We have the ultimate guide on how to play the CS2 Arms Race.
On Feb. 7, 2024, Valve released the first major Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) update, officially adding the fan-favorite game mode Arms Race! If you didn’t play Arms Race in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) or you just want a refresher course on how the “gun game” mode works, we’ve got you covered!
Let’s take a deep dive into Arms Race, including how to play the returning game mode, the available maps, tips on winning, and other details such as gun rotation, max players, and match time limit.
How To Play Arms Race In CS2
For those new to CS2, we’ve got some quick instructions on how to start playing Arms Race game mode:
- Launch Steam and update CS2 to the latest version.
- Run CS2 and always ensure you have the latest graphics card drivers.
- Click on “Play” at the top-middle of your screen.
- Select Matchmaking and then Arms Race.
If you first want to practice against bots, select “Play,” then “Practice,” and then “Arms Race.”
Once you enter a server, you can enjoy the fast-paced game mode where players race through a selection of CS2 weapons. Arms Race is all about proficiency with many guns, and the ultimate goal is to be the first player to get two kills with each weapon.
All Arms Race Maps
The two CS2 Arms Race maps should ring a bell for longtime players—Shoots and Baggage. However, in CS2, they’re back with a new coat of paint and look better than ever after being rebuilt in the Source 2 engine. These iconic maps still feature their symmetrical design, so neither team has an advantage.
In Practice mode, you can choose which of the two Arms Race maps you want to play against bots. But when you choose Matchmaking, the map you get to play on is random.
There is always a chance that developer Valve could add more Arms Race maps, but we don’t recommend holding your breath. Why? Because it seems unlikely that we’ll see more official Arms Race maps in 2024. That said, community-created maps should start flowing in soon!
CS2 Arms Race Time Limit & Details
In public Matchmaking, there is a 10-minute time limit for the CS2 Arms Race game mode. That’s more than enough time in our experience, as one player generally makes it to the Golden Knife and gets a kill in seven minutes or less. If you want to increase the time limit, though, you can navigate to Private Matchmaking, invite some friends, and set the time limit to whatever you wish.
There are six players on each side in an Arms Race match. Friendly fire is disabled, and team collision is off, which means you can run right through your teammates and don’t have to worry about accidentally killing them. Respawns are instant, making this a fast-paced game mode. There are also no buy menus, and no money is spent or earned. It’s all about making your way through the gun rotation first.
CS2 Arms Race Gun Rotation & Levels
Every player in Arms Race aims to get through all 16 gun levels before anyone else on the server. Every player starts with the same gun at level 0. Once you kill two enemy players, you move up to the next gun level. The match begins with the Auto Sniper Rifle and then the AWP, followed by Assault Rifles, a machine gun, some SMGs, pistols, and shotguns.
The rotation is random. For example, some matches will see all players get the Scout (SSG 08) at level 10, but other matches may give players a Revolver at level 10. However, the 16th weapon is always the Golden Knife. The first player to get one kill with the Golden Knife wins the Arms Race match.
5 Tips To Win Arms Race In CS2
We’ve compiled five tips to help you claim some wins in Arms Race.
Don’t Panic
This is a chaotic game mode, and the closer you get to the finish line, the more you’ll feel your nerves kicking in. The most important tip we can give you is to not panic. Arms Race is a fun game mode meant to test your proficiency with all weapons, which means you should take it too seriously. Just enjoy the experience and remember: you won’t lose your CS Rating.
Read The Map
The faster you can spot an enemy, the quicker you can progress through the gun levels. Keep a close eye on the minimap to spot enemy indicators, moving to the action as soon as possible. Use a knife to run faster and swap back to a gun just before you arrive at your destination, ready to open fire!
Practice With Your Worst Guns
Some CS2 players couldn’t hit the side of a barn with the Scout or struggle to claim kills with a shotgun. If you are stuck on some gun levels in every match, you should practice with those weapons against bots in Deathmatch.
Eliminate Competition
In a scenario where you and another player are dominating the competition, you may want to employ a bit of a sneaky tactic and take away some of your primary opponent’s progress. If you kill a player with a knife or the Zeus x27 (levels 1 to 15), they lose one portion of progress. The downside is that you’ll waste time if you cannot get a knife or Zeus kill!
The Final Kill
Take a deep breath when you reach level 16 and have the Golden Knife in hand. The final kill is the most daunting of them all. To score the final kill and win the Arms Race, we recommend placing yourself in tight spaces with some verticality—like the stairs! Placement is the key to success, because you need to surprise your opponents to get that final knife kill.
Always keep these tips in mind when you play Arms Race in CS2. Remember, this is not a serious and competitive ordeal where you can lose your CS Rating or drop down on the leaderboards.
Put Your Arms Race Skills & Knowledge To The Test
Armed with our tips and insights into this game mode, we hope you’ll have a leg up on the competition the next time you fire up CS2. Just like with any mode—and any competitive game for that matter—keeping calm is the key to success as you work your way toward the Golden Knife.
And your Arms Race success doesn’t have to end there! With increased knowledge of both the game mode and CS2 overall, you can feel more confident when placing a bet on CS2 right here at Thunderpick. But if you do feel like you need to learn more about the game, you can always read our in-depth CS2 betting guide.
Always practice Responsible Gambling and check out our latest promo offers and boosts. T&Cs apply. 18+ to play.
