Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is one of the most popular competitive first-person shooter games. The game features a ranking system that matches players of similar skill levels for competitive play. In this in-depth guide, we will explain everything you need to know about CS:GO ranks.
Overview of CS:GO Ranking System
CS:GO uses the Elo rating system to rank players. After winning 10 competitive placement matches, players are given an initial rank ranging from Silver 1 to Global Elite. Ranks indicate a player’s skill level and are adjusted dynamically based on the outcome of competitive matches.
There are 18 total ranks in CS:GO divided into the following tiers:
- Silver (Silver 1-4)
- Gold Nova (Gold Nova 1-3)
- Master Guardian (Master Guardian 1-2)
- Distinguished Master Guardian
- Legendary Eagle
- Legendary Eagle Master
- Supreme Master First Class
- Global Elite
Here is an overview of each tier in the CS:GO ranking system:
Silver Ranks
Silver ranks are the lowest tier in CS:GO. Players in Silver still have a lot to learn and tend to exhibit inconsistent gameplay. Silvers may have decent aim but lack game sense and the ability to work as a team.
- Silver 1
- Silver 2
- Silver 3
- Silver 4
Gold Nova Ranks
The Gold Nova tier represents the beginning of intermediate skill levels. Gold Novas have better aim, map knowledge, and communication compared to Silvers. However, their gameplay can still be inconsistent.
- Gold Nova 1
- Gold Nova 2
- Gold Nova 3
Master Guardian Ranks
Master Guardian is the middle tier of CS:GO ranks. Master Guardians demonstrate solid gameplay abilities including aim, teamwork, and game sense. However, they still struggle with consistently at higher skill levels.
- Master Guardian 1
- Master Guardian 2
Distinguished Master Guardian
Distinguished Master Guardian (DMG) is the gateway rank to advanced skill levels. DMGs have excellent aim and reflexes. Their weakness is strategy and adaptability against better opponents.
Legendary Eagle Ranks
The Legendary Eagle ranks represent highly skilled players that excel in nearly all aspects of CS:GO. They have precise aim and thorough map knowledge. Legendary Eagles are capable of using advanced tactics and adapting to opponents.
- Legendary Eagle
- Legendary Eagle Master
Supreme Master First Class
Supreme Master First Class players are among the best CS:GO players. Their skills are comparable to professional players, but they lack the full consistency of the top tier. Few deficiencies remain in their gameplay.
Global Elite
Global Elite is the highest skill group in CS:GO and the top percentile of all players. Global Elites exhibit professional-level skill in aim, reflexes, game sense, teamwork, and tactics. However, they may still fall short against top professionals. Only approximately 1.5% of all CS:GO players ever achieve Global Elite rank.
Rank Distribution
The distribution of CS:GO players across ranks follows a bell curve, with the majority concentrated in the Gold Nova and Master Guardian tiers. Here is the approximate distribution of players in each rank:
- Silver I & II – bottom 11%
- Silver III & IV – next 14%
- Gold Nova I & II – next 21%
- Gold Nova III – next 18%
- Master Guardian I & II – next 15%
- Distinguished Master Guardian – next 9%
- Legendary Eagle – next 7%
- Supreme Master First Class – next 3%
- Global Elite – top 1.5%
The average rank in CS:GO is estimated to be Gold Nova II or III. Achieving Legendary Eagle makes you better than around 85% of CS:GO players.
How Ranks are Determined
Many factors go into determining your CS:GO competitive skill group and rank. Here are the key points:
- Winning and losing matches: This is the most basic factor for increasing or decreasing your Elo rating. Generally, winning matches will rank you up while losing matches will rank you down over time.
- Individual performance: In addition to round wins, your personal performance stats (kills, deaths, MVPs, etc.) affect the speed you rank up or down. Even if you lose, playing well can slow your descent.
- Opponent ranks: Defeating higher ranked enemies yields more Elo points than beating similarly ranked or lower ranked opponents. However, losing to much lower ranks penalizes your rating heavily.
- Score difference: Lopsided victories and narrow defeats affect your rating differently. Dominating wins boost your rating significantly while close losses mitigate rating drops.
- MVPs: Your MVP (most valuable player) count in matches also factors into your rating changes. Getting more MVPs speeds up rank increases.
- Consecutive wins: Winning multiple matches in a row results in bigger rating changes than winning isolated matches. Win streaks help you climb ranks faster while losing streaks tank your rating.
In summary, your performance, win rate against given opponents, and win streaks are key determinants of rank changes.
Rank Decay
CS:GO ranks are subject to decay if you do not play regularly. Here are the factors that cause rank decay:
- Not playing any competitive matches for 4 weeks or more
- Inactivity will cause your rank to decay by a maximum of 6 ranks
- Decay can only affect ranks above Master Guardian I
- Lobbying with highly skilled players slows rank decay
To prevent rank decay, you must play at least one competitive match every 3-4 weeks. Otherwise, you risk losing your hard-earned rank if you take long breaks from CS:GO.
Trust Factor
Trust Factor is an additional matchmaking system introduced by Valve to CS:GO in late 2017. It works alongside ranks and aims to provide a more holistic evaluation of players.
- Trust Factor incorporates aspects like playtime, reported suspensions, and Steam activity
- High Trust Factor players are matched together for more positive experiences
- Low Trust Factor players only get matched with similar low scores
A high Trust Factor leads to more enjoyable games and fewer cheaters/griefers. Maintaining high Trust Factor is important alongside your skill rank.
Rank Icons and Medals
CS:GO rank icons appear next to your username on your profile and leaderboards. Each rank has a unique icon and name displayed based on your current skill group.
In late 2018, Valve added Skill Group medals that display your current and peak rank achieved. There are medals for the highest rank earned in:
- Competitive matchmaking
- Wingman mode
- Danger Zone battle royale
Displaying your Skill Group medals publicly showcases your accomplishments in CS:GO’s ranking system.
Tips for Improving Your Rank
Here are some tips to help you improve your skill group and rank up faster in CS:GO:
- Play often – Play regularly to improve muscle memory and prevent decay. Frequent matches mean more opportunities to gain rating.
- Focus on improving – Don’t worry too much about your rank. Keep focusing on improving your skills and winning will follow.
- Review your gameplay – Watch your old matches to learn from mistakes and identify weaknesses to work on.
- Practice aim – Use aim maps and workshop scenarios to improve mechanical skills. Precision aiming is critical for winning fights.
- Learn spray patterns – Master spray control for all main weapons. Good spray skills separate average and great players.
- Coordinate team play – Proper teamwork and communication gives a huge advantage. A cohesive team beats solo play.
- Keep positive mentality – Don’t be discouraged by losses or bad teammates. Stay focused on your own performance.
- Learn from better players – Watch high-level matches and pro streams to pickup advanced tactics.
With a combination of smart practice, reviewing play, and persistence, ranking up in CS:GO is achievable for any motivated player.
Rank Achievement Rewards
As you progress up the CS:GO ranks, you will unlock rank achievement rewards such as medals, trophies, and collectible pins.
Competitive Skill Group Pins
When you earn a new rank, you become eligible to purchase an exclusive CS:GO pin representing that rank:
- Silver, Gold Nova, and Master Guardian pins cost $15 USD
- DMG, Legendary Eagle, and Supreme Master First Class pins cost $17 USD
- The Global Elite pin costs $20 USD
These collectible pins let you show off your rankings and look great on backpacks, jackets, hats, etc.
Operation Rank Medals
During special operations and events, you can earn medals for attaining certain ranks:
- Bronze – Reach Private Rank 1
- Silver – Reach Private Rank 10
- Gold – Reach Private Rank 20
- Diamond – Reach Private Rank 40
Medals appear on your CS:GO player profile and showcase your dedication during operations.
Rank Display Cases
As you earn medals, they are displayed in commemorative cases:
- Weapon Case – Displays Medals and Pins
- Challenge Case – Shows Operation Challenge Coins
- Campaign Case – Displays Operation Campaign Medals
- Rank Case – Shows Skill Group Rank Medals
- Package Case – For Collector’s Packs and Patches
- Trophy Case – Showcases Tournament Trophies
Cases allow you to organize and present your rank rewards and CS:GO accomplishments.
Ranking Up: Is it Worth It?
Achieving higher CS:GO ranks requires significant time and dedication. But is it worth the effort to climb from Gold Nova to Global Elite? Here are some pros and cons:
Pros of Ranking Up:
- Sense of achievement by reaching higher skill levels
- Matches against and with higher skilled players
- Learning better tactics and playstyles
- Gain social status and recognition
- Unlocking cool rewards like pins and medals
- Opportunity to play in leagues and tournaments
Cons of Ranking Up:
- Requires tremendous time commitment
- Can encourage excess competitiveness and toxicity
- Higher-ranked matches have more cheaters
- Minimal tangible benefits beside bragging rights
- Matchmaking can be unbalanced and frustrating
Overall, pursuing higher CS:GO ranks is a personal choice. For some, reaching their dream rank is highly rewarding and worth the grind. Others prefer to stay at lower ranks where they can play more casually and avoid try-hards. There are merits to both approaches.
Common Rank Frustrations
While a well-designed system overall, CS:GO ranking can still be frustrating at times for players. Here are some common complaints:
- Smurfs – High-skilled players on alternate accounts dominating lower ranks
- Cheaters – Hackers progressing quickly and unfairly
- Stuck Rank – Feeling unable to progress past a certain rank
- Toxic Teammates – Players who give up, grief, or bully
- Rank Decay – Losing your rank from not playing
- Unbalanced Matches – Poorly matched games due to low population
- Lucky Rank Ups – Players that somehow overachieved their rank
- Loss Streaks – Extended defeats tanking your rating
Dealing with these rank frustrations tests your patience and mentality. Try to focus on your own performance and finding good teammates to queue with. Maintaining perspective is important so rankings don’t stress you out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many competitive wins to rank up?
There is no fixed number of wins required. Typically it takes 7-15 consecutive wins to rank up depending on your performance. However, the Elo system is complex and rank ups can seem unpredictable. Focus on consistently playing well rather than chasing rank ups.
How to rank up fast in CS:GO?
- Master spray control and aiming
- Learn utility usage for each map/site
- Work on movement, especially counter-strafing
- Play with friends instead of solo queuing
- Adopt positive mindset and avoid tilt
- Consistently win matches in a row
- Earn MVP awards and high K/D ratios
How to get out of silver/gold nova/etc?
The fundamentals for escaping any lower rank are similar:
- Improve your aim to win more duels
- Focus on your crosshair placement
- Practice CS:GO’s main mechanics and skills
- Learn proper positioning, angles, and covering
- Watch your own play to fix mistakes
- Queue with friends/teammates for better coordination
Developing your skills and game sense will steadily rank you up over time.
Is there rank decay in CS:GO?
Yes, you will experience rank decay after 4 weeks of inactivity below the Master Guardian I rank. Decay can reduce you up to 6 ranks maximum. Play one competitive match every 3-4 weeks to maintain your rank.
Can you derank on a win?
No, it is impossible to derank directly after a win. However, it is possible to rank down after a victory if a previous loss took time to register in the ranking system. So you may rank down coincidentally after winning.
Key Takeaways:
- CS:GO uses the Elo rating system and has 18 competitive skill ranks
- Ranks range from Silver 1 to Global Elite and reflect your skill level
- Winning and losing ranked matches affects your rating and rank
- Individual performance also factors into rank calculations
- Consistently winning against higher ranks yields bigger gains
- Not playing for 4+ weeks causes rank decay below Master Guardian I
- Achieving new ranks unlocks rewards like collectible pins
- Try focusing on improvement rather than your rank itself
- Teamwork, aim, game sense and a positive mentality help ranking up
Conclusion
CS:GO’s ranking system provides meaningful progression for players seeking to test and improve their competitive skills. Understanding how ranks work and the effort required to progress in CS:GO gives players realistic goals to strive towards. While ranks can be a source of frustration at times, they ultimately enrich the competitive experience and prestige for those who achieve higher skill tiers. Reaching new heights like Global Elite represents tremendous dedication and mastery for CS:GO players.
