Making fake CSGO cheats that sabotage would-be cheaters is an amazing idea

The war between cheaters and anti-cheat technology might be endless, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun with it. I'm delighted to learn about the work of "ScriptKid", a fella who releases fake cheats that actually sabotage games for would-be cheaters. Wrong'uns go to Google looking for free cheats, find the fake cheat site he's set up, download and run his fake cheats, then... find they're forced to jump off buildings to their death in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, or their movement keys screw up, or their gun stops working, or worse. He uploads videos of would-be cheaters getting pranked, and it's quite cathartic to watch.

ScriptKid detailed the latest version of his CS:GO "bait software" in a new video earlier this month. He explains he set up a fake cheat website, bought Google ads so people searching for free CS cheats were sent his way, then let people's desire to cheat be their undoing. While it's presented as a cheat, with options for aimbots and wallhacks and that, in reality it makes players vulnerable to his pranks when they try to cheat in matchmaking.

Maybe the 'cheat' would stop them from opening doors, instead playing a knocking sound. Or it might trigger when they throw a grenade, aiming it at their feet and forcing them to stand still for several seconds. Or someone with an AWP or Scout will find the gun makes a fake bang without actually firing. It even has parts of maps rigged with "tripwire punishments", sometimes making the would-be cheater move extremely slowly or in random directions when they enter a bomb site. Or the "mind control" punishment takes over entirely for a few seconds, maybe throwing their gun to a place they can't reach or even forcing them to jump off the roof in the map De_Vertigo - with a flashbang effect to mask what just happened. And afterwards, it sends the match's demo replay file to ScriptKid to watch and make videos:

I do like how confused people look when they come out of mind control.

I honestly don't know if it's real. I suppose it could be false. God, I hope not. I'll not go Googling for free CS cheats and randomly installing things in the hope I stumble across it - I bet many of them are far more malicious, causing actual harm rather than simply screwing up your round.

He's also apparently made a fake cheat for Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, with japes like stopping people from being able to revive teamies and making them jump out of moving vehicles (quite deadly in Plunkbat).

This comes to my attention now through Vice's interview with ScriptKid.

"I see a lot of people wanting me to blow up their PC and do other bad stuff to the cheaters or expose their names and stuff but I'm not really interested in any of that or the legal problems that could follow," he told the site. "My goal is just for people to have a good laugh about it and making a cheater lose a game because he jumps off the map on de_vertigo is pretty sweet but harmless revenge in my book."

He tells Vice he's under no illusions that he's making a big difference in the endless war against cheats and cheaters, he just thinks it's fun. It is fun!