tick rate

Definition

Tick rate is how many times per second a game server updates its authoritative game state. Counter-Strike 2 launched with a sub-tick architecture to remove tick rate as a bottleneck; Valorant runs at 128 ticks per second; Apex Legends is 20 with client interpolation. Higher tick rate means lower input-to-result delay and more accurate hit registration.

Example

"I switched from 64-tick to 128-tick CS servers and the difference is night and day." The higher update rate produces more responsive feedback.

Related terms

• ping
• latency
• lag