Want to play Premier CS2? You’ll need to spend $14.99 on Prime status and reach character level 10 to access this competitive mode. Premier CS2 stands at the top of competitive Counter-Strike gameplay. The game mode caters to dedicated players with its 5v5 bomb defusal format that matches the professional Counter-Strike experience.
The CS2 premier requirements are straightforward. Players must earn 5,000 XP to hit level 10. The next step involves winning 10 Premier matches to get your first CS Rating. Each match follows the MR12 format and takes about 34 minutes.
Some players offset the cost of Prime or in-game purchases by selling CS2 skins, which has become a common way to fund their experience while upgrading their inventory.
This piece breaks down the exact steps to get Premier CS2 access. You’ll learn what Premier CS2 offers and the number of games needed to unlock it fully. The mode features better anti-cheat protection and a color-coded ranking system that shows your true skill level. Ready to dive in?
What is Premier Mode in CS2?
Premier Mode brings professional tournament play to Counter-Strike 2. The gameplay here is more structured than casual matches, putting your skills and strategy to the test.
Players in Premier matches use a pick-ban system like in professional tournaments. Teams take turns to eliminate maps from the Active Duty pool until just one map remains. The second team to ban gets to pick their starting side.
The mode uses MR12 format (Maximum Rounds 12) with matches going up to 24 rounds. Teams that tie 12-12 play overtime until one reaches 16 rounds. Valve added this format to “reduce the number of uncontested rounds”.
Premier’s standout feature is its CS Rating system that shows your skill level on all maps with a number. You’ll get your original rating after playing 10 placement matches. This system is quite different from the traditional skill groups in Competitive mode:
- 1,000-4,999 points: Gray
- 5,000-9,999 points: Light Blue
- 10,000-14,999 points: Blue
- 15,000-19,999 points: Purple
- 20,000-24,999 points: Magenta
- 25,000-29,999 points: Red
- 30,000-35,000 points: Yellow
Premier uses a single rating to review your overall skill, unlike Competitive mode where you can pick specific maps and get separate ranks. This pushes players to master every map instead of just a few.
The Active Duty map pool in Premier has Mirage, Ancient, Nuke, Anubis, Inferno, Dust2, and Vertigo. These maps get regular updates from developers to keep matches balanced and competitive.
Your individual performance matters more in Premier. The CS Rating changes after each match based on wins, losses, and how well you played. So playing your best is vital even when your team loses.
Premier Mode gives players the closest experience to professional Counter-Strike in regular matchmaking, making it perfect for players who want serious competition.
How to Unlock Premier CS2
You need to meet two requirements and complete a calibration process to play Premier mode in CS2. Here’s what you need to do to start playing this competitive mode.
Step 1: Purchase Prime Status
CS2’s Premier mode requires Prime Status. You can buy it for USD 14.99 through the Steam store or in-game. Your account gets Prime Status right after purchase. Prime Status gives you more than just Premier access – you’ll get weekly care packages, XP earnings, and Competitive Skill Groups.
Step 2: Reach Profile Level 10
After getting Prime Status, you must reach profile level 10. You need 5,000 XP to level up once[71]. Here are the best ways to earn XP:
- Competitive mode: 30 XP per round won
- Wingman: 15 XP per round won[113]
- Casual mode: 4 XP multiplier on your score[113]
- Deathmatch: 0.2 XP multiplier on your score[113]
- Arms Race: 1.0 XP multiplier on your score
The weekly XP bonus should be your first target. You get a 5,000 XP bonus pool each week. The first 3,500 XP comes with a 3x multiplier, and the remaining 1,500 XP has a 1x multiplier. This bonus starts fresh every Wednesday.
Competitive matches give you the most XP consistently. If you like shorter games, try Deathmatch and Arms Race for quick XP gains.
Step 3: Complete Placement Matches
Level 10 players must play 10 placement matches in Premier mode. These matches set your original CS Rating. Your personal performance matters during placement – both individual contribution and match results shape your rating.
Getting into Premier CS2 takes a $14.99 investment for Prime Status and time to hit level 10. Think of this process as good practice for the competitive games ahead.
