Counter Strike: Global Offensive has one of the most complicated ranking systems in multiplayer gaming. Although the meaning and hierarchy of each of the different ranks and levels is quite simple, how these ranks are earned is a closely guarded secret. Since the game's release in 2012, Valve has refused to reveal any details about how players earn their ranks. Luckily, the eight years since the initial release has allowed plenty of players to do some trial and error to get a good overall feel for how the system works.
Ultimately, the goal of any ranking system is to match people of equal or similar skill sets, so everyone has a good time. It doesn't always work because of things like smurfing, players bringing in experience from other games, or new players who happen to be good, but Valve's convoluted approach to their rating system helps solve some of these problems. Another reason it's so hard to figure out how to rank CS:GO is because it makes the game more fun. If players don't know how the ranking system works, they can focus more on just having fun rather than ranking. Luckily, after eight years of playing, a few tricks have been found to help new players rank up.
Earn more rounds – Use MMR to your advantage
It sounds redundant, but there are plenty of multiplayer games where ranks are earned through experience. In games like these, players can gain ranks even if they lose, which means there could very well be someone who has reached the highest possible rank in a game without actually gaining a single game. CS:GO is not one of those games.
While many popular games over the past decade use an ELO system for ranking, CS:GO uses a heavily modified GLICKO-2 system. If you don't know what that means, that's fine; no one else either. In short, this system uses a lot of math with a bunch of variables to create an MMR or Match-Made ranking value. This value is basically a sliding scale that is based on your skill level and determines your rank. If you win more games, your MMR increases, and conversely, if you lose a bunch of games, your MMR will decrease. In CS, you need to earn more rounds to rank up, and if you lose too many, your rank will drop. Fortunately for new or average players, and unfortunately for world-class players, MVPs and your K/D do not affect ranking, what matters are wins and losses.
The problem with MMR is that it's a double-edged sword. Along with the specific MMR value, you are also assigned an MMR range. The range varies with each match you play to encompass the ranks available to you. If you stay in a rank for a long time playing the same way or in the same skill level consistently, your MMR range will decrease, making it harder to move to the next rank and requiring more kills. If you play more inconsistently, matching different skill levels and changing ranks often, the range will increase, making it much easier to gain and fall ranks.
Play with friends
The upside of this system is that if you have a lot of friends playing CS:GO, you have a clear advantage. Usually, when playing solo, you only play with other players who are within five ranks of you. This is not the case when playing with a full party of five. If you're in a group, you can take on higher ranked players, but teamwork still gives you a huge advantage. Working as a team, even with little coordination, is much more effective in competitive multiplayer games than playing with a bunch of randoms. Esports teams can be proof of that; top esports teams communicate and coordinate effectively to win against other teams. This is also the case with CS. Even if you team up with only one or two friends, you can still communicate and work together better than an opposing team full of randomness. This leads to more wins, higher MMR and therefore higher rank.
It is practice makes perfect
This mantra has warmed over the course of one's life, but is still very much true when learning a new set of skills like the ones needed to improve. CS:GO. There are several great ways to train and improve CS, both in-game and out-of-game.
Play more to the death both competitively and against your friends. Playing Deathmatch as a warm-up or practice can help sharpen your awareness. Unlike other game modes, deathmatch is a free-for-all game. It's every player for themselves, so the only way to do well in the game type is to develop an awareness of the map and learn to follow where other players are and what they're doing. The best part is that many of the tricks other players use in Deathmatch, they will also use in other game modes so you can copy effective tactics and learn to avoid the most popular and used ones. This skill can easily be transferred to team play, allowing you to use the map to your advantage and stay informed of what your teammates are up to. Be careful, however, to promote good habits. In deathmatch, it's easy to fall into the habit of "spray and pray" where you shoot anything that moves. In team play, your teammates also move and won't appreciate being killed by friendly fire.
Aim Lab is a free utility available on Steam that is explicitly designed to help people practice for multiplayer games. It is essentially a virtual shooting range where players can practice a wide range of shooting and movement skills. It comes with several presets designed to make the platform look like popular multiplayer games, including CS:GO, Overwatch, PUBG, and Rainbow 6 Siege, among many others. Aim Lab can even test your shooting ability to find out where you need to improve. It rates abilities based on six stats, including speed, perception, accuracy, cognition, and scanning. It also has plenty of drills to target any skill you want to work on, including sniping, flipping, and reaction shots. The most popular drill is the spider shot, which focuses primarily on flicking but balances the other five skills quite well. The rig can be customized pretty much however you need to be able to practice any shooting skills you want to work on.
Check your gear - hotkeys and mouse sensitivity
Most players stick with the game's default hotkeys, but you can change them however you like. This is something you should take advantage of. If the key you're using to throw a grenade doesn't feel comfortable, or you instinctively catch yourself pressing another key instead, change it. This can reduce your reaction times, which can make a big difference during chaotic matches. While it doesn't help your reaction time, being comfortable does help the gameplay as a whole. Experiment a bit and choose what works best for you.
Your mouse sensitivity can make a huge difference in gameplay and should change depending on your style of play. Many modern gaming mice like those made by Razer and Corsair allow you to change your sensitivity on the fly. If you're not sure if your mouse can do this, try checking the owner's manual on the manufacturer's website. For simple FPS playback, you generally want higher sensitivity. Higher sensitivities allow you to quickly switch views to check your blind spots and track opposing players. The problem with higher sensitivities is that it can be hard to get used to at first and learn to shoot accurately. This is where Aim Lab or Deathmatch comes in handy. Use spider shot with progressively smaller targets to get used to the sensitivity, then try it out in Deathmatch once you're confident with your performance in Aim Lab. Setting goals like “get 3 headshots this game” can also push you to improve.
While higher sensitivity is essential when playing Assault Rifles and other close to medium range weapons, the reverse is true for Sniper Rifles like the AWP. When zooming in on a sniper rifle, a lower sensitivity is preferred. Instead of using the quick hotkeys common when using assault weapons, ranged play tends to require smaller adjustments to get the perfect hit. Using high sensitivity can mean that you can try to make a slight adjustment and end up pointing directly at the ground.
Know your style of play
This is hard to accept for many of us. We all want to play a certain way, but just because we want to do something or really like doing it doesn't mean we're good at it. If you're really desperate to rank, find out what works and what doesn't. If you have really fast reaction times and charge the opposing team well, ditch the AWP and go for an MP7 or similar close-range weapon. If you're useless in a charge but are very accurate and make quick adjustments in a minute, a sniper rifle might be the best choice for you. If you feel most at home fending off the other team but probably couldn't hit a stationary flowerpot, grab a negev and spray while your team deals with any distracted opposition.
