CS:GO
Valve have finally brought a fresh coat of paint and new challenges to the highly anticipated Counter-Strike 2, after eleven years of having the same features and ranking system.
Now with the latest CS2 update, it has undergone a significant evolution, offering two distinct ranked modes: Competitive and Premier.
CS2 Ranks
The previous CS:GO ranks now translate to CS2, but with a twist – it's map-specific. Achieving Global Elite on Vertigo doesn't guarantee the same rank on other maps. This map-specific ranking system ensures balanced matches tailored to each map's skill level.
The competitive mode remains, serving as a practice ground for the Premier mode where the most dedicated players meet, and burn their hearts out grinding.
CS2 Rating Explained
As it thanks, you must win ten games in Premier mode to be eligible to get your rating, similar to getting a rank back in CS:GO.
Ratings begin at zero, and you’ll get matched against players with different ratings in your first 10 matches to determine your skill level and ultimately give you the appropriate rating.
Each 5000 Elo is represented by a different color, exactly like skin rarities, ranging from gray up to gold.
- 0 - 4,999: Gray
- 5000 - 9,999: Light Blue
- 10,000 - 14,999: Blue
- 15,000 - 19,999: Purple
- 20,000 - 24,999: Pink
- 25,000 - 29,999: Red
- 30,000+ is represented with Gold
If your next game is the promotional match, text next to your profile will indicate so, in addition to having a glittering visual effect on your rating.
Losing the promotional match will require you to win two matches to get promoted as the rating locks at 999, so yes, often you’ll have to play a game for literally one Elo if you can't win it the first time, so better not lose the all-important matches.
Premier mode matches
When you step into Premier mode in CS2, things work a bit differently compared to regular competitive matches. You don't get to choose which map you play on. Instead, it’s a pick-and-ban system, similar to professional matches and third-party matchmaking like FACEIT.
The first team bans two maps, and then the other team bans three. Out of the two maps left, the first team gets to pick which one they want to play on, while the second picks the side (T or CT). This means you might end up playing on maps you're not as familiar with, especially if you're used to playing on Mirage or Vertigo all the time.
In regular Competitive mode, you still have the freedom to pick the maps you want to play on. So, if you want to get better at the maps used in Premier mode, you might want to practice them there.
Leaderboards
The official introduction of the Premier mode also brought “Leaderboards”, a way to make grinding the mode worth it.
In its tab, it shows the rating, wins and win percentage, as well as what percentage of players you rank amongst. The leaderboards include friends, different regions and Global, so be sure to grind up and flex your skills to the world if not your friends.
If you ever wondered how players are ranked between CS:GO and CS2, here are the estimated rank equivalents between CS:GO and CS2 according to Leetify.
