CS:GO Danger Zone: All Available Ranks
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the biggest online multiplayer games today, with a daily player count of over a million on the Steam platform, despite the fact that it is more than a decade old. It has all the hallmarks of a great game… simple to get into, a large player base spread across the globe, a huge fan following with one of the biggest esports scenes, developers that have kept the game alive with updates and fixes, and most of all, being fun to play whether solo queuing or with friends in a team.
However, CSGO was faced with somewhat of an existential crisis from 2017 onwards with the launch of a new competitor on the scene called PlayerUnknown’s BattleGrounds, or PUBG for short. This new game brought with it a revolutionary new concept for a game mode. While every FPS fan was well aware of the popular Deathmatch and Capture the Flag type of game modes, PUBG introduced a Battle Royale style mode where you not only had to survive against the other players but the arena you were playing on as well.
Slowly, CSGO player numbers started to take a hit, and a significant section of the player base went over to try out the new offering. But Valve is not known for shying from a challenge, and soon came up with its very own battle royale offering, called the Danger Zone.
Danger Zone quickly rose to prominence among the community and six months after its release, Valve introduced a completely new ranking system solely designed for this game mode. In this article, we will list all the different ranks for Danger Zone and provide vital tips so that you can improve your game and get ahead of the pack.
The Danger Zone Introduction
Released on December 6, 2018, Danger Zone introduced the battle royale game mode to CSGO for the first time. Borrowing the primary concept from games that were solely built around this mode, Danger Zone merged it with the tactical gameplay and mechanics of CSGO, adding some unique elements which gave it a remarkably new feel.
Some of the major qualities of Danger Zone are that matchmaking is relatively quick, and matches are comparatively faster paced than those in similar games, usually lasting around 15 minutes. The game mode brought with it completely new maps for this purpose, which are larger and more open-ended compared to the regular maps in the competitive match pool. These maps are divided into hexagonal zones which also serve as drop locations at the start of the match.
Players can choose to take the solo route or be part of a two-man team. Each player starts out with a tablet which can be utilized to view the map and purchase items with money collected or earned during a match. Up to 18 players start out in a match, and the basic objective follows the pattern of any battle royale game where players scavenge for weapons and items in the early stages.
As the match progresses, the playable area shrinks, forcing players towards safer zones until a very small area remains, with the aim being to end as the last team or player standing. As you start to place in the top 3 consistently, your ranking starts to improve gradually. A detailed list of these ranks is given below.
All The Danger Zone Ranks
There are a total of 15 different ranks available in the Danger Zone game mode of CSGO, starting from the lowest which is Lab Rat 1, all the way up to the highest, which is The Howling Alpha:
| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| 1. | Lab Rat I |
| 2. | Lab Rat II |
| 3. | Sprinting Hare I |
| 4. | Sprinting Hare II |
| 5. | Wild Scout I |
| 6. | Wild Scout II |
| 7. | Wild Scout Elite |
| 8. | Hunter Fox I |
| 9. | Hunter Fox II |
| 10. | Hunter Fox III |
| 11. | Hunter Fox Elite |
| 12. | Timber Wolf |
| 13. | Ember Wolf |
| 14. | Wildfire Wolf |
| 15. | The Howling Alpha |
Danger Zone - How Does The Ranking System Work?
For much of CSGO’s existence, Valve has remained tight-lipped about its matchmaking and ranking system algorithms and how they work. The practice has continued to this day, and there are no official statements about factors that affect player rankings in Danger Zone. However, anecdotal evidence more or less points to a few different factors for ranking up, which may be as follows:
- Quality of competition: Matchmaking in Danger Zone is more randomized compared to Competitive Matchmaking, and you may encounter players who can be anywhere from the lowest to the highest rank. Placing above teams who are at par or above your skill level can get you to rank up faster while placing lower against less skilled players will get you deranked.
- Finishing in the top three: There is a high possibility that you will continue to rank up if you are consistently placed in the top 3, especially until the Hunter Fox Elite rank. At higher ranks, even placing 2nd or 3rd against lower-ranked opponents can get you deranked.
Tips For Ranking Up In The Danger Zone
The open-ended theme of the maps in Danger Zone ensures that players are free to approach a match according to a play style that they are comfortable with, as well as having the choice to switch at any time. Often, it becomes imperative to mix and match strategies at different stages of a match.
The variety of items at your disposal, ones that become accessible in the late stages of the game, your cash situation, weapons available, etc., can all have an impact on the result which makes it even more important for you to be on top of your game. Below are some tips that might help you survive longer and finish in the top 3:
- Find a good teammate to play with: Having a friend who you can communicate with properly will mean better coordination, which will help you to develop strategies and work together in synergy.
- Deploy next to your teammate: Once you have a friend to play with regularly, it is easier to communicate the deployment area for each map, leading to an early advantageous position which is crucial.
- Choose an effective deployment perk: Another key area that needs to be worked out beforehand is the choice of perk at the start of the match, and heavily depends on the context. For instance, it is usually a good idea to take the exploration or wave survival perks if you plan on playing the long game since they lead to a better cash position. However, a taser might be a better starting perk if you and your teammate are deploying in different zones and you will be deploying near hostiles. A taser can not just serve as a self-defense weapon, but also aid in opening a weapon crate to give you the upper hand.
- Effectively using the tablet: The tablet is a key factor in the Danger Zone and mastery over its use is a must. The buy menu options are varied, with some providing critical supplies like medishots and ammo which are always hard to come by and need to be replenished to supplement aggressive playstyles. If, however, you are focused on the late game, there are options that let you know the movement of the zone, more precise player locations, and more. The tablet is what tracks player movement on the map. and can also be used as a decoy. Knowing how, when, and what to use the tablet for plays an important role in the Danger Zone.
- Complementing your teammate: Once you have a good teammate that you regularly play with, your playstyles will over time start to complement each other’s. If one plays more aggressively, the other may play a more supporting role.
- Familiarity with the map: Having a sound understanding of the map you’re playing on is imperative since this allows you to use better judgment of where the final zone may be, the best route to take to get there while avoiding enemies, finding effective camping spots, and knowing which areas to deploy to, among other benefits.
- Pick your fights wisely: It’s not always the best idea to take a fight in the Danger Zone. For instance, if you are short on ammo, it’s better to conserve and save up money to buy more later. If you have an SMG or a Shotgun equipped, it’s better to avoid long-distance engagements. If you are faced with two opponents alone, it is better to run and hide than to take a fight.
- Use cover when moving: When moving around the map, be sure to hug the walls and move from cover to cover quickly in order to avoid becoming an easy target out in the open.
- Master the mobility package: Great movement skills separate the average players from the best in the Danger Zone. If effective movement comes as second nature to you, the mobility package is your best friend. With it, you can traverse half the map in one leap, jump higher and faster, negate fall damage, get to places not accessible normally, flank opponents, or simply land on their heads for an insta-kill.
- Adapting to the situation: There is no single strategy or tactic that is guaranteed to win you a match every time, and the dynamic nature of the game and opponents means that you have to adapt to the changing situations and make decisions accordingly.
Concluding Remarks
The quick matchmaking and short match times equate to the Danger Zone becoming quite addictive and before you know it, you’re on your sixth match. Ever since the addition of a ranking system, players have brought a competitive edge to this game mode, where once it was only played casually for fun. Today, just like players still aim to reach the Global Elite Rank in competitive matchmaking, they also seek to become the feared Howling Alpha of the Danger Zone, one which tears across the skies and preys on its unsuspecting foes when they least expect it.
