How To Become A CS2/CSGO Analyst

CS analysts are professionals who analyze CS gameplay, strategies, performance, and statistics – often for a living. Their role is all about providing valuable insight and evaluations of matches, frequently being hired at major events to provide their analysis before each match is played. A few examples of respected analysts in the current CS2 scene are Pimp, Maniac, and Moses.

Becoming a CSGO/CS2 analyst is first and foremost about having extensive knowledge of the game, and understanding player perspectives and strategies while also being able to translate that information into relevant analysis. Many analysts also initially take on the role as a caster, or player before becoming an analyst. Regardless, here are a few steps you can take on your path to becoming a CS analyst!

Step 1. Develop Game Knowledge

The first step is to develop a deep understanding of how the game works. This includes everything from economy and mechanics, to weaponry and maps. You’ll need to play the game a lot to develop an understanding of how the game plays first and foremost. It’s not uncommon for players to spend thousands of hours improving their gameplay, and the importance of playing the game extensively yourself before becoming an analyst cannot be understated.

While the core of the game is fairly simple, long-time players have reached an extremely high level both mechanically and strategically. You’ll need to watch a ton of demos and pro-match VODs to observe high-level play and learn from it. It’s important to process and understand why professional players make the decisions they do.

Step 2. Practice Analysis

You’ll need to learn how to analyze data to be a good CS analyst. Utilizing tools like HLTV.org to analyze statistics regarding player performances, team history, map statistics such as win rates/pick rates, player transfers, and much more. Studying the numbers to learn how each team performs and what they are good at, is crucial to being a good analyst. You’ll need to stay up to date on the available data as well to provide a clear and relevant picture of the data. 

You’ll also want to analyze common gameplay strategies in-game such as default setups, executes, retakes, pistol-round strategies, decisions like when to eco vs. when to buy, and more – for each map in the active duty map pool. Understanding the strategic depth that Counter-Strike brings is absolutely crucial.

Step 3. Build A Portfolio

Once you have a good understanding of the game and the data behind it, starting a blog can be a great way to showcase your analysis skills to the world. You can write for existing websites and provide them with articles where you conduct a breakdown of CS matches, highlights, and strategies, perform player reviews, etc, or you can even start your own blog.

You can also take the same written content and convert it into video content that you can post on your personal YouTube channel, or do live analysis and breakdown content on streaming platforms such as Twitch.tv, for example. Building an audience can help bring your analysis skills to light, and could eventually lead to someone in the esports space seeing your work and giving you a chance to analyze in the professional space.

Step 4. Network

Like many other industries, networking is a huge part of the business. You’ll want to make sure to utilize social media to the fullest by following professional players, analysts, and casters on platforms such as X (Previously Twitter). You can also join discussions on various Reddit threads about CS, and provide your analysis and personal take on the situation. You could also join various Discord groups related to CS, and provide your analysis there.

Social media networking is just one part of the puzzle however, as you’ll also want to attend LAN events and Majors to meet industry professionals and learn more about the industry. Meeting the talent in person and establishing a relationship can open up opportunities and provide you with valuable connections within the CS and esports community.

Step 5. Gain Experience

When starting off as an analyst, you may need to volunteer your work to various amateur / semi-pro organizers and tournaments, in order to get your name out there and build credibility. It will take time to create a reputation for yourself as a respected, trusted and competent analyst. Try to approach smaller events and see if they’re willing to give you a chance before moving onto bigger events and tournament organizers.

Step 6. Remain Up To Date

It’s critical as an analyst to remain up to date about all the changes in the professional Counter-Strike scene. Watch events, play during big and small game updates, read patch notes, etc. There are almost always ongoing counter-strike events, roster changes, game patches, and player transfers, sometimes even map rotations – all of which you need to not only know about but also have a strong understanding of. 

Your role as an analyst is to provide insight that the average player or consumer of the game might not be aware of, and doing so in a way that makes you appear knowledgeable and in touch with the competitive scene. In order for you to truly shine in this role, it’s also important to seek and embrace feedback with open arms, and also be willing to admit when you are proven wrong either by a team/player’s performance or perhaps from your own inconclusive analysis. You should also consider seeking out content from analysts you respect and attempt to learn from them.

As we conclude this brief article on the many skills it takes to become a CS analyst, let’s take some time to summarize what we’ve gone over. 

The role of a CSGO/CS2 analyst plays a critical role in esports, especially competitive shooters such as CS. By providing their in-depth game knowledge, analytical skills and more, using their unique ability to communicate this information in a simple way, it opens the game up to a wider audience so the esport can thrive and continue to grow. Players can learn about the game’s history, gameplay and even current strategies and teams from analysts while watching major events and broadcasts, which as a result opens the esport up to a variety of audiences. 

Additionally they can work with teams to provide valuable insights on how they can improve their gameplay, often working alongside a coach to utilize the information in their practice matches, and competitive online/LAN matches. As an analyst you can provide an outside view of the game, often backed up by statistics and data that players cannot see during their matches. This makes you a truly invaluable asset to a professional CS team.

At the end of the day, the role of a CS analyst is a difficult role to fill and requires a lot of grinding to make happen. However, if you work hard and establish good connections along the way, we’re certain that you too can become a professional CS analyst like the ones you look up to – Good luck!