A.C.E Shield: how the anti-cheat is built
A.C.E Shield runs inside the A.C.E desktop app for Windows, in user mode, after you accept its consent screen. It checks for known cheat tools only while CS2 runs and sends signed heartbeats to A.C.E. Ranked play is fail-closed: without a live, verified Shield session you cannot queue, and match servers check every player when they connect and about every 30 seconds during the match.
The app protects itself: it refuses to start if its own files were modified, never runs unpacked code, reports debuggers and launch switches that would let something inspect it, and the server compares every install with the official build of its version. Hardware identifiers are hashed on your PC, re-hashed on our server and used only to enforce bans.
Match servers add server-side statistics (aim snapping, reaction times, following or pre-aiming hidden players). They only decide what the owner reviews first. Nothing bans automatically: a finding holds queue access, a person reviews the evidence, and every decision can be appealed on the appeal page (/appeal). Details are on the Anti-Cheat page and in the Privacy Policy.
- KERNEL DRIVER
- None (user-mode only)
- RANKED QUEUE
- Fail-closed
- DECISIONS
- By a person, appealable
Ten skill calibration tiers
Competitive Calibration uses the published A.C.E Rating Points rules (version ace-rp-v5: step 40, scale 400). New accounts start at Rank 3 (Vanguard), FREE subscription, ACTIVE status, and 1200 competitive rating. Crystal labels on the lobby are visual aliases. Paid cosmetics never buy rating, easier opponents, 128-tick servers, or queue priority. There is no live 128-tick product for sale.
| Level | Engine name | Crystal alias | Min rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recruit | IRON | 0 |
| 2 | Operative | BRONZE | 1100 |
| 3 | Vanguard | SILVER | 1200 |
| 4 | Specialist | GOLD | 1300 |
| 5 | Veteran | PLATINUM | 1400 |
| 6 | Elite | DIAMOND | 1500 |
| 7 | Master | MASTER | 1600 |
| 8 | Grandmaster | GRANDMASTER | 1700 |
| 9 | Sovereign | IMMORTAL | 1800 |
| 10 | A.C.E Legend | ACE ELITE | 1950 |
Divisions I, II, and III on the lobby are showcase chips. They change layout metrics only. Live matchmaking by division does not exist. See /ranks for the 3D turntable and /rules for the binding competition text.