CS2 Rating System: What You Need to Know

After much anticipation, Counter Strike 2 was released at the end of September. Even though the game was in beta-testing for a few months, and players could enjoy its test version for a while, it still came with many surprises and changes. Today we are going to explain to you everything about the CS2 ranking system and they way it has been altered from Global Offensive.

Come and find out how can you climb the CS2 leaderboards.

What Game Modes Are Available in Counter Strike 2?

In case you’re confused by the changes made to competitive CS, here’s a brief explanation. First, you should know that there are now two game modes that include ranks, namely:

• Competitive
• Premier

And while neither of them is new to the game, they both function quite differently than in Global Offensive. In fact, in this Counter Strike iteration, the competitive aspect is much more intense in the Premier mode, which is not all that obvious (even if you only consider their names).

But before we get to our explanation, remember that whether you want to play competitive matches or not, on SkinCashier you can sell CS2 skins and thus, get the necessary funds to assemble your new inventory at the lowest price.

What Is the Difference Between Competitive and Premier Mode?

In Counter Strike 2, there are several important differences between Competitive and Premier modes. It looks like Valve has made an effort to improve its ranking system and make it more fair for players. And while they’ve had a few slip-ups along the way, and players have called them out for it, it still seems like a good attempt. Let’s now do a quick breakdown of all the main aspects that differentiate the two modes from each other.

Competitive Mode

The most important aspect of CS2’s Competitive Mode is that it allows players to choose the map they want to play on. This means that you can easily hone your skills in a specific location and then show them off to other players when playing competitive matches in the new system. Note, however, that the CS ranking achieved on a specific map will only be valid for that map. This means that even if you are able to earn a Master Guardian Elite rating on Nuke, you can still be a mere Silver III on, say, Mirage.

And why is that?

Presumably, the intent of this change was to make trying out new maps more enjoyable. In previous versions of the game, it often happened that you were really good at one location and played it over and over again to improve your rank. Then you’d switch to another spot, and because of the matchmaking system, you’d be paired with high-ranking players who had much more experience on that map. As a result, you would be quickly crushed and wouldn’t even have a chance to discover any callouts or hidden corners of the new location.

Some players have expressed their disappointment with this new change, but at the same time, many have been very vocal about how it could positively affect gameplay. In fact, we agree. It’s nice to know that even if you’ve only played one map so far, you’ll still be able to enjoy others without worrying about losing your precious rank or being harassed by more experienced players.

CS2 Competitive Mode Ranks:

• Silver I (S1)
• Silver 2 CSGO (S2)
• Silver III (S3)
• Silver IV (S4)
• Silver Elite (SE)
• Silver Elite Master (SEM)
• Gold Nova I (GN1)
• Gold Nova II (GN2)
• Gold Nova III (GN3)
• Gold Nova Master (GNM)
• Master Guardian I (MG1)
• Master Guardian II (MG2)
• Master Guardian Elite (MGE)
• Distinguished Master Guardian (DMG)
• Legendary Eagle (LE)
• Legendary Eagle Master (LEM)
• Supreme Master First Class (SMFC)
• Global Elite (GE)

Premier Mode

Premier Mode is the one that has undergone the most changes regarding the CS rating system (and not only). For starters, it’s worth noting that unlike Competitive, this is where players can’t queue up for a specific location. Instead, they must go through a pick and ban phase, which will determine the map they will play on. This alone makes the match more intense, as you never know whether the decision will be made in favor of your or the opposing team.

What’s more, after the release of Counter Strike 2, so-called 4-stacking was banned, meaning that it is no longer possible for 4 players to line up together. This was done mainly due to the fact that if this were to happen, the fifth person would often be left out, as the others would be connected via Discord, for example. Then the game wouldn’t be any fun for them. Therefore, Valve decided to disable this possibility and now, if players want to play a joint match, they must either gather a whole team or play in a maximum of 3 people.

As for the rank itself, there are 3 different scoreboards available in Premier Mode, namely:

• Friends
• Regional
• Worldwide

In order, however, to be ranked in any of them, you need to win 10 so-called placement matches. We repeat, win, not just play. After that, you will be placed on them, depending on your performance in the matches. But be careful, because it seems that this time the CS rating system is much stricter than before. This means that, for example, if you perform badly in several matches in a row, your rank will drop more and more with each loss. Luckily, this time there is no longer any mystery about how much you have improved or lowered your score. The game will inform you of your rating before each match, and you can also look at the leaderboards at any time.

CS2 Premier Mode Ranks:

In the Premier Mode, the Counter Strike rating system starts at 1,000 rating points and goes all the way up to 40,000. The different competitive ranks are signified by specific colors.

• < 4,999 (Gray)
• 5,000 – 9,000 (Light Blue)
• 10,000 – 14,999 (Blue)
• 15,000 – 19,999 (Purple)
• 20,000 – 24,999 (Fuchsia)
• 25,000 – 29,999 (Red)
• > 30,000 (Gold)

If you’re familiar with CS:GO ranks, here’s a rundown of how they compare to the new ranking system.

• < 4,999 – Silver – Gold Nova
• 5,000 – 9,000 – Gold Nova – MGE
• 10,000 – 14,999 – DMG – LEM
• 15,000 – 19,999 – Supreme – Global Elite
• 20,000 – 24,999 – Global Elite
• 25,000 – 29,999 – Global Elite
• > 30,000 – Global Elite

Conclusions

If you are getting ready to start your competitive adventure in Counter Strike 2, then be sure to read this article and make sure you know all about the new ranking system. Also, keep an eye on our blog articles to keep you up to date with the changes coming to CS2.