Need to know if you can squeeze in the extra game before you’re off to work? For that, you need to know the Counter-Strike 2 match length.
Valve has changed some of the game rules for Counter-Strike 2. Previously, the game was a very long commitment, with a maximum of 30 rounds to be played. If you play on third-party matchmaking sites like FaceIT or ESEA, these games could move into overtime and extend indefinitely.
Valve’s changes include a reduction of the total rounds down to 24 from 30 and a singular overtime in the official Premier games that brings it back up to 30 rounds. As the round times haven’t changed, this has reduced the overall game time. The change was initially met with criticism by die-hard fans, but as things settled, it seemed like a move in the right direction.
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How Long is a Counter-Strike 2 Match?
For Premier matchmaking, a Counter-Strike 2 match length is around 34 minutes on average, as calculated by Leetify. The total number of rounds has decreased by 24. So, games, where you stomp the opponent, will end quicker, but close games will still be almost as long as a regular CS:GO match.
Why Does the Counter-Strike 2 Match Length Feel Shorter?
Don’t worry, you aren’t being paranoid; CS2 games are indeed shorter. The average length of the game hasn’t gone down much, and the time on average is only 6 minutes shorter than in Global Offensive. So, why do games in CS2 still feel shorter? There are a few components that contribute to this.
Round Restart Delay
In Premier matchmaking, the round start and restart delay is only a few seconds. By default, your game will start in 5 seconds after every player has connected, compared to 1 minute in CS:GO. This reduces some significant time between the start and the halftime swaps
Max Rounds
Obviously, this is the most significant change. Games now end at 13 at first, while a singular overtime will take it to 15-15 at maximum. In reality, games rarely end at 15-15 or close to overtime. On average, only 20.4 rounds are being played, which translates to a score of around 13-8. This also significantly reduces time.
In short, you are rarely going to play a game that reaches the upper limit of 40+ minutes. The change, while initially divisive, is actually being welcomed by the community. While players still feel the economy should be tweaked, the game length shows Valve is taking CS2 in the right direction.
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