How to Unlock Premier CS2: Buy Prime, hit level 10

To say that Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive game is an understatement. Players dedicate thousands of hours in the pursuit of taking their game to the next level. For the majority of CS2 players, that means queueing up in the Premier mode of CS2 matchmaking and fighting tooth and nail to get the best possible ranking.

However, Premier is not immediately available upon launching the free-to-play version of the game, leaving many players unsure how to access the game mode. 

In this guide, we’ll tell you how to gain access to Premier and what to expect from the Premier mode when you play.

CS2 Premier mode is the ‘premier’ competitive form of Counter-Strike available in CS2. The mode’s main benefit is that it is the closest experience to pro-play available in Valve’s base game. 

It’s a 5v5 bomb defusal mode that utilizes the competitive map pool used in the professional Counter-Strike circuit. The mode also echoes the competitive scene in being MR12 (Max Round 12 in a half, 13 rounds to win) and featuring overtime if the teams are inseparable.

The mode features an Elo-ranking system, where players are assigned a ‘CS Rating’ after ten wins in Premier mode, denoting their skill level. Once you have completed your placement matches, you will be free to compete against players of similar rank to improve your rating.

Counter-Strike 2 includes several game modes by default – Premier, Competitive, Casual, Wingman, Arms Race, and Deathmatch. But while other game modes are included in the free version of the game, players will have to purchase ‘Prime’ to access Counter-Strike’s Premier mode. 

Cost: $14.99 on Steam

As well as unlocking Premier, Prime gives players access to a character rank, weekly drops where they get to choose two of four items to be added to their inventory, typically choosing between a case, two weapon skins, or an in-game spray. Drops unlock on Wednesday and can be earned when players reach their next profile level.

Additionally, Prime status means players will queue against other Prime member players, regarded as more trustworthy by the community due to the investment in the account.

While Competitive only requires new players to play a small amount of Deathmatch, Arms Race, or Casual to play, Premier requires the player to reach character level 10 in order to participate. 

Players can earn XP upon completion of any matchmaking mode game. However, reaching level 10 can take time, especially for new players, so it’s recommended to focus on modes that grant consistent XP, like Deathmatch or Casual. Additionally, using XP boosts, such as the weekly bonus, can significantly speed up the leveling process.

Reaching character level 10 to unlock Premier in CS2 doesn’t correspond to a specific number of games, as XP is dependent on the mode and how well you perform in each mode. 

If you want ot unlock Premier as quickly as possible from a fresh account, we recommend playing Deathmatch until you unlock Competitive, then playing Competitive until level 10. This will both unlock Premier quickly and familiarize you with the maps and game mode you will be playing in Premier.

If you cannot access Premier after purchasing Prime and reaching Level 10, first double-check that you have reached the required level and you are connected to the internet. 

If you have checked that, confirm that your Prime status is activated. This will be visible in the game, and you will be able to see your rank. 

If Prime is not activated, your transaction may have failed. You can check this at the account purchase history, where you can also cancel the failed transaction if necessary, allowing you to repurchase Prime without being charged twice.

If Premier mode is still greyed out after you have confirmed the above steps, you can check that Valve CS2 servers are active. If all else fails, you may need to contact Steam’s customer service for support.

Once you’re in, it’s time to learn how to play Premier CS2 and how it differs from the competitive mode. 

Premier and Competitive matchmaking are similar, each offering 5v5 MR12 ranked matches with the same economy, and team damage enabled. But players should be aware of the key differences between the two modes. 

Firstly, Competitive matches end in a draw at 12-12, whereas Premier allows for Overtime. During Overtime, the first team to reach 16 rounds will be the winner, but if the score reaches 15-15, the match will simply end in a draw.

Another notable difference between the two modes is that Competitive includes inactive maps like Overpass or Vertigo, as well as hostage maps like Italy or Office. 

Premier only utilizes the seven bomb defusal maps included in the ‘Active Duty’ map pool, currently Ancient, Anubis, Dust2, Inferno, Mirage, Nuke, and Train.

To select which of these maps is played in a match, Premier uses a veto system where the two teams vote as individuals to select the map on which the game will be played.

The process goes as follows:

Teammates can discuss the maps they wish to ban in the Team Chat on the veto screen.

Lastly, it is important to note that your CS2 Premier rank is based on in-game seasons – currently Season Two. While Premier’s first season lasted from September 2023 to January 2025, Valve has communicated that Season Two will come to an end after the conclusion of the Austin Major, ending on June 22. 

Players who win at least 25 matches in the season will be given a special medal that can be displayed in-game, so make sure to get your wins in before that date, so you don’t miss out.

Before queuing up in Premier, players should remember that Premier is the premium competitive gateway for the majority of Counter-Strike players. As such, they expect their teammates to communicate and work together throughout the match. 

Counter-Strike’s most vital currency is information. Quickly passing along the knowledge that your enemies are playing certain positions can be the difference between winning a round cleanly or losing it messily, so be a good teammate and speak up.

Additionally, players should try to get familiar with all the maps in the active pool before queuing. Unless you are playing with friends, there is no guarantee what map the veto will result in, so make sure to learn the main spots on every map and what spots on each map are called by the community to give you the strategic edge in Premier.

Once you have won 10 Premier games, you will receive your placement ‘CS Rating,’ an Elo-type measurement. In comparison to Competitive’s ‘Silver’, ‘Gold Nova,’ or Global Elite’, CS Rating numbers may seem very abstract, but Counter-Strike’s Premier dashboard can help you understand what your rank means. 

The screen displays your win percentage and what percentile of CS players you are in, labeled as ‘%Rank.’ For example, if your %Rank is 20%, you are in the top 20% of Premier players – roughly corresponding to 15,000 Elo.

If you want to know what Competitive rank equates to what Premier Elo, you can find that information on ESI’s CS2 rank guide.

If you feel your placement CS Rating doesn’t reflect your skill level, you’re not alone, but don’t worry. You can grind your way up by winning.

You can gain a lot of Rating by winning matches, gaining more by defeating tough opposition with players of superior ratings. Likewise, you lose Elo from your losses, facing harsher punishment when losing to less-skilled players. 

Regardless of the result, Elo will be distributed after the match based on the result and the relative strength of each team, meaning you can lose or gain small amounts of Elo for a draw.

So that’s all you need to know before you and your friends enter the world of CS2 Premier. It’s meant for very competitive players, so try your best and be a good teammate, but as always, remember to have some fun. 

After all, it’s just a game.