The ranked mode is what brings most players to the game. The Counter-Strike franchise has been known primarily as a competitive game ever since its inception, with its ranking systems being a core feature. With quick rounds that allow for fast-paced gameplay and players to show off their skills, Counter-Strike is one of the leaders in the genre of competitive games, as well as one of the most popular eSports games in its history.

The game uses competitive ranks to ensure fair matchmaking and to provide players with a clear progression path based on their skill level. The game uses a ranking system, which evaluates each player’s individual skill level and places them in one of the different brackets within the CS community.

So, what are the CS2 ranks you can score? Here’s everything you need to know about CS2 ranks and rating system!

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Did CS2 Change The Ranking System?

One of the biggest changes introduced with the CS2 update was the new ranking systems, which split the competitive mode and premier mode into essentially two different ranked queues, with separate ranks.

The premier mode, however, is a new feature added to the Counter-Strike matchmaking within CS2, and is more similar to the older ranked mode. Unlike the competitive mode, when queuing up for a new game in the premier mode, you don’t select a single map, but instead queue for a pool of all the current active duty maps, and end up drafting the final pool through a series of bans with other players in the match.

When it comes to the CS rating system for the new premier mode, there’s only a single pool for the entire player base, meaning that the premier mode rank is a better reflection of the player’s general skill.

In the premier mode, players get an ELO number instead of a specific rank. However, each ELO number has a corresponding rank color. These colors are:

  • 0 – 4,999 – Gray
  • 5000 – 9999 – Light Blue
  • 10000 – 14999 – Blue
  • 15000 – 19999 – Purple
  • 20000 – 24999 – Fuchsia
  • 25000 – 29999 – Red
  • 30000+ – Gold

Players can improve their premier rating by winning matches, and consequently fall down in the rankings and lose elo points for their poor performance.

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Competitive Ranks

The competitive mode uses a rating system similar to the old version of CSGO, just with one individual rating for each map.

The classic competitive mode features traditional ranks ranging from Silver to Global Elite, familiar to players transitioning from CS: GO. These are:

  • Silver (I to IV, Silver Elite and Silver Elite Master)
  • Gold Nova (I to III and Gold Nova Master)
  • Master Guardian (I, II, Master Guardian Elite and Distinguished Master Guardian)
  • Legendary Eagle and Legendary Eagle Master
  • Supreme Master First Class
  • The Global Elite

Players who are familiar with how CS:GO ranks worked in the previous iteration of the game will easily understand what each of the competitive ranks means.

Players at the Master Guardian level possess significant experience and advanced game mechanics, positioning them just below the professional tier. Reaching the Master Guardian Elite rank is an impressive milestone as well, often motivating players to consider advancing towards the CS2 pro scene. The Supreme Master rank is just below Global Elite, requiring not only skill but also support and luck to reach. The Supreme Master First Class rank represents the peak of player skill, with factors like luck and community support playing a crucial role in achieving it. The Global Elite rank remains the highest achievement a player can attain, symbolizing exceptional skill and dedication. Keep in mind, however, that even some of the pros don’t have The Global Elite in their CS profile.

Why Are There Two Ranking Systems in CS2?

Although the change might’ve been surprising, it certainly helped bring Counter-Strike to modern standards. Although the ranks in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was a signature of the genre, it also created an extremely competitive environment, as well as a community that at times could be very toxic, particularly at higher ranks, where there was a lot at stake in every match.

With the separation into competitive and premier casual players, as well as those who are looking for a more hardcore ranked experience will have a choice of what they want to play. Really dedicated players can now grind out their tournament ranks in CS2 Premier, where such players will definitely enjoy the ability to show off their map knowledge and skill against other hardcore gamers.

When Do You Get The First Rank In CS2?

In both of the ranking systems you first need to complete ten placement matches to get your first rank. After you complete your set of placement matches, you’ll receive a rank based on your performance. Keep in mind, that if you already had a CS rating in the past, the new one you’ll receive isn’t going to be radically different from what you had before. This means that you won’t be able to make an instant jump from Silver Elite Master to Global Elite.

Can You Lose Your CS Rating?

Yes, you can lose your CS rank if you don’t play for a prolonged time. In order to maintain your CS2 rank you need to play at least a single match every two weeks. If you remain inactive in the ranked mode for a longer period of time, you might have to re-play your placement matches, as your CS rating decays over time.

What Is The CS2 Rank Distribution?

Currently, the percentage for each skill level in premier mode is:

  • 5% – Gray
  • 32% – Light Blue
  • 40% – Blue
  • 16% – Purple
  • 4% – Fuchsia
  • 3% – Red
  • 0.0001% – Gold

As you can see, most players are around the Blue and Light Blue ranks, which are the CS2 versions of gold nova master and gold nova from the previous game, meaning that on the average rank distributions remain somewhat similar to CSGO.

However, the tiny percentage of Gold player base shows, that it’s harder to reach the higher levels of CS2 rank distribution. The Gold rank is a new take on the Legendary Eagle from the previous game, however, it seems that reaching it is more difficult within the CS2 community.

In Conclusion

Here’s the rank distribution in CS2 for April 2024. Although these numbers might be subject to change in the future, considering how the game has been out for a couple of months now, it’s safe to say that the community has a rough idea regarding how the ranks are spread over the game.

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