Premier has become the primary ranked game mode in CS2. Many players aim to achieve high Matchmaking Ratings (MMR), but some struggle to queue matches with friends due to certain restrictions. If you’ve experienced this frustration, the information below will help.
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The Most Common Issues Why You Can’t Play Premier With Your Friends
Here’s a quick summary of the main reasons why you might not be able to play CS2 Premier with friends:
- Prime Status Upgrade
- Rank Difference
- MMR Difference
- Region Difference
Below are detailed explanations and simple solutions for each issue.
Expert Take
“If one friend has a much higher MMR, you’ll eventually hit a wall where you can’t queue together. Instead of getting frustrated, take it as a challenge to get better. Play more, learn from high-level matches, and develop the skills needed to close the gap. The stronger you become, the sooner you’ll be able to compete together in Premier without restrictions.” – Pawel ‘Biegan’ Bieganowski
Prime Status Upgrade
One common problem occurs when players haven’t purchased the Prime Status Upgrade. Premier mode is locked for anyone who hasn’t bought Prime Status. Even if this seems obvious, many players overlook this requirement. Make sure everyone in your party has purchased Prime Status before trying other solutions.
Rank Difference
Another common restriction is related to rank. Even if players have Prime Status, they must reach at least Rank 10 before accessing Premier mode. Newer players often don’t know this and can be left confused. Confirm everyone in your group has reached Rank 10.
If someone still needs to level up quickly, check out our article on the fastest ways to level up in CS2.
MMR Difference
Premier matchmaking has restrictions based on skill levels (MMR). Valve prevents players with significantly different ratings from queuing together. Check your group’s MMR to ensure the skill gap isn’t too large.
Region Difference
Regional ping limits also affect matchmaking. Players from distant locations might have ping settings that prevent finding matches together. For example, someone in North America with a maximum ping of 50 can’t easily queue with someone in Asia. Adjust the Max Acceptable Matchmaking Ping in your game settings if you’re playing with distant friends.
[RELEVANT: How To Get Better in CS2?]
Summary
| Issue | Why You Can’t Queue |
|---|---|
| 🟡 Prime Status | Players without Prime can’t access Premier mode. |
| 📈 Rank Requirement | Everyone must be at least Rank 10 to play Premier. |
| 📊 MMR Gap | Players with big rating differences can’t queue together. |
| 🌍 Region Ping | High ping differences block cross-region matchmaking. |
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Conclusion
These are the primary reasons why players encounter issues queuing together in CS2 Premier. Identify your specific issue above and follow the provided solutions to quickly start playing matches with your friends again.
