CS:GO - love it or hate it, it’s one of the most competitive FPS games in the world at the moment. If you’re reading this article, you probably already know what the game is about, and you’re here seeking to get better at it. Well, we have good news and bad news for you. The good news is that it’s possible to get better on this game, and the bad news is that it’s going to take a lot of time and effort.

While the tips below might sound easy, you should remember that everyone else who is succeeding on CS:GO, has already played several thousand hours. There is no shortcut to success on CS:GO, as the game is so complex on so many different levels. Even if you would be the best raw aimer in the world, you still don’t win all your games if you don’t know how to play as a team. At the end of the day, it’s team based game where the team is only as good as their weakest player.

Tip 1 - Practice makes perfect

We just told you that it’s team based game, but you still have to perform on an individual level, if you want to get better at CS:GO. First thing you should try to improve is your aim. If you don’t kill other players in the game, you are quite literally a useless teammate. On the other hand, if you are a good aimer, you’re still really valuable, even if your teamplay skills are bad.

Honing your aim to perfection is a road that will take you literally forever. To get better at aiming, you should, well, aim - A LOT! This cannot be done if you just play competitive matches, as the repetitions aren’t there. Download aim maps and start practicing, and you’ll notice improvements almost immediately.

Tip 2 - Don’t be toxic

Believe it or not, CS:GO community is one of the most toxic communities in the gaming world. You will notice this when you play more, so having a thick skin is pretty good trait to have if you want to play CS:GO. The best thing to do for toxic players is just to mute them. Don’t argue, don’t say anything, simply mute them and keep on playing. Usually the toxic ones are also below average at playing, so don’t let them drag you onto their level. Focus what you are doing, and put your emotions aside. Cool, calm, collected - it’s the recipe for success.

If you go with the toxic players and start to argue with them, the whole team is affected and will probably lose their focus. This will obviously lead to losses, and that’s not what we want!

Tip 3 - Watch demos

Watching demos is a good way to improve. Yes, it’s time consuming, but it will make you a better player. You can instantly see what mistakes you are making, and when you eliminate those from your game, you will automatically improve. This is something many industries and individuals are doing outside of gaming as well, since watching yourself making a mistake is the best way to make sure it’s not going to happen again. A good example of this is the gambling industry, where the casinos without registration (in Finnish, these are called kasinot ilman rekisteröitymistä) are constantly trying to gather feedback of their previous actions, and making sure they will not do the same possible mistakes again.

Tip 4 - Learn how to use your utilities

One of the biggest mistakes you can make on CS:GO, is to ignore the importance of utility usage. It’s a very strategic game, where games are being lost and won by correct (or incorrect) use of utilities. This might require a team effort to get it down, but eventually, if you do your part, your teammate will probably do his. Learn how to throw flashbangs and smoke grenades, and you will notice that it’s way easier to get frags when you have the element of surprise with you.

Tip 5 - Watch the pros

Watch how the pros do it, and try to recreate it. You’re not going to have Shroud’s aim immediately watching him, but you can definitely pick some things up if you play close attention to the pro players of CS:GO scene. Twitch or YouTube is a good place to start, as there are literally thousands of hours of free footage on professional level Counter Strike. See what the traits are for every pro, and try to compile a certain playstyle you could mimic.

Remember, not all of us are entry fraggers or AWP’ers - sometimes it's ok to be just a support or a lurker!