A new FACEIT season started on 5 August 2026 and brought a stack of changes at once: an ELO reset, Vertigo back in the map pool, cross-team voice chat and a noticeably reworked anti-cheat. Here's what actually changed and how to approach it without bleeding rating in your first games.
The easiest warm-up before the season's first matches is the CYBERSHOKE DM servers — half an hour there gives you as many gunfights as a whole evening of ranked.
What changed in the new FACEIT season
Four headline items: an ELO reset, Vertigo returning to the map pool, voice chat between teams and an updated anti-cheat. On top of that the ban system got stricter with the season start — violations can now land you a long-term block.
How the ELO reset works
The reset rules were updated back in July and applied when the season began: every player's rating was recalculated and pulled toward the middle. The practical takeaway is simple — the first matches of a season put you against an unusually mixed field while the system finds your level again. Don't draw conclusions about your form from the opening games.
The rating formula itself was also tuned over the summer: exit frags count for less, while key kills in rounds against multiple opponents count for more. A trade in a lost round is worth less than the kill that saved it.
Vertigo is back in the FACEIT map pool
A map plenty of players had written off is back in rotation. For those who dislike it that's one more ban; for anyone who still remembers the A-site and mid timings it's free value, because half the lobby will be playing Vertigo for the first time in ages.
Cross-team voice chat: what it's for
Another addition is talking to the opposing team during the break. The idea is to settle disputes and agree on technical pauses without third-party chats. The side effect is predictable: more toxicity on air, which keeps the mute button your best friend.
The new anti-cheat: Google, AI software and BIOS
The most substantial part of the update. Early in the summer FACEIT announced it was working with Google on methods to detect AI-based cheat software — the kind that doesn't inject into the game the classic way but reads the screen instead. By mid-August the platform completed the rollout of BIOS-level functionality in its anti-cheat, which catches bypasses at a lower level.
The community verdict matches: datamine analyst Thour called FACEIT the one place where you can currently play without worrying about cheaters.
How to prepare for the season
An order of operations that saves nerves at the start:
- Warm up before a session — 10–15 minutes of deathmatch rather than jumping straight into ranked.
- Relearn Vertigo and Cache — both are in pools now and both have faded from memory.
- Drill after-plant play on retake: on FACEIT those rounds decide more than raw aim.
- Check your setup — if you haven't touched your sens in a while, see our breakdown of CS2 sensitivity and resolution.
FAQ
When did the new FACEIT season start?
On 5 August 2026, together with the ELO reset and the rest of the changes.
Which maps are in the FACEIT pool?
Vertigo returned with the new season. Over the summer Cache also came back to the CS2 competitive pool, replacing Overpass.
What's new in the FACEIT anti-cheat?
Work with Google on detecting AI-based cheat software, plus a completed rollout of BIOS-level functionality to catch bypasses.
Source
Change details come from platform announcements and pro scene reporting, June–August 2026. Warm up before matches: CS2 modes on CYBERSHOKE.