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A Major Change Coming to FACEIT Players

FACEIT, the popular competitive gaming platform best known for hosting Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) matches, has announced that starting October 14th, 2026, all players will need to use Windows 11 to continue playing on the platform.

The decision aligns with Microsoft’s plan to end Windows 10 security updates on October 13th, 2026, meaning FACEIT will officially drop support for the older operating system the very next day. Players still on Windows 10 are being advised to upgrade well before the deadline if they want to keep competing.

Why FACEIT is Moving to Windows 11

According to FACEIT, the switch is part of its ongoing anti-cheat initiative aimed at making competitive play as secure and fair as possible.

Windows 11 introduces a number of mandatory security technologies such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, both of which help ensure a PC starts up cleanly without unauthorised or modified software. This allows FACEIT’s anti-cheat system to verify that no advanced cheats or kernel-level modifications are active before a player joins a match.

FACEIT says that around 95% of its players already have these features enabled, but the remaining 5%—mostly users with older hardware or BIOS configurations—will need to update soon.

TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot Become Mandatory

Before the full Windows 11 requirement kicks in, FACEIT will start enforcing TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot across all systems beginning November 25th, 2025.

Players can check whether these features are active using the guide provided on FACEIT’s website, along with troubleshooting instructions and a support team ready to assist anyone who runs into problems.

This marks the final stage of the platform’s phased rollout of security features, which also includes IOMMU and VBS (Virtualisation-Based Security) requirements for high-ranking players with an ELO above 3,000.

“We understand that enabling these requirements can be a real hassle for our players,” FACEIT said in a statement. “However, we believe the universal implementation of these security measures is an important step for the greater good of the whole competitive ecosystem.”

Community Reactions

The announcement quickly sparked debate across social media. Some players praised FACEIT for prioritising competitive integrity, while others criticised the move as too restrictive, citing performance concerns and personal dislike for Windows 11.

One player wrote, “We already have to use sub-optimal BIOS settings to participate, now we have to use the worse operating system outright to adhere to these arbitrary standards?” Another added, “I paid for 3 years of ESU until 2028. I’m not upgrading until Windows 12 comes out.”

Others, however, defended the decision. “You’re not losing FPS switching to Windows 11,” one commenter noted. “I get the best benchmarks on every game. Just upgrade and move on.”

FACEIT’s Fight Against Cheaters

Throughout 2025, FACEIT has been taking significant steps to strengthen its anti-cheat systems and maintain fair competition in CS2 matchmaking and its FPL (FACEIT Pro League) circuit.

The platform recently invited rising star nocries to join its professional circuit after clearing him of any integrity concerns, highlighting FACEIT’s dedication to transparency and fairness.

The upcoming Windows 11 requirement is part of a larger, ongoing effort to eliminate cheating tools that exploit outdated or insecure operating system features.

What Players Should Do Next

If you’re still on Windows 10, you have plenty of time to prepare. Make sure your PC supports TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and ideally UEFI BIOS, as older systems may not be compatible with Windows 11’s stricter requirements.

FACEIT has published detailed enablement guides, and the support team is available to help players through the process.

By October 2026, FACEIT wants a fully unified ecosystem running on secure hardware and software, a move it believes will protect the competitive integrity of one of the world’s largest esports platforms.