You think that your level of play is higher than in regular matchmaking, and your opponents are no longer surprising as before? Then this article is for you!
A large number of modern competitive CS2 platforms offer you an opportunity to play with players who are really interested in development. FACEIT is the most popular of these platforms. Here you can find real like-minded people who like esports and who want to develop in it.
What is FACEIT CS2?
FACEIT is a gaming platform that provides the ability to create competitive CS2games outside of Valve's established matchmaking/Premier system. This platform supports its own league system, and also supports a large number of games, including CS2. Let's try together to figure out what FACEIT offers to the average player.
On FACEIT you can:
- Play random games (5x5 matchmaking format);
- Participate in tournaments (1x1, 2x2, 5x5, professional tournaments & qualifiers, ex. ESEA League etc.);
- Raise your level of play and get into the professional league - FPL (FACEIT Pro League);
- Earn local currency, for which you can buy skins, partner's item or even gaming devices in a special store;
- Get to know players from all over the world, make friends, improve your communication skills.
Benefits of FACEIT for CS2 Players:
- Enhanced Competitive Environment. FACEIT provides a dedicated platform for players who seek a more competitive and challenging gaming environment outside of Valve's matchmaking system.
- Advanced Matchmaking. FACEIT utilizes its own matchmaking system, which often results in better balanced and more competitive matches.
- Competitive Leagues and Tournaments. FACEIT hosts various leagues and tournaments, ranging from casual competitions to professional-level events.
- Community and Social Features. FACEIT fosters a vibrant gaming community where players can connect with like-minded individuals, form teams, and compete together.
- Anti-Cheat Protection. FACEIT employs robust anti-cheat systems to ensure fair gameplay and maintain the integrity of competitive matches. This helps create a more trustworthy and secure gaming environment for players.
- Skill Development and Progression. Through its ranking system and detailed performance statistics, FACEIT allows players to track their progress, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and work towards improving their gameplay.
What do you need to start playing on FACEIT?
One of the most important features of the platform is the ability to use it for free - you don't have to pay subscription fees to play. However, the ability to use additional features in the form of a premium account gives you benefits that will make your game even more interesting.
In order to start playing on FACEIT, you need to go through several steps:
- Go to the platform website - faceit.com
- Click on the 'Register' button in the upper right corner of the page:
- Enter your email address or log in with Facebook (which will transmit your data to the system).
- Fill out the additional data form (nickname and some personal data):
3. Choose one of the games supported by the platform. In our case - Counter Strike 2 (this section can be configured later):
4. Connect your Steam account after selecting a game from the list.
5. Complete registration and download FACEIT Anticheat. Third-party anti-cheat provides a much more advanced security system and helps players to fully enjoy the game without cheaters.
To download the anti-cheat, click on the "Anti-Cheat Client" button in the lower left corner or follow the link - https://www.faceit.com/en/anti-cheat
If the anti-cheat is already running, just click on the corresponding 'Run' button in the window that appears:
After the anti-cheat is launched, the system will change the shield icon to green:
To play a regular 5x5 game on FACEIT, click on the ‘Play’ icon on the left side of the page in the ‘Matchmaking’ field - Competitive 5v5 (You can enable the Supermatch option or customize the map selection by clicking on the ‘Play’ button at the top of the page):
There are three game modes available here: Alone, In a group and In a team. Choose the appropriate one and go to play.
After the game is found, you will hear a beep and see a button confirming the game:
After accepting the game, you will be taken to the match lobby, where the captains can choose a map. Then you just need to connect to the server through the console or click on the 'Connect' button and do it automatically.
Increase your rank, win rate, and KDA in CS2
Levels, leagues and the ELO system on the platform
In order to divide the players according to the level of play and make the selection by the opponent as balanced as possible, the platform uses a certain system. This system divides users into levels depending on the level of their playing skills.
FACEIT distinguishes 10 levels of players, as well as a separate Challenger rank, which can be obtained after getting into the top 1000 best players with level 10. And the ELO points system determines the number of conditional points for each of them.
The ELO scoring system is a platform mechanism that uses conditional points for winning or losing a match and determining the level of a player.
You can go from one level only by winning matches and farming ELO points. Such a transparent system allows the player to track his progress on the platform at any time.
When registering on FACEIT, a player can expect several games that can significantly change the level of starting ELO points. Such games are called calibration games. Each subsequent game will be equal to an average of 25-30 ELO points. Depending on the balance between teams, the number of points may change. If players with a lower average ELO on the team win, they will receive more points, and players will lose that amount of points. Read more about CS2 Matchmaking system here ->
All FACEIT levels:
Increase your rank, win rate, and KDA in CS2
• Challenger (top-1000 players with level 10)
• 10 level (more than 2001 ELO)
• 9 level (1751-2000 ELO)
• 8 level (1531 — 1750 ELO)
• 7 level (1351 — 1530 ELO)
• 6 level 1201 — 1350 ELO)
• 5 level (1051 — 1200 ELO)
• 4 level (901 — 1050 ELO)
• 3 level (751 — 900 ELO)
• 2 level (501 — 750 ELO)
• 1 level (100 — 500 ELO)
Remember that at each level you may come across players of completely different levels, who, for one reason or another, cannot move to the next level. For example, a person with 3000 hours in the game can meet at both 3 and 10 levels.
Don't forget to analyze your in-game mistakes to get another level even faster. Check your performance on SCOPE.GG!
A piece of advice for you!
For even more comfortable games on FACEIT, play with friends or as a player of the whole team. This will help you navigate the FACEIT level ladder more efficiently.
What can help you to improve faster?
We have created a couple of things that helps you feel more confident in your FACEIT matches:
- Prematch Analytics by SCOPE.GG - the ultimate tool which helps you gain knowledge about how your enemies play before the match starts.
A lot of players don`t change their playstyle from game to game - you can see their weaknesses and utilise it.
slydeR
- Grenade predictor by SCOPE.GG - with this tool you can check any grenade without alttabbing your game.
All you have to do is to set your game client up for our feature. That`s it: if you need to remember how to throw any nade, you can do it as fast as possible without FPS drops.
SCOPE.GG
10 level FACEIT. What's next?
After reaching 2001+ ELO points, you have the opportunity to receive the Challenger title and continue your path to professional CS. To do this, you need to get into the top 125 best players with the Challenger rank. Every 4 months, the top 125 players (does not apply to FACEIT Pro League players) with the Challenger rank from each region (Europe, North America, and South America) receive an invitation to the FPL Proving Grounds - a tournament that replaced a familiar to many players Pro League Challenger - a semi-professional league of players.
Based on the week-long competition at FPL Proving Grounds, the top 30 players will be voted on by the judges (50% of the votes), the FACEIT community (25% of the votes) and the players themselves (25% of the votes). Only the top three players based on the voting results will have the opportunity to join the FPL - FACEIT Pro League.
FACEIT Pro League is the most prestigious existing pro-league in eSports, where professional CS2 players train and compete with each other. Each month, $50 thousand is awarded in the league, and many players get the opportunity to try out for a professional team. More than 50 players entered the professional scene after successful performances in the league.
FACEIT Premium Account
Premium account is the status of a player's account with a paid subscription to additional services from FACEIT. These services can be: access to premium matchmaking, additional options for matchmaking, the priority right to the role of captain, etc. The difference in the availability of these options determines the level of paid subscription.
Faceit Price - 4.17$ / Month or 7.99$/Month (Depends on the type of subscription)
There are two plans of subscription - Faceit Plus & Faceit Premium:
Each subscription type allows you to enhance your gaming experience on the platform with key features:
- The ability to choose maps by yourself (you can choose from 3 to 7 maps);
- Premium missions that can help you can earn FACEIT points;
- Blocking players in matchmaking;
- Free nickname change;
- Ability to use a new platform feature - Super Match
FACEIT Super Match
The complaints of many players competing on FACEIT were heard. Immediately after the release of Counter-Strike 2 in September 2023, FACEIT announced a new feature for the game on the platform - Super Match.
By using any of FACEIT's subscriptions (Plus or Premium) and playing 30 matches on the platform, a player can benefit from improved matchmaking for competitive play. The system limits solo play against parties of 3 or more players, sets a limit of 300 ELO points between two teams and, accordingly, avoids most of the negative aspects of the current matching system.
How does the verification passport system work in FACEIT?
The verification passport system in FACEIT is a straightforward process designed to enhance security and ensure the integrity of player profiles. Here's how it works:
1) Users have the option to verify their FACEIT accounts by going through a simple verification process.
2) During the verification process, players are required to submit a selfie along with an official identification document such as a passport or driver's license.
3) The submitted documents are carefully reviewed by the FACEIT team to confirm their authenticity and match the player's identity.
4) Upon successful completion of the verification process, a mark or badge is displayed on the player's profile, indicating that their account has been verified.
5) This verification mark serves as a testament to the player's commitment to fair play and contributes to creating a trustworthy gaming community.
While the verification process is currently optional for most users, players with suspicious accounts are required to undergo verification.
FACEIT has plans to make this verification method mandatory for participants in official FACEIT competitions, including open qualifiers.
It's important to note that players under the age of 18 cannot utilize the passport verification system at present. However, FACEIT is actively working on introducing an alternative profile verification method that incorporates multi-factor face checks. This alternative method will cater to underage users and individuals who prefer not to provide personal identification documents.
Disadvantages and advantages of FACEIT
It should be understood that the FACEIT competitive platform has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Let's try to highlight some of them.
Advantages of FACEIT:
- Improved server performance (compared to Valve matchmaking or Premium servers). Thanks to servers in various regions and constant support from the administration and moderation, FACEIT servers remain one of the best in competitive CS. Most tournament operators use FACEIT servers to run professional tournament qualifiers;
- The best anti-cheat of all existing platforms in CS2 (FACEIT anti-cheat uses an improved search mechanism for prohibited programs that could potentially be used by cheaters);
- The maximum number of interested players (this item significantly increases the level of the game and development opportunities);
- Chance to start an esports career after getting into the FACEIT Pro League or even without it;
- The ability to earn real and in-game currency (FACEIT points can be exchanged for skins, partner products and even a real gaming laptop).
- Quite logical and well-developed game selection system, as well as the ability to minimize skill variation using Super Match;
- Possibility of blocking players (this function helps you not to get caught with players you don’t want).
Disadvantages of FACEIT:
- Limitation of rights for free accounts;
- The presence of cheaters (unfortunately, even a perfect system cannot avoid the possibility of being hacked);
- A rating system that differs from Valve's official Premier rating system.
The FACEIT platform is a great way for a player to go all the way from an amateur to a true professional in the world of competitive CS2 and get a boost to start an esports career. The current trend proves that a huge number of eminent players (ropz, frozen, Bymas, flameZ, Lekr0 etc.) received their recognition precisely after recruits were able to notice their progress on the platform.
Train, join the leagues and improve your skill level. The higher you can advance, the higher your chance of breaking into real esports.
