CS2 and CS:GO Rank Distribution

The ranking system has been substantially changed in CS2 — in fact it is better to say “expanded”. Unlike CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2 has two ranking systems: a traditional one, from Silver I to Global Elite, and a new one, CS Rating in the Premier Mode. This division is quite important for a proper understanding of CS2 rank distribution.

The traditional system is based on a player’s performance in Competitive Mode. At first sight, it is the same as CS:GO, but there is a significant difference. Your CS2 competitive rank differs depending on the map. So, you may be a Legendary Eagle on Inferno but only a Gold Nova Master on Dust II. In a way, this certainly affects the stats of competitive rank distribution, but if we look at the general numbers, for all the maps, they are not too different from the previous game.

New Counter-Strike Rating has been introduced with Premier Mode. You play matches there and get ranking points depending on the results. The more you accumulate them over the long term, the higher your Premier Mode CS Rating becomes. The percentage of players within every numeric category may change due to the seasonal nature of the system. After a recent season start, the CS2 rank distribution may seem chaotic and even broken. But closer to the mid- and end-time, we could see relatively stable percentages between seasons.

The Premier Mode is not a technical innovation in the game, strictly speaking. But it certainly brings an exciting esports spirit, as the map choice is based on professional competitions. For more info on how CS2 differs from CS:GO, check out this list of new features.

What is the CS2 Ranking System? | CS Rating

The new Counter-Strike 2 ranking system is called CS Rating. It’s active in Premier Mode and based on what you earn in matches.

The main key feature here is the process of choosing maps. Like pro esports teams, the participants of every match come through the pick/ban phase. In theory, it helps to better distinguish players’ real strength, as there is almost no chance to play on one map only and ignore all the others. In practice, the active pool may be significantly cut by banning some maps always — it helps you never play on them.

The CS Rating system features seasonal leaderboards, regional and global. This sounds like a very good idea to keep players motivated to train continually. Every season is a fresh start and a new chance to prove your mettle.

Are you becoming interested in this competitive opportunity? Make sure your computer is good for CS2! This new version of the game is more demanding, and old PCs may not be good enough. Take a look at the Counter-Strike 2 system requirements.

CS2 Rank Distribution | CS Rating

To get your first CS Rating, you have to complete 10 placement matches. The proper development starts after that — you get your CS2 Premier Mode Rating and can clearly see your progress from one match to another. Creating a numeric system makes it easier to see what’s going on with your personal rank in CS2.

It might be helpful to know the distribution of CS Rating, to compare where you are at the moment against other players.

The range of CS Rating is from 0 to 40k Elo, according to Leetify. This mass of numbers is divided into seven groups, or ranks.

• Common (Gray) — 4,999 and below;
• Uncommon (Light Blue) — 5,000 – 9,999;
• Rare (Blue) — 10,000 – 14,999;
• Mythical (Purple) — 15,000 – 19,999;
• Legendary (Pink) — 20,000 – 24,999;
• Ancient (Red) — 25,000 – 29,999;
• Unusual (Yellow) — 30,000+

Let’s take a look at CS2 rank distribution for CS Rating — the percentages of players within every group of 1k Elo.

What is the CS2 Ranking System? | Competitive Ranking

This type of ranking in Counter-Strike 2 is almost the same as in CS:GO. We have the same categories with a somewhat obscure system of progressing through them. The rankings work within the Competitive Mode.

But there is one difference. Competitive CS2 Ranking depends on the map you play on. This may be pretty helpful for practicing — if you have a top rank on one map, you don’t have to face top-level opponents on another, which perhaps you are learning at the moment. The process of getting used to positions or remembering callouts becomes fairer and more interesting.

Such a system will also show its benefits if you want to explore the visual advantages of maps on the new game engine. For more info on this technical side, check out our special article: What is Source 2?.

CS2 Rank Distribution | Competitive Ranking

If we take a look at the general picture of CS2 rank distribution in Competitive Mode (without the division into maps), we can see such a picture.

Silver

Silver 1-4 players are rather beginners or very casual enjoyers, who head to CS2 mainly for occasional fun.

The game is pretty forgiving at this level, and it’s not too difficult to get promoted at least to Elite and Elite Master. Even slight effort and reasonable regularity will teach you important patterns in CS2 matches. Maybe you need to take a look at our tips for busy Counter-Strike players?

• Silver 1 — 3.8%
• Silver 2 — 4.23%
• Silver 3 — 4.37%
• Silver 4 — 5.21%
• Silver Elite — 6.44%
• Silver Elite Master — 7.78%

Gold Nova

Many players who play CS2 regularly but do not pay too much attention to systematic development of their skills have a Gold Nova ranking.

If you are here, you still have a lot to learn. But such placements are not bad at all if your approach is casual and if your playing sessions are not daily.

• Gold Nova 1 — 8.76%
• Gold Nova 2 — 8.79%
• Gold Nova 3 — 9.05%
• Gold Nova Master — 8.08%

Master Guardian

Only skilled and dedicated players can reach this level. It’s rather a tough task, and if you have such a rank, you can be proud of yourself.

To become a Master Guardian you should practice quite a lot — better daily for 1–2 hours than only mammoth weekend sessions. Watching pro competitions and reading guides will help you dig deeper into the game and get this CS2 ranking.

Most Master Guardian players choose their in-game appearance very thoroughly. They buy CS2 skins to look awesome. We would like to remind you guys about safety in the trading industry, regardless if you sell or buy something. Here are our tips on how to avoid scams; please check them out.

• Master Guardian 1 — 7.55%
• Master Guardian 2 — 6.61%
• Master Guardian Elite — 5.24%
• Distinguished Master Guardian — 4.15%

Legendary Eagle – Global Elite

It’s the level of super experienced and even talented CS2 players. For most in the community, reaching the Legendary / Supreme / Elite level is a dream and a high goal. If you are already here… we have no tips for you, as you know everything yourself. Well done! If you are not here yet, focus on systematic practice with regular teammates and probably a coach. A lot of dedication and patience is needed to reach the Elite Four rankings.

• Legendary Eagle — 3.25%
• Legendary Eagle Master — 3.2%
• Supreme Master First Class — 2.64%
• Global Elite — 0.75%

The new ranking system seems to be pretty fair and exciting. We will follow potential changes in the CS2 rank distribution numbers and will reflect this development of the Counter-Strike community in our article.

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