MR12 is now confirmed for CS2, and while some fans are less than excited, even its biggest detractors will benefit from the change.

CS2 is imminent, with nearly all accounts in good standing accepted into the beta and every major map available to play. While most changes have been for the better, the switch to MR12 is quite controversial within the community. While there are plenty of reasons to miss MR15, the switch comes with a number of benefits that players may not realize at first glance. Here’s why Valve decided to switch to MR12 and how you, like it or not, stand to benefit.

The two most common reasons to support MR12 are player preferences and tournament convenience. Matchmaking data showed that newer players consistently preferred the shorter matchmaking option added in Operation Riptide. The reasons are numerous, but time and map commitment are the biggest ones. This system allows players to play CSGO when they otherwise couldn’t and explore maps they otherwise wouldn’t.

The second is for tournaments. Under CSGO’s MR15 system, best-of-five grand finals could infamously run well over five hours. MR12 would chop at least one hour off the worst-case scenario while greatly shortening the length of best-of-three sets and group stages. 

Those are the standard arguments for MR12, but the benefits for the average player go well beyond that. 

Why you will benefit from MR12 rounds in CS2

Even veteran players who despise MR12 have something to gain from the switch in CS2.  

The first hidden buff is for matchmaking time. Since players will be cycling through more matches, there will statistically be a larger pool of players to draw from at any given time. This is already true for CSGO’s MR9, which is working with a split player base. This will have an especially large impact on rarer maps like Office and Italy, which tend to host a small but dedicated community of players. 

Secondly, shorter matches will make it easier for players to grab their weekly drops and experience boosts. CS2 gamers who want their free drop will get it faster with fewer “wasted” rounds worth of experience. After reaching the weekly threshold, shorter games will also let you get disappointed by your lack of a Dragon Lore faster.

Lastly, the switch to MR12 will allow the average player experience to once again resemble professional play. In CSGO, more than half of all matches take place in a mode different from professional play. Any MR9 fan will tell you that it’s simply a different experience, with more explosive economies and more frequent buy rounds. By reaching a happy medium with MR12, Valve is once again establishing parity between CS2 esports and casual play.

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