The release of CS2 came with a fresh ranking system known as Counter-Strike Rating, exclusively designed for the new Premier mode. This new ranking system assigns you a rating after you’ve completed 10 Premier games, and believe us when we say that it has been a shocker for many players.
Low ratings, confusing matchmaking, and harsh penalties – these are the concerns voiced by the CS2 community regarding the new rating system. So, let’s dissect what we know about the mysterious CS2 ranking system and explore ways to improve our ratings quickly.
Is the CS2 Rating System Broken?
Valve’s secrecy regarding the inner workings of the CS2 rating system makes it challenging to assess whether the system is broken or not, as we don’t know how it is actually supposed to work. However, numerous members of the CS2 community have shared their experiences with the rating system, and it seems like it’s far from perfect.
Does Individual Performance Matter?
Arguably, the most significant observation that players have made is that your Premier mode ranking isn’t impacted much by your individual performance. In other words, even if you’re the top fragger on your team, it may not do you any favors if your team ends up losing the match.
For example, in the following post on the r/CS2 subreddit, the OP reported achieving a record of 10 wins and six losses during their Premier rating calibration. Surprisingly, however, they only received a rating of 3,511 despite performing consistently well in all the games.
Moreover, the OP has also mentioned that they have found themselves matched up against players with considerably higher rankings while their own team consisted of low-ranked players. This matchmaking imbalance has been experienced by numerous other players, who claim that they always get one-sided games.
While this is obviously frustrating for experienced players who held higher ranks in CS:GO, it’s worth noting that this seemingly unfair matchmaking system has also been reported to inadvertently boost less-skilled players who play alongside higher-skilled friends.
Is The Rating Calculation Broken?
Another aspect of the CS2 rating system that is under heavy scrutiny from the CS2 community is the mathematics behind rating calculation. There have been reports of players losing as much as 500 ranking for a single loss while receiving a mere 100 points for winning matches, even during win streaks.
Additionally, there are also accounts of players getting negative ranking on tied matches despite performing decently in the game. These issues have left many players feeling unjustly stuck in lower ratings than they believe they deserve.
Will The CS2 Rating System Be Fixed?
While Valve has not released any official statement addressing any concerns regarding the CS2 rating system, many players are optimistic that these issues will fade away as the ranking system gets more time to calibrate.
It is true that CS2 doesn’t distinguish whether you are a seasoned CS:GO FACEIT Level 10 or a total newcomer, as CS2 is building its own rank database from the ground up. Thus, it’s reasonable to expect that, over time, the rating boundaries will be more refined.
Moreover, many have claimed that by considering only the win/loss ratio, the rating system is working just as it’s supposed to work, as it is extremely difficult to calculate a player’s rank based on their K/D/A.
Whatever the case, it’s important to note that CS2 is a game that is still in its infancy, and thus, you’ll be encountering many inconsistencies and bugs throughout the game. Therefore, our best course of action is to be patient while the Premier game mode system, and the game as a whole, evolves into a stable build.
How To Improve Your CS2 Rating?
While the inner workings of the CS2 Premier rating system still remain a mystery, one thing that is clear for sure is that winning matches is key. As obvious as it might sound, your focus should solely be on winning as many matches as you can since your performance in the game apparently has no impact on the rating.
To boost your chances of winning Premier matches, it’s advisable to steer clear of solo-queuing, as a single uncooperative team can easily set you back a few hard-earned rating points. Hence, it’s imperative that you seek out a dedicated 5-stack. If you are by chance curious about the possibility of forming a party with three other friends, be sure to check our article covering this.
Conclusion
While it is hard to say whether the CS2 rating system is working as intended or if it indeed is plagued by issues, we do know that keeping a winning record is the tried and tested way to ascend the competitive Premier mode ladder. If you found this article helpful, make sure to check out other guides from our team: Is CS2 Anti-Cheat Better Than CS:GO? and Does CS2 Have Community Servers?