CS2 ranks explained - What is Premier mode?

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One of the largest shifts between CS:GO and CS2 was the transition to an alternate approach to the matchmaking rank system. CS2 has implemented drastic changes to the ranking system, and in this article, we will cover everything you need to know about CS2 ranks.

Premier Mode

Unlike in Global Offensive, Premier is the principal form of matchmaking in CS2. Premier mode features a pick-and-ban system for selecting maps and sides almost identical to that used in professional Counter-Strike, and after every game, you either earn or lose Counter-Strike rating points(essential ELO), which is dependent on the outcome of the game as well as your performance as an individual. This ELO system feeds into a leaderboard, where you can see where you place among your friends, your region, and the rest of the world. To earn a rank, you must win 10 games of premier mode, and you will be given a Counter-Strike rating. The ratings are color-coded into separate groups as follows:

  • 1000-4999 Points: Grey
  • 5000-9999 Points: Light Blue
  • 10000-14999 Points: Blue
  • 15000-19999 Points: Purple
  • 20000-24999 Points: Magenta
  • 25000-29999 Points: Red
  • 30000-35000 Points: Yellow

As far as we know, the lowest possible rating you can achieve is 1000, and the highest is 34999.

Competitive

If a premier game is too much for you, you can always play CS2’s Competitive mode, which is almost identical to the system of matchmaking used in Global Offensive. In Competitive, players select which maps they want to queue, and are placed into a game where the map they play and the team they start on is already decided for them.

Unlike CS:GO, you earn a different rank for every map. For example, you could be Gold Nova I on Mirage and Global Elite on Inferno. To get your rank on each map, you have to play 10 games, and as far as we know right now, the highest rank you can start with is Gold Nova II. By playing each map, your rank can go up and down on the ladder of the following ranks:

  • Silver I
  • Silver II
  • Silver III
  • Silver IV
  • Silver Elite
  • Silver Elite Master
  • Gold Nova I
  • Gold Nova II
  • Gold Nova III
  • Gold Nova Master
  • Master Guardian I
  • Master Guardian II
  • Master Guardian Elite
  • Distinguished Master Guardian
  • Legendary Eagle
  • Legendary Eagle Master
  • Supreme Master First Class
  • The Global Elite

Wingman

Wingman is similar to Competitive mode, except you play with just two players instead of five. You can select which maps to play, but unlike Competitive, you get an overall rank based on the system in the list above. There are no individual map ranks, just overall wingman rankings. If you played Wingman in CS:GO, you just need to win one game in Wingman to get your rank.