Is Valve now permanently banning CSGO account boosters?

Steven Rondina Published 03/05/2021

Valve is cracking down on boosting in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

A CSGO player recently took to Reddit to discuss their recent banishment from the game. In a post on the site, they shared a message they received from Valve that suggests a larger crackdown on accounts with manipulated MMR is currently underway.

“The account you are writing in for was identified as having its CSGO Skill Group and/or profile level falsely increased through CSGO matchmaking. We do not support the boosting of CSGO skill groups or profile levels, and as a result the account has been permanently disabled and will not be enabled in the future,” the Valve representative said.

Boosting can be done in a number of different ways, some of which are a violation of Steam’s terms of service. Boosters and boosted players can unravel standard matchmaking for players at all levels, as boosting will typically see high-level players competing beneath their proper level and less-skilled players artificially placed against legitimately talented players.

The possible move to take down boosters in CSGO comes after a similar effort in Dota 2. Valve has been putting a great deal of effort into removing smurfs, account sellers, and boosters from Dota 2 due to the issues this has caused for casual players and the constant drama this has caused within the fandom. These issues haven’t been as prevalent or talked-about in CSGO, but Valve is clearly looking to head them off before they become bigger.

What is boosting in CSGO?

Boosting in CSGO is when players manipulate their in-game ranking, usually in an effort to play at a higher rank than they should. This can be done in a number of different ways.

For a long while, this could be easily done by simply partying up with a friend who is more skilled. Once it became impossible to party with higher-ranked players, it could be done by having a skilled player create a new account. Since then, players have had to largely resort to other means such as account sharing and account purchasing.

Can you get banned for boosting in CSGO?

Yes, players can get banned for boosting in CSGO. Account sharing and account buying are banned as part of the Steam terms of service and players caught doing so can be given a permanent ban.

Though many boosting services promise that there is no danger involved, Valve has improved its methods for detecting violations of the terms of service. As such, bans for both boosters and players getting boosted are likely going to become very common over the coming months and years.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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