The competitive aspect of CS2 is probably its most popular feature. Since the days of CS 1.6 players worldwide have been enjoying the fast-paced gameplay in a competitive setting. As one of the most popular eSports in gaming history, the Counter Strike franchise has been enjoying a thriving tournament scene for decades.

Counter Strike: Global Offensive introduced an official CS2 ranks system to the game, where each player who participated in the ranked gameplay was rewarded with an appropriate tile and rank, reflecting their skill and placing them in a particular skill division. Thanks to this feature, players who played ranked matches would be placed against opponents of a similar skill level, ensuring fair gameplay and avoiding CS2 smurfs.

While the CS:GO ranking system remained nearly untouched for over a decade, the introduction of Counter Strike 2 has significantly shook up the competitive scene. The new iteration of the game replaced the old ranking system with two separate competitive CS2 game modes: Competitive and Premier

The competitive mode was in many ways similar to its predecessor in CSGO, however, the premier was its own, completely new thing. Each player received their own ELO number in premier, and the mode was highly reminiscent of the popular format played in official CS2 tournaments. And while everyone got a chance to settle into the new game mode and grind out the ranks, Valve dropped some big news in the last couple of days: CS2 premier season 2 is on its way.

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UPDATE: CS2 PREMIER SEASON 2 RELEASED ON 29.01.2025! If you’ve been received the “Game Mode Locked” error, that’s because Premier is locked for a day while Valve is implementing ranked changes. The lock will last for a single day, meaning that you should be able to play Premier as usual soon.

What is CS2 Premier Season 2?

The release of Counter Strike 2 has also commenced the first premier season, where players could participate in ranked matches and grind out their premier ranks for a year. Gamers could participate in ranked matches on active-duty maps in order to improve their ranks and continue to play on a higher level.

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Last week Valve announced in their latest blog post that the current season will be ending, and season two will begin next week and will conclude after the Austin Major in the near future. After season one ends, each player who participated in ranked premier matches will receive their season one medal. The medals aren’t only visual, however, as players will be able to see detailed stats on their ranked performance by clicking on the medal in their profile.

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What Are the Changes Added in Premier Season 2?

While CS2 season two is definitely something that got the community hyped up, there are far more additions to the game besides the commemorative premier season medal. Valve also dropped some information regarding some balancing improvements that will be introduced when the new update drops:

Vertigo replaced by Train in the Active Duty Pool

In season 2 Valve already announced that Vertigo, one of the least popular maps in the game, will be replaced by a long-time fan favorite, Train. Although Vertigo can be highly skill-intensive, many players complained about the lack of balance on the map, claiming that the Terrorist team has a significantly easier job defending the bombsites, making it a poor choice for competitive gameplay. Accidental fall deaths were also a thing, and most gamers will be happy to see Vertigo replaced with Train, which is far better suited for the intense ranked gameplay of CS2.

M4A4 now costs $2900

CT fans will be overjoyed to hear that their signature CS2 assault rifle has received yet another price reduction. M4A4 is now cheaper by $100, bringing its total cost to $2900, the same as its silenced counterpart. Although this might seem like a marginal chance, we’ll have to wait and see how it will affect the CS2 economy in ranked matches.

Famas Improvements

Since players were complaining about the overall weapon balance between the teams, Valve introduced a series of changes to yet another CT gun, the Famas. The weapon received a significant price cut, dropping its overall price to only $1950. as well as overall improvements to its standing and crouching accuracy, making the Famas more powerful in eco rounds and allowing you to bounce back from a tough spot in a match easier. While it remains to be seen how this will affect ranked gaemplay and team balance, the next season update has certainly made this weapon more accessible and an effective alternative to more expensive rifles.

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AUG and SG Scope Update

Both AUG and SG 553 have been in an awkward spot for a long time. Both of the weapons are more expensive than their respective counterparts, M4A4 and AK-47, while at the same time not ofering much when it comes to firepower. While they both feature a scope which makes it easier to fight at long distances, msot experienced players preferred to simply use thier own aiming skills with the M4A4 or AK-47, which are both effective at long range by themselves. In order to balance this out, in Premier season 2 Valve introduced some changes to the scope, with an adjusted dot to make them more effective at long-range.

MP9, MP5-SF, and MP7 Nerf

While a couple of guns have been buffed in this update, the three signature CS SMG weapons received a slight nerf. This update has reduced the accuracy on the three popular SMGs in order to make them more balanced and pace out the gameplay. The weapons now have their accuracy slightly lowered, in order to make them less effective at range, forcing its users into close-combat duels.

Rank Recalibration

Everyone who played ranked CS2 in premier season one will receive a medal signifying the ranks they scored in the season prior, while at the same time getting a new CS rating. Your season one premier rating won’t carry over to the next season, and instead, you’ll receive a recalibrated based on your individual skill. While you’ll have to receive a new rank entirely, the recalibration system ensures that your new rank won’t be too far off from the one you received in the previous season. This means that you won’t be able to jump from silver elite to global, but you’ll still have a shot at improving your rank, provided you do well in your placement matches.

In Conclusion

There’s a lot of hype surrounding premier season 2, though it shouldn’t surprise anyone. The first premier season was received warmly by the community, many of them thought that it was a much-needed breath of fresh air in the CS ranked gameplay. With the new season released we can certainly expect Valve to introduce some serious balance changes to the game.

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If you want to keep up with the updates introduced in premier season 2, make sure to regularly check out our blog, where we post more CS news, guides, top lists, and even offer free CS skins giveaways!