All Counter-Strike 2 Game Modes, Explained

Like its predecessor, Counter-Strike 2 offers a variety of game modes for players to try out. Whether you prefer to play Competitive to show off your skills or Casual for stress-free gameplay, you can find a game mode that suits your style. Below, you'll find a detailed overview of all the game modes featured in Counter-Strike 2.

Every Game Mode in Counter-Strike 2

There are six different game modes in Counter-Strike 2, each with its own rules and format. Here's a quick rundown of each mode:

Premier

Premier is a new matchmaking system introduced in Counter-Strike 2. It's similar to a pub ranking for players and serves as a step to pro for aspiring players. In Premier mode, players earn points for competing, and these points elevate them in regional seasonal leaderboards.

• The Premier follows the MR12 in which each half will have a maximum of 12 rounds, and a team must win 13 rounds in total to secure the victory.
• Players cannot choose the map or maps they want to play.
• Instead, a pick/ban system is used, where one team eliminates some maps, the next team eliminates some more, and the first team picks the map to play.
• In case there is a 12-12 draw, a six-round overtime will be played.

Related: How to fix CS:GO VAC Was Unable to Verify Your Game Session

Competitive

Competitive mode in Counter-Strike 2 is the standard 5v5 matchmaking mode, where players can pick the maps they want to play. Like the Premier mode, the competitive mode follows the MR12 format, meaning each half will have a maximum of 12 rounds, with teams needing 13 total to win the game. This mode does not have overtime, so the match can end in a draw.

Wingman

The Wingman game mode was first added to CS:GO in 2017 as a 2v2 event mode. It offers a more relaxed and casual gameplay experience contained in a bite-sized format.

Wingman is played on smaller maps, and players play in teams of two. The first team to win nine rounds wins the match, and if the match ends in an 8-8 tie, one overtime phase is played where the first team to get to 10 rounds wins.

Casual

Casual mode offers a less competitive experience for players who want to play in a more relaxed fashion. The game mode features a maximum of 20 players competing to secure eight rounds to be the winning team. Here are some basic rules of this game mode:

• Casual mode typically has ten players on each team.
• Unlike Competitive, Casual does not restrict parties from playing together on the basis of their current rank.
• Players automatically receive body armor and defuse kits in Casual mode.
• Each round is four minutes long, and the first team to win eight rounds wins the match.

Related: CS2 Launch Options & Config Commands

Deathmatch

In this game mode, the players' primary objective is to compete against each other to get the most kills. Deathmatch is played on the same maps as other game modes but is more of a practice mode. Players have 10 minutes on the clock to farm up as many kills as possible. However, players can respawn after death, and the one with the most kills at the end of the match wins.

Private matchmaking

Private matchmaking allows players to play with their friends or a group of players in a private match on Valve servers. Here's how to start private matchmaking in Counter-Strike 2:

• To start a private queue, players can click on the "Play CS2" button in the game's main menu and select the Private Queue option.
• Players can also create a new Steam Group for them and their friends to host a private match on Valve servers.
• Once players have a Steam Group, they can create a private queue match by using the player-generated queue code.
• Once all the players join the party, hit the Go button to kickstart the match.

For more on Counter-Strike 2, check out All Changes in Counter-Strike 2 – Tick Rate, New Maps, & Smoke Grenades on Pro Game Guides.