Austin, Texas. The controversy erupted after the Argentinian team was disqualified due to unresolved visa issues for two of its players. As the story unfolded, I followed the matter closely and was surprised by how quickly tensions escalated. Missed Deadline and Valve Approval According to an official statement from BLAST published via Esports Insider, BESTIA failed to meet the May 21st visa confirmation deadline. The organizer explained that the deadline was 5:00 PM CEST, but at that time, players Martín 'tomaszin' Corna and Luciano 'luchov' Herrera did not yet have valid visas. BLAST added that the decision to exclude BESTIA and replace them had been confirmed by Valve. As expected, this decision did not please fans and some community members. BESTIA Responds Online Immediately after the replacement was announced, BESTIA responded strongly on social media. The team insisted that its players would have visas before the start of the first stage of the tournament on June 3. In a subsequent post, BESTIA accused BLAST of ignoring communication and confirmed that all required documentation had been completed. This stance received widespread support. One of the most prominent supporters was Ilya 'M0NESY' Osipov, a well-known CS2 star, who publicly questioned the validity of the decision. Legacy to Participate in Austin Despite the public outcry, BLAST stood by its decision. It confirmed that Legacy Esports will officially replace BESTIA. Legacy is scheduled to face Chinese team Lynn Vision in the opening round. So far, BLAST has shown no intention of reversing its decision. Its position appears clear: only confirmed visas count toward scheduled interviews or goodwill. BLAST clarifies timeline In its statement, BLAST said it remained in contact with BESTIA throughout the visa process. A representative stated, "We provided numerous follow-ups, support, and updated invitation letters." He added that, as of the May 21 deadline, the required visas had not yet been issued. According to the organizer, BESTIA informed the organizer at 1:20 PM CEST that visas could be obtained by May 26 or 27, following emergency interviews scheduled for May 22 and 23. However, BLAST responded that these were merely interview dates, not confirmed visas. Therefore, the team does not meet the tournament requirements. What's next? Interestingly, BESTIA CEO Alejandro 'PapoMC' Lococo hinted at new developments. He announced on social media that "very important information" would be released on May 22. While the outcome may not change for Austin, the full story is still emerging. I will continue to follow BESTIA's next revelations. Meanwhile, the debate within the community continues as to whether the decision was fair - or hasty. Mehdi Belhamra – Esports and Gaming writer
Saudi Gazette
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
StarLadder brings CS2 Major to Budapest in 2025
The ES Times — StarLadder is making a major comeback. The tournament organizer has officially announced that it will host the second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2025 in Budapest, Hungary — marking a significant milestone since its last Major in 2019. For those closely following the CS competitive scene, this is a bold and exciting move. Event dates and venues The Budapest Major is set to take place from November 24 to December 14, 2025. In a break from tradition, StarLadder plans to open its doors to fans from the very beginning of the tournament. Opening matches will be held at the MTK Sportpark, a venue with a 2,000-fan capacity. This shift from typically closed early-stage matches is expected to inject fresh energy and live audience atmosphere from day one. The event will then transition to the MVM Dome — a 20,000-seat arena — where the championship will be decided. A vision from StarLadder leadership Roma Romantsov, CEO of StarLadder, shared his ambitions for the Budapest Major: 'Hosting another Major is a great honor, and we are determined to make it unforgettable.' He also emphasized the importance of the host city: 'Budapest provides us with the perfect stage to push the boundaries of what a live CS2 event can look and feel like.' StarLadder is clearly aiming to make a lasting impression. Legacy and new ownership This marks StarLadder's return to Major hosting since 2019, when it delivered a standout tournament won by Astralis — a moment still remembered by fans worldwide. Now operating under NODWIN Gaming, which acquired the company for $5.5 million (SR20,625,000) in January 2025, StarLadder is poised for a renewed presence at the top of the CS2 scene. Format, prizes, and tickets The Budapest Major will follow the new CS2 Major format, with 32 teams competing for a $1.25 million prize pool (SR4,687,500). The largest share will go to the winning team. Tickets are already on sale. Group stages and playoffs will run from November 24 to December 7, with the finals scheduled from December 11 to 14. If you're planning to attend, act quickly — this is shaping up to be one of the year's most anticipated Counter-Strike events. Sami Belhamra – Esports and Gaming Writer
