FACEIT is bringing back one of the most controversial features of recent years—voice chat between teams during breaks. However, this is only being tested for now. The test will begin with the start of Season 9 and will last one week—from August 5 to August 12.
For Counter-Strike veterans, this feature is nothing new. Back in the day, the ability to chat with opponents during breaks and after a match was a standard part of the game. However, on October 1, 2015, Valve removed it from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The official reason given was to allow teams to discuss tactics calmly without outside interference. At the same time, many players believed that the main goal was to reduce insults and toxic behavior, as brief periods of open voice chat often turned into chaotic verbal altercations.
The decision to bring back cross-team voice chat on FACEIT was not made unilaterally. The feature’s fate was determined by a community vote, similar to the recent return of the Vertigo map. A total of 106,647 users participated in the poll, 79% of whom supported the restoration of open voice communication.
Updated Rules and Voice Chat Testing
During the test period, the feature will operate with certain restrictions. The voice chat between teams will be available only during the first half of the match and during halftime. After the teams switch sides, the chat feature will automatically be disabled.
The announcement quickly sparked a lively discussion among professional players and regular users of the platform. A significant portion of the community speculated that the return of open chat could lead to a sharp increase in bans due to strict moderation rules.
FACEIT Community Manager Darwin responded to these concerns. He explained that, with the launch of Season 9, the platform is updating its penalty system to better account for the context of communication. According to him, casual jokes or emotional remarks should not automatically result in sanctions.
The new policy will take effect on August 5. FACEIT will continue to impose strict penalties for the most serious violations—cheating, smurfing, stream sniping, and systematic abuse. At the same time, the administration promises a more balanced approach to evaluating player behavior, allowing room for harmless trash talk and friendly banter, which have long been part of Counter-Strike culture.