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Which rank plays the most CSGO in 2022?

Fariha Bhatti
Fariha Bhatti Published 07/03/2022
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Silver players take their Counter-Strike: Global Offensive rank very seriously. New stats show which rank plays the most CSGO and when players quit official Matchmaking.

In 2022, CSGO remains the most tactically advanced game, making ranking up a tall order. Learning lineups, understanding the economy, and tackling skilled enemies are just a few challenges to name. Valve’s FPS is a complex shooter that requires dedication and patience. But Silver players are impatient and eager to rank up. 

New stats by Leetify show that SEMs (Silver Elite Masters) spend the highest amount of time playing ranked games. Surprisingly, the matchmaking (MM) duration is inversely correlated to ranks. As players rank up, they tend to queue less in MM. 

While SEM players love to grind ranked, Gold Nova players average the highest amount of players in ranked matches across all sub-tiers. It’s worth noting that Gold Nova is also the most popular CSGO rank with 8.65% of the player base. So it makes sense how most players in competitive lobbies belong to gold ELO. 

Why do high-ranked players not play CSGO MM? 

According to Leetify stats, Global Elites and other higher ranks like to avoid official MM. It’s likely because they’ve peaked perfection, and there’s no point in grinding more.

But, Leetify shows that while these Global elite players may not queue in MM, they still play CSGO religiously. The time spent by low and high-ranked players is pretty much the same as Global elite players often switch to third-party platforms like Faceit that feature a skill ladder. The monthly hours of Global elite players could also be from aim routine and warm-up as FFA and DM are the go-to for all serious players. 

Many professional and serious players dislike the MM due to the poor skill level and game meta. MM can be tough to tackle due to its questionable anti-cheat and non-serious participants. This may be why higher-ranked players avoid MM after acquiring the top badge. MM still serves as an excellent stress-buster for skilled players who end up opening high ranks. 

Is Faceit better than CSGO MM?

Most CSGO players end up quitting MM in favor of Faceit and other third-party platforms. Leetify stats confirm that as players develop game sense and skill, they stop playing the official MM.

These stats also shine a light on when exactly these players quit MM for external platforms. As soon as players hit Master Guardian, their MM hours fall off. Since hours played across all ranks don’t vary much, it’s evident that higher-skilled players don’t entirely leave CSGO. Their MM games drop as they rank up, but playtime remains almost the same. 

This data is quite interesting as it depicts official MM as the secondary medium for dedicated players. Instead of MM hours going up, players tend to move away from built-in queues. It was common knowledge that CSGO MM doesn’t offer the most enjoyable gaming experience, but these stats further strengthen the notion. 

Fariha Bhatti Fariha Bhatti
About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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