Explaining why CS2 players, fans are mad about Valve’s VRS

Valve removed the RMR qualifying system from CS2 majors and began using VRS instead, but this has caused controversy and both players and fans in the community are upset about it. Here’s why.

The CS2 majors are the biggest and most reputable tournaments that are looked forward to by players and fans alike each year. Valve sponsors them and they include big prize money and a sense of accomplishment for the winners at they beat some of the best Counter-Strike players in the world along the way to major championship glory.

In October 2024, news was leaked about significant changes Valve would make that could affect qualifications in majors. The 2025 CS2 majors moved away from the RMR qualifying system in favor of Valve regional standings. While it was predicted that this shift might make rewards more consistent, the community has expressed frustration at how the VRS has played out in reality.

MOUZ coach claims VRS is pulling players down

Tobias “TOBIZ” Theo shared that he believes Valve’s use of VRS is limiting the potential of new players and teams by not allowing newer players the same opportunities as older, more established veteran players.

Theo tweeted that future CS2 superstars are being created but VRS has made things harder for these players in particular. Tobias stated it would take longer for fans to see the next prodigies because of how VRS works. He elaborated that new teams have to go through an open qualifier that decides their standing. If they lose a single and potentially volatile best-of-one match with MR12 rules, they’ll have to wait a long time for another attempt.

The MOUZ coach continued that even the best teams can struggle and this can make things significantly more difficult for them as well. He said that Valve may have good intentions but the company’s decision to use VRS in CS2 tournaments is a real issue. The majors have become more closed, as opposed to open esports tournaments where teams should only be limited by their abilities.

Tobias claimed fans will keep seeing the same teams competing against each other again and again, and few if any new teams will be able to enter under these rules. New squads will find it so difficult to climb the ranks that many likely won’t even try. Theo gave the example of Team Endpoint, the popular UK organization that has recently ceased its Counter-Strike 2 operations. The team’s official X post directly blamed the VRS for its inability to gain traction and the pause on its CS2 division.

Tobias Theo said he doesn’t have a solution for the issue but hopes something is fixed. He expressed his desire to see CS2 esports become an open sport again.  Not having a previous rank means new talents will not emerge.

Many fans have joined Tobias in his complaint. Having so much potentially come down to a single game that lasts less than hour doesn’t seem to be in the best of interest of the players or the fans. Whether Valve will actually do anything about these complaints remains to be seen, as the publisher and developer is infamously reticent to respond to community ire. Even if it does respond, some fans of the game wonder whether the company is capable of coming up with a better solution given the issues that exist with Valve’s VRS.