CS:GO Agent Skins and Player Models Found to Have Different Hitbox Sizes

A major hitbox balance issue between different player models and agent skins has been spotted in CS:GO by a user who goes by the name of 'Ansimist'.

According to the user's detailed research using a program that he has created and shared which calculates all head volumes, the difference observed between the head hitboxes of the biggest (SAS) and the smallest (Professionals) player model is 16.75%.

This is quite significant, as it results in a bullet shot at the same spot missing the head of the T-sided player model (Professionals) while hitting the head of the CT-sided player model (SAS).

The user has gone on to share his complete findings through this experiment, lifting the curtain on a huge discrepancy that has been in the game for the last seven years, ever since the 'Reanimated' hitbox update was released for CS:GO in September 2015.

Hitbox size balance issue between the heads of different agent skins and player models found in CS:GO

Hitbox size is nothing but the surface area of the player models where damage can be dealt when struck with a melee or ranged weapon.

In a competitive shooter like CS:GO it is necessary for the hitbox sizes of all agent skins and models to be equal, in order to maintain competitive fairness, across professional and regular gameplay.

However, this is not the case as found out by Ansimist, who using a program created by him has calculated the head hitbox volumes of all the agents in CS:GO. The outcome is that there are clear noticeable differences among them that could have an impact in the game.

The agent faction with the biggest head hitbox area is SAS, while the one with the smallest head hitbox is Professionals. Here is a more detailed breakdown of head hitbox size difference between different agent skins and player models (smallest head hitbox to the largest),

1. Professionals - 16.75%

2. Pirate - 11.27%

3. FBI - 10.32%

4. Separatist - 10.01%

5. SWAT - 8.95%

6. Gendarmerie Nationale - 8.95%

7. GSG9 - 8.60%

8. ST6 - 8.16%

9. IDF - 8.16%

10. SEAL Frogman - 8.16%

11. Phoenix - 7.54%

12. GIGN - 7.05%

13. Balkan - 6.08%

14. Anarchist - 5.02%

15. Elite Crew - 0.22%

16. Guerrilla Warfare - 0.22%

17. SAS - 0% (Reference to all other calculation)

The complete set of findings can be found by clicking here (Google Docs).

Further, as every CS:GO map has a predefined faction associated with the attacking and the defending side, this information about the difference in head hitbox size helps in determining which maps are the most stable and those that are unbalanced.

With Elite Crew and SAS being the respective factions on Mirage, it is the most unbalanced map in CS:GO, where as the most favorable ones are Vertigo, Agency, and Breach featuring a combination of Professionals and FBI.

For more information the Google Doc shared by the user can be referenced along with the video on YouTube that Ansimist has made on this topic.