How to Start Playing CS2: Beginner’s Guide [2024]

The game industry continues to grab the interest of young and adults. It becomes easier to find a suitable game among the various genres. For sure, CS2 has been popular for many years and doesn’t lose its relevance even nowadays. The game’s increasing popularity attracts players from all over the world by its unique and beloved structure of the online mode.

However, several lovers of online shooters find starting to play CS2 in 2024 complicated and don’t know how to begin. They think it’s going to be difficult for a beginner. Therefore, let’s understand, is it too late to start playing CS2 in 2024? What essential aspects should the players be aware of before downloading a famous game to their Steam accounts?

The Gameplay: How Do I Get Started With CS2?

Novice players should understand several essential aspects about the structure of online mode in CS2. The CS2 tips, gathered after years of learning the gaming process, become helpful and build a foundation of a successful start.

Learn About The Online Modes

Many gamers doubt that the CS2 gaming process is limited only by the competitive mode. It is a misunderstanding because the developers added more to bring fun and enthusiasm with various concepts of confrontation between 2 CS2 roles – counter-terrorists (CT) and terrorists (T). They are the following.

Matchmaking (the competitive mode)

It is the most popular one with a maximum of 30 rounds to be played with 5vs5 confrontation. After the first 15 rounds, the CT and T teams are switched up. Each round lasts 1 minute 55 seconds and has several scenarios of ending. Therefore, the counter-terrorist team wins if:

• the bomb wasn’t planted by the T side, and all the T team was dead.
• the bomb was planted by the T side but was defused.
• the T team didn’t plant the bomb during the round, and at least 1 player of the CT team was left alive.
• the hostages are rescued.

The T side has fewer ways to win the round, which usually causes more play difficulties by the terrorists. In matchmaking, the role of terrorists is to plant the bomb onto 1 of 2 availiable plants – A and B (as well as 2 spawns of hostages). The terrorist team wins if:

• the bomb wasn’t planted, and each player of the CT team’s died.
• the bomb was planted and exploded.
• the hostages are not rescued, and all players of the CT team are dead.

The game ends when one of the teams has 16 rounds won, or the 15:15 situation appears on the board. The specific map pool for matchmaking is available.

Wingman

It is the 2vs2 confrontation, which is the shortest variant of matchmaking. It has a maximum of 16 rounds (1 minute 30 seconds each) with the same winnings scenarios as the previous one. The game takes place at the shortened maps with only 1 place to plant the bomb availiable. The confrontation ends after one of the teams wins 8 rounds.

Classic Mode

A maximum of 20 players can be on the server – 10 players in each of the teams. Like the Wingman mode, only 8 rounds are enough to become a winner in the game. The rules of the game are the same as in the matchmaking mode.

Danger Zone

It is a new mode, which has similarities with battle royale mode in other popular games. The 16 players is a maximum of solo mode, and 18 players can be on the map in the case of duo mode. The players can choose the place where to start their battle. The playing zone continuously narrows, which forces players to come closer to each other. During the game, the players can pick up weapons, ammunition, medications, etc. Only 1 team of 2 players in duo mode can become a winner, and only 1 player wins in solo mode.

Arms Race

The game consists of only 1 round, where each player has an unlimited number of “lives”. After each death, the player spawns with a new weapon. The winner of the “Arms Race” mode is the player with more kills than the others.

The Variety Of Maps To Get Started With CS2 In 2024

A big map pool is available for practically each of the listed modes and is an important aspect of CS2 tips. Several maps belong to the “Duty pool” and are the most popular among the players and are used in CS2 tournaments. They are the following:

• Dust II;
• Inferno;
• Mirage;
• Overpass;
• Nuke;
• Vertigo;
• Ancient.

The matchmaking maps are usually changed seasonally and contain different maps from the listed pool. Speaking about the popularity of the maps, due to the statistics of 2021, the most popular maps in matchmaking are:

• Mirage – 31,4% chose it in 2021.
• Dust 2 – 19,4% played on it.
• Inferno – 18,8% of players enjoyed it this year.

The Ranking System

It is an essential aspect in CS2 in 2024, full of assumptions and riddles. No one knows how the ranks are given to the players, but such a system is a basis of a gaming balance between more than 20 million players worldwide. After playing the first 10 matchmaking games, the novice player gets his primary rank, which is upped or reduced due to his gaming statistics. In competitive mode and wingman the ranks are following:

• Silver – there are 6 categories, starting with Silver 1 and ending with Silver Elite Master.
• Gold Nova – there are 4 categories, starting with Gold Nova 1 and ending with Gold Nova Master.
• Master Guardian – there are 4 types: Master Guardian 1, Master Guardian 2, Master Guardian Elite, Distinguished Master Guardian.
• Legendary Eagle – Legendary Eagle and Legendary Eagle Master.
• Supreme Master First Class.
• The Global Elite.

The ranks in Danger Zone are different, but the system of their appropriation is similar to the Wingman and competitive mode ones. Additionally, we offer a guide on how to advance in ranks if you’re interested in learning more.

The Interface: How Do I Get Started With CS2?

After learning about the gameplay and choosing to start, you need to make the game interface the most suitable for your inquiries. It will help to get rid of inconveniences during the game and bring more comfort to the game. Therefore, you need to install the following options:

• The aim – style, color, and size determine your comfortable shooting during the game.
• The weapon position – find out if the left or right position is more comfortable for you.
• The label size – choose the most suitable size of labels, which may not distract you from the game.

You may also set other individual characteristics, which perfectly supplement the gaming process, in the options.

How Do I Get Started CS2 With Skins?

The skins of the weapons in CS2 can perfectly supplement the gameplay and bring more pleasure to play. They can be dropped after the game, after opening the cases, or after trading between the players. The skins have different prices, from 0.1$ to 8,000$. The skin’s class and quality usually determine the price. The classes are the following:

• Consumer grade – common.
• Industrial Grade – uncommon.
• Mil-spec – rare.
• Restricted – mythical.
• Classified – legendary.
• Covert – ancient.
• Contraband – immortal.
• Exceedingly rare.

The quality of the skins is also divided into 5 categories, which determine the external attributes of the skin. The best category is “Factory New”, while the lowest is “Battle-Scarred”.

The popularity of CS2 online roulettes also grows increasingly. It is a website where the skins are dropped from the custom cases, which are less expensive than in the Steam market. Skin.Club is online roulette, which attracts people through unique events and wonderful communities. More than 2 million CS2 players have already chosen it.

Your Journey into CS2: Getting Started as a Beginner

Starting to play in CS2 in 2024 can be tough at first, but it’s also exciting. You’ve learned how to get better, from practicing offline to joining real games. It might take a while to get really good, but that’s okay. Remember, every game you play is a step forward. With time and practice, you’ll become an expert. So, don’t worry if you’re not amazing right away. Enjoy the game, celebrate your wins, and keep getting better. You’re on your way to becoming a pro CS2 player!