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What is CS2 Premier mode, you ask? Well, anyone with a little bit of experience with Counter Strike’s competitive modes knows exactly how much it’s shaken up the game’s meta.
It’s not necessarily going to impact you heavily if you’re used to playing casual or just with your friends, however if you’re a competitive player there’s a whole other slew of changes to be aware of. The Premier mode was first introduced in Counter Strike Global Offensive a few years and it changed how maps were chosen in competitive.
Similar to how some MOBAs might have ban character phases, the Premier mode now puts up a ban phase which allows players to ban certain maps from the competitive mode. However, before you get stuck into ranked CS2, you’re going to want to have a look at our Counter Strike 2 tips.
CS2 Premier mode explained
Here’s an explanation of the Counter Strike 2 Premier mode.
Nearly 11 years on from the original release of CS:GO, it’s quite odd to see a new meta take the game by storm so late into the game’s release. With CS2, Premier mode will once again become the main competitive queue. Effectively, this means that if you’re seeking out the most hardcore, authentic challenge in Counter Strike – you should play Premier mode.
We’ve already had a look at what maps are in CS2, though we’re going to dive into how Premier mode actually works in Counter Strike.
How do pick bans work in CS2 Premier?
At the start of the game, there’s going to be a stage in which each team takes it in turn to ban a map until only one remains. The team that ultimately makes the final choice as to which map is played has their advantage levelled out by the fact that the opposing team selects which side to start from.
This makes the selection process fair, so at least either team gets a sense of agency here.
The selection process means that there’s going to be a much higher chance of uncommon maps to be selected. While Counter Strike’s competitive scene is particularly popular, most of its playtime is spent in Dust II. The Premier mode means that there’s a much higher chance of other maps being selected.
After playing ten matches in Premier Mode, you’re going to be assigned a Premier Mode rank. This rank resembles your performance in a range of maps, rather than a singular map, which should encourage CS players to try out and master a range of maps rather than just one.
We’re going to be keeping you updated on the latest regarding CS2 Premier mode. In the meantime, you might be interested in the best graphics settings for CS2, alongside the best CS2 settings.
