CS2 ranks: CS Rating, per-map Skill Groups and Wingman
How ranks work in Counter-Strike 2: CS Rating in Premier, per-map Skill Groups in Competitive, the Jan. 21, 2026 reset and what Valve says about Wingman.
Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) has more than one way to show how well you play. Premier uses a number called CS Rating, Competitive uses Skill Group badges for each map, and Wingman is covered only in part by Valve’s public notes.
Since the Jan. 21, 2026 update, existing per-map Competitive Skill Groups have been expired and return only after a player earns the required number of wins. This guide covers each system as Valve and Steam Support describe it.
The rank systems at a glance
| Mode | What shows your standing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Premier | CS Rating | Earned by playing Premier matches; feeds global and regional leaderboards |
| Competitive | Skill Groups for each map | Overhauled June 25, 2024; expired Jan. 21, 2026 |
| Wingman | Not described for CS2 | Matchmaking enabled at launch |
CS Rating in Premier
Valve introduced CS Rating on Aug. 31, 2023, during the CS2 Limited Test. The company described it as “a visible measurement of your Counter-Strike performance” that “will determine where you stand on global and regional leaderboards.”
To get a CS Rating, play matches in Premier, which Valve called its Active Duty Pick-Ban competitive mode. You can play alone or with friends.
Counter-Strike 2 became available and free to play on Sept. 27, 2023, and Season One of Premier began the same day. Premier Season Four began with the Jan. 21, 2026 update.
Match length in Premier
Valve wrote in the Aug. 31, 2023 announcement that Premier, Competitive and the Majors move to a maximum of 24 rounds in regulation time, with a six-round overtime in case of a tie. The company added that it expected match structure to evolve as the community adapts.
Parties and penalties
The Sept. 27, 2023 release notes set two rules that touch CS Rating:
- If one or more party members are convicted of cheating and permanently banned, all their associates are penalized with loss of Profile Rank and CS Rating.
- In Premier, players with a very high established CS Rating are not allowed to party with accounts that do not have an established CS Rating.
Premier leaderboards
Steam Support lists nine CS2 leaderboards:
- Friends, which tracks players on your Friends List
- World, the top 1,000 players in the world
- Africa
- Asia
- Australia
- China
- Europe
- North America
- South America
Prime Status players who play Premier matches are eligible for display on public leaderboards when they are among the top 1,000 players in their region. Players without Prime Status are not eligible.
You cannot choose your regional leaderboard. Steam Support wrote that your position is determined by the location of the servers you play on the most.
Leaderboard names
A submitted leaderboard name is reviewed and approved by moderation staff. If it is not approved, the name status is reset and you need to submit a new one. Advertisements of any kind, such as websites or software, are not allowed, and players are expected to follow Steam’s Community Avatars & Profile Names guidelines.
Skill Groups for each map in Competitive
Competitive matchmaking in CS2 was enabled on Sept. 27, 2023. It uses Skill Groups tied to individual maps.
On June 25, 2024, Valve overhauled the map-based Skill Groups. Valve wrote that it had redistributed players across the Skill Groups and made the badges easier to earn in the first place. The same update added the first community maps to CS2, including Thera and Mills in Competitive Matchmaking.
The Jan. 21, 2026 reset
In the Jan. 21, 2026 update, Valve wrote that it had “Adjusted underlying per-map competitive matchmaking rank values.” Existing per-map Competitive Skill Groups were expired and “will be displayed again once the player obtains the required number of wins.”
The same update changed the map pool. Warden, Stronghold and Alpine were added to Competitive, Casual and Deathmatch, and Golden, Palacio, Agency and Rooftop were removed from all game modes.
Wingman
Wingman matchmaking was enabled when CS2 launched on Sept. 27, 2023. Memento and Assembly were added to Wingman on June 25, 2024, and Sanctum and Poseidon were added on Jan. 21, 2026.
Valve’s June 3, 2021 release notes, from the CS:GO era, gave Competitive, Wingman and Danger Zone each Ranked and Unranked matches.
Prime, Ranked and Unranked in 2021
Valve changed access to ranks for CS:GO on June 3, 2021, and Steam Support’s CS2 leaderboard rules still tie leaderboards to Prime Status. The 2021 notes said:
- Non-Prime accounts no longer earn XP, Ranks, Skill Groups, item drops or Prime status through play time.
- Non-Prime accounts are restricted to Unranked, while Prime accounts may choose between Ranked and Unranked.
- Unranked matches are still formed with skill-based matchmaking, but they do not affect Skill Group and have no Skill Group party restrictions.
- Ranked matches are always with other Prime players, exclusively.
FAQ
How do I get a CS Rating?
Play Premier matches, either alone or with friends. Valve wrote this when it introduced CS Rating on Aug. 31, 2023.
Do I need Prime Status to appear on a CS2 leaderboard?
Yes. Steam Support wrote that players without Prime Status are not eligible, and Prime players need to be in the top 1,000 of their region while playing Premier.
What happened to Competitive Skill Groups on Jan. 21, 2026?
Valve adjusted the underlying per-map rank values and expired existing per-map Skill Groups. They are displayed again once the player obtains the required number of wins.
Can I pick my regional leaderboard or change my leaderboard name?
No to both, according to Steam Support. The region follows the servers you play on most, and an approved name stays locked for the rest of the season.
How long is a Premier match?
Valve wrote in August 2023 that Premier has a maximum of 24 rounds in regulation, with a six-round overtime in case of a tie.