win.gg
Win.gg Counter-Strike How do the ranks in Valorant compare to ranks in CSGO?

How do the ranks in Valorant compare to ranks in CSGO?

M Alzamora
M Alzamora Published 13/09/2020

Valorant has three more ranking sections than CSGO, meaning that in theory, its ranks can be more accurate than CSGO’s.

Rank is important to any competitive video game, and esports’ biggest first-person shooters are no exception. As Valorant’s audience grows and CSGO struggles with both a pervasive exploit issues in professional matches and accusations of matchfixing, casual players are paying more attention than ever to the kinds of ranks that games offer.

CSGO offers a grand total of 18 ranks, meaning that the playerbase is split into 18 distinct sections that represent a player’s skill. But Valorant, Riot Games’ popular competitive shooter, has 22. Simply put, Valorant’s ranking system more room for accuracy when distributing its players in its expanded system.

WIth more ranks, Valorant could be more accurate than CSGO

In effect, this means that Valorant’s rankings can be more accurate than CSGO’s simply because it has more categories. If a system takes a list of ten players and distributes them across five ranks, then there is the possibility that two players in the same rank can have skill levels that aren’t as close to one another as the rank makes it look like they are.

If a system takes those same 10 players and distributes them across 10 different ranks instead of five, the ranking system becomes more accurate. More ranking options means Riot’s system has more room to account for the differences between players.

CSGO Ranks

Valorant Ranks

With the addition of more ranks, Valorant’s ladder has more choices for where it puts players, and once dialed in may actually be a more accurate ranking of a player’s skill than CSGO’s long-running ranking system.

Complaints surrounding Valorant’s ranked ladder have come from far and wide since its release, but it’s not easy to create a system that can precisely place millions of players.

It will take time. The math that determines a player’s competitive rank takes many games to determine, meaning that the opening months of Valorant’s competitive scene may see some wacky matchups in pickup games until the ranking system is dialed in.

Until then, players should give Riot’s system the time it needs to do the hard math.

M Alzamora M Alzamora
About M Alzamora

There are few things that writer M Alzamora loves more in life than Pokemon. And there are even fewer things that she loves more than her favorite Pokemon, Eevee. But M’s appreciation for gaming isn’t just limited to Nintendo’s famous pocket monsters. She’s interested in every type of game across every genre of gaming, and she has the credentials to prove it. M’s work has also been seen on Working Classicists and gaming sites.

View full profile
Read Also
Team Vitality vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Counter-Strike
Team Vitality vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Owen Harsono We have a clash of titans in the StarLadder StarSeries Fall consolidation final, as Team Vitality will take on FURIA for a grand final spot. Both teams have shown signs of shakiness throughout the event, so expect some scrappy Counter-Strike. Here are our Team Vitality vs FURIA predictions. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs – Lower Bracket Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: These ...
MOUZ vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Counter-Strike
MOUZ vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Owen Harsono MOUZ are set to take on FURIA in a do-or-die match in the $500,000 StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 lower bracket. Both teams have already suffered losses at the event, but we believe one team is in much better shape than the other. Here are our MOUZ vs FURIA predictions for September 19. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: MOUZ ...
StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026: Teams, format, schedule, and prize pool Counter-Strike
StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026: Teams, format, schedule, and prize pool Owen Harsono Top-tier Counter-Strike is back on the menu with StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. It’s not a 16-team tournament with every top team in attendance, but it’s still bound to entertain us for a solid four days. Here’s everything you need to know about StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. Tier 1 Counter-Strike lands in Spain again for the first time in a while, with only eight teams in attendance. StarLadder StarSeries will be ...
Team Spirit vs Team Falcons at BLAST Open Fall 2026: best predictions and picks Counter-Strike
Team Spirit vs Team Falcons at BLAST Open Fall 2026: best predictions and picks Owen Harsono We’re in for a treat, as the BLAST Open Fall semi-final will feature a matchup between Team Spirit and Team Falcons, with the winner booking a spot in the grand final. It’s a battle between the world number one and number two, so this is a match you definitely don’t want to miss. Here are our BLAST Open Fall Team Spirit vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: BLAST Open Fall 2026 ...
Is CS2 Dying in 2026? Counter-Strike
Is CS2 Dying in 2026? Owen Harsono Counter-Strike is one of the longest-standing esports franchises, having built a loyal fanbase over the course of two decades. However, if you’ve browsed through social media platforms across the past few months, you might have seen people claiming that the game is dying or on a steady decline. Below we’ll take a look at why people are talking about this and answer the question of “is CS2 really dying?” One ...
The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 News
The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 Ben Boland The 2026 Esports Nations Cup has been suspended until 2027. The Esports Foundation announced the delay on August 18, citing ongoing regional uncertainty. The inaugural competition was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising over 100 national teams and featuring 16 different games, including League of Legends. According to the Esports Foundation, this decision follows ongoing developments in the region and consultation with key stakeholders. Moving the event ...
MLBB is the most-watched game from the EWC, and it’s hard to see another game beating it Esports Betting
MLBB is the most-watched game from the EWC, and it’s hard to see another game beating it Michael Hassall The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially passed its midway point and viewership figures for the tournament have surpassed many expectations so far, as per Esports Charts. The viewership tracking site revealed new statistics for the event on Aug. 6, showcasing just how many games had set new records in viewership, including one name leading the way in views: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. MLBB leads the viewership charts with the ...