Players don’t simply play CS2 matches for “fun,” as they can receive additional rewards every time they complete an official match. When players finish a match, they will gain experience points which will be used to increase a player’s profile rank.
Increasing the profile rank is a good idea for active players, as they will receive a Weekly Care Package every time they level up once a week, which contains free item drops that can be sold on the market for funds. Additionally, having a high-level profile rank can boast your passion and dedication to the game, which other players can see.
In this guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the EXP system and how you can maximize EXP gains in CS2.
Understanding EXP and Levels In CS2
The idea of gaining EXP in CS2 is very simple. You will automatically earn EXP points for every match you complete, but these matches must be official ones that are played in Valve servers, so playing on community servers or offline won’t count.
The amount of EXP points received after completing a game comes down to multiple factors, but to put it simply, it usually depends on your individual performance or your team’s overall performance. The game mode you are playing also plays an important role, as the EXP calculations are different for each mode.
The game will automatically accumulate EXP points you receive after every game, and once you have achieved enough to go to the next level, the game will notify you that you have leveled up to the next profile rank.
The highest profile rank level achievable is Level 40, which could take months of work to obtain. Once you have reached the highest level, you can trade it for a Service Medal, which can be displayed on your profile. After getting the Service Medal, your level will be reset to Level 1.
What Is The EXP Gain For Each Game Mode?
The amount of EXP a player gets at the end of a game is mostly influenced by the player’s performance throughout the specific match. However, the EXP gain calculation is different for every game mode in CS2, since the objectives of most modes are entirely different from others.
Some game modes reward EXP by simply calculating how many kills a player gets, while others also take into account the rounds won throughout the match. Let’s go over how the EXP points are calculated for every game mode in CS2.
Arms Race
The EXP calculation for the Arms Race is as follows.
| 1.0 * Score |
The Arms Race game mode features free-for-all gameplay, so you’re pretty much on your own. Since there is no team-based aspect, your EXP points will be calculated based on your ending score, which can be accumulated by getting kills in the Arms Race game mode.
Casual
The EXP calculation for Casual is as follows.
| 4.0 * Rounds Won |
The Casual game mode follows a round-based system, meaning teamplay and team success are crucial for gaining EXP. The EXP you receive is based on the number of rounds you win in the game multiplied by 4. So, if your team wins 5 rounds, you will get 20 EXP points. Overall, Casual is probably the most inefficient game mode for grinding EXP, and we recommend against it.
Competitive / Premier
The EXP calculation for Competitive or Premier is as follows.
| 30 * Rounds Won |
The Competitive and Premier modes are the most popular game modes in the game, and they give a hefty sum of EXP points. Similar to Casual, EXP is earned depending on the number of rounds won, but this time, multiplied by 30. So, your individual performance isn’t too relevant when looking for EXP points, so make sure to become a team player!
Though the multiplier seems attractive, Competitive and Premier games can take up to an hour, which can be very time consuming.
Deathmatch
The EXP calculation for Deathmatch is as follows.
| 0.2 * Score |
Similar to Arms Race, Deathmatch is a free-for-all game mode, so again, you’re on your own. The Deathmatch EXP gain depends on your score, which is obtained by getting kills. So, during Deathmatch games, make sure to do your best and try getting as many kills as possible. Make sure to sit up straight and try using your most comfortable weapons!
Wingman
The EXP calculation for Wingman is as follows.
| 15 * Rounds Won |
The Wingman mode is very similar to the Competitive and Premier modes, but instead of 5 versus 5 gameplay, you are playing 2 versus 2. So, rounds in Wingman mode naturally end faster than Competitive and Premier, allowing you to fit in more matches in a session. However, the multiplier for rounds won is halved at 15.
Which CS2 Game Mode Is The Best For Getting EXP?
Generally, it is widely considered that Deathmatch is the best game mode for farming EXP points quickly. Compared to all game modes, Deathmatch games take up the least amount of time, as these matches have a maximum length of 10 minutes. As a result, you can get 6 Deathmatch games in a one-hour session, while you would likely only fit one Competitive or Premier match in the same duration.
However, you must keep in mind that the EXP gain calculation for Deathmatch mostly comes down to how many kills you get in the game, so make sure to try your best to farm as much EXP as possible from every Deathmatch game you play.
If you are an experienced player with good knowledge of most weapons in CS2, you can also use the bonus weapons to get more points per kill, which will in turn give you the maximum EXP gain possible.
EXP Bonuses and Penalties
Though the concept of earning EXP points seems pretty straightforward, there are also EXP bonuses and penalties you should be aware of.
Weekly EXP Bonus
Players can get weekly EXP bonuses every 7 days, which is a pool of 5,000 EXP points that players can receive after finishing a game. The first 3,500 EXP points will be awarded as a bonus for 3x the amount of EXP the player earns in the specific match, while the remaining 1,500 EXP points are rewarded as a 1x bonus. Once a total of 5,000 bonus EXP points are received by the player, the weekly bonus no longer gives further points until it resets next week.
EXP Penalty
However, if you were planning to spend an entire week grinding EXP points, you must know about the EXP gain penalty.
When a player earns too many EXP points during a week, the game will impose a reduced EXP multiplier, leading it to cut down the amount of EXP gained after the match. Here is a table to visualize its impact.
| Approximate EXP Gained Per Week | EXP Multiplier |
| Less than 4,500 EXP | 4.0 * EXP Gained (1x Earned EXP + 3x Weekly EXP Bonus) |
| 4,500 – 7,500 EXP | 2.0 * EXP Gained (1x Earned EXP + 1x Weekly EXP Bonus) |
| 7,500 – 11,167 EXP | 1.0 * EXP Gained (1x Earned EXP, No Weekly Bonus) |
| 11,167 EXP+ | 0.175 * EXP Gained (Negative Multiplier) |
As you can see, players will get the weekly EXP bonus for the first two stages of weekly EXP gain. The third stage gives you a neutral multiplier, meaning there are no bonuses or penalties, but the final stage is where your EXP gain is severely limited, with a negative multiplier of 0.175x.
How To Maximize EXP Gain
Now that we’ve gone over the secrets of the EXP system in Counter-Strike, let’s review what we’ve discussed and share with you some of the best tips to maximize your EXP gain.
Make Use Of Weekly Bonuses
We talked about the weekly EXP bonus earlier, and it is definitely the most important factor to take into account when looking to grind EXP points. This means you must play every week to maximize the weekly bonuses. Aim for consistent play instead of fitting more matches on one week than the other.
Play Deathmatch Or Short Game Modes
As we’ve touched on above, we recommend playing Deathmatch, as it is the most effective and efficient game mode for gaining EXP. You can also play other short game modes such as Arms Race to fit in more matches in your sessions. Competitive and Premier mode has a lot of down time since you’ll be waiting for rounds to end even if you’re dead.
Focus On Winning Rounds In Competitive Mode
If we recall, round-based game modes such as Competitive, Premier, and Wingman give players experience solely through round wins, meaning individual performance does not matter in the slightest. Make sure to become a useful team player instead of an eco fragger who rushes down to get easy kills, as you will gain the most experience by contributing to round victories.
Improve Your Individual Performance
Aside from round-based game modes, the other modes reward you through score, which is usually determined by how many kills you get. In other words, it entirely comes down to individual performance. So, becoming a good CS2 player won’t only make the game more enjoyable, but it will also help you farm EXP at a rapid pace.
However, you must again remember that there is the EXP penalty if you’ve accumulated too many points in a week, so once you see it kick in, it isn’t worth continuing to grind until the next week begins.