AMD’s Anti-Lag+ Making a Return After CS2 Debacle
Feb. 15, 2024AMD Anti-Lag+: What Went Wrong
Not too long ago, players who were using AMD’s Anti-Lag+ technology werebannedwhen using the feature in Counter-Strike 2. Moreover, the anti-cheat systems of several multiplayer games, such as Call Of Duty: Warzone, Modern Warfare 2, and Apex Legends, had issues and flagged the player if AMD Anti-Lag+ was enabled.
The anti-cheat software in these gameswould think the user wascheatingif that player used the new Anti-Lag+ feature! Below, you can check out Valve’s earlier CS2 update, which reversed VAC bans on players who were using this. The developer also added a check to notify users if they were running an AMD graphics driver with the Anti-Lag+ feature enabled.
Because of all the horrors, AMD removed Anti-Lag+ from the GPU drivers. Do note that a standard AMD Anti-Lag (non-plus) feature has existed for a long time, and this new Anti-Lag+ feature was introduced as an upgrade. We didn’t know whether or not this feature would even come back. Finally, there is some positive news regarding it.
Today, AMD’sFrank Azor(Chief Architect of Gaming Solutions) has replied to a user’s query on Anti-Lag+. You can check out thepostmade on X (formerly Twitter) below. With his reply, AMD has confirmed thatAnti-Lag+ is coming back soon!
There is a lot of speculation right now about how the new Anti-Lag+ feature will be implemented. Previously, it was a driver-level feature, and that implementation caused issues with anti-cheat software in games, as we previously discussed. If you’re wondering the difference between AMD Anti-Lag and Anti-Lag+, this is what the company states:
“Anti-Lag controls the pace of the CPU work to make sure it doesn’t get too far ahead of the GPU, reducing the amount of CPU work queued up. With AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag+, applying frame alignment within the game code itself, allowing for a better frame syncing which leads to even lower latency and great gaming experiences.”–AMD on Anti-Lag vs Anti-Lag+
AMDcouldrelease the updatedAnti-Lag+in the form of an SDK, similar to Nvidia Reflex. With this, game developers would have to add the feature manually in their games. But if it comes as a driver-level feature again, it will be vital to see whether or not it causes any more issues with anti-cheat software in games.
Apart from this, the company has not mentioned Anti-Lag+ recently, so we don’t know how the updated version will work. There may be a beta driver release for Anti-Lag+ soon enough. This would make it similar to how AFMF stayed inbetauntil its official releasemuch later, in the form of a stableGPU driver update.
Perhaps these anti-cheat systems can whitelist the technology as “not hacks,” and that could work. We will know more soon. For now, all we have is AMD’s confirmation that the feature isfinally coming back.
What are your thoughts on AMD’s Anti-Lag+ technology returning soon? Let us know in the comments below.
Highly passionate about technology. Major expertise in PC hardware, the VR industry, esports-centric gear, and other gadgets. In my spare time, I’m usually researching exciting hardware breakthroughs or playing competitive games.
