How to analyse CS2 demos
To analyse a CS2 demo, download it from your match history, FACEIT or HLTV, open it in a 2D replay viewer and go through the rounds you lost first. Look at each death: was it traded, was utility used, was the position right? Then check utility timing, economy and how your team split the map. A free browser tool for this is MapSense.
1. Get the demo
Matchmaking and Premier
In CS2 open Watch → Your Matches and download the match. The .dem file lands in the replays folder of your CS2 installation (game/csgo/replays). Valve only keeps these demos for a limited time, so download soon after the match.
FACEIT
Open the match room on faceit.com and download the demo. MapSense reads the packed file directly, or imports the match via your linked FACEIT account.
HLTV and pro matches
Every match page on HLTV links the demo as an archive. In MapSense you can import tier-1 and tier-2 pro matches without downloading anything.
Your own recording
Type record name in the console before the round and stop to end it. The demo is saved in the game/csgo folder.
2. Open it in a replay viewer
The in-game viewer works, but it is slow to jump between rounds and hard to share. A 2D replay shows all ten players at once, lets you scrub to any tick and review together. In MapSense you upload the file and every round is ready after a short analysis.
3. What to look for: the review checklist
- Start with lost roundsThey show the most. Won rounds often hide mistakes, lost rounds rarely do.
- Every deathWas it traded within a few seconds? Was the player alone, flashed, or peeking without info?
- UtilityDid smokes and flashes land on time, or did the team walk into an execute without cover? Look at the trajectories.
- Positions and rotationsWhere did each player stand when the round was decided, and how long did rotations take?
- EconomyWere buys synchronised? Did force buys and saves follow a plan?
- Mid-round callsWhen did the team get the information, and when did it react? Compare timing across rounds.
- PatternsHeatmaps over the whole match show habits the opponent can read, and the ones you can exploit.
4. Keep what you learn
Pin a comment to the tick where the mistake happened, save the fix as a strat or lineup and go through it with the team. That turns a review into practice.
Frequently asked questions
Where are CS2 demos saved?
Downloaded matchmaking and Premier demos are in the game/csgo/replays folder of your CS2 installation. Your own recordings with record are in game/csgo.
How long can I download matchmaking demos?
Only for a limited time after the match. Download the demo soon if you want to review it.
What is the best free tool to analyse CS2 demos?
MapSense is a free browser tool with a 2D replay for every round, heatmaps, utility analysis and live team review. A 3D viewer is in beta.
Do I need CS2 to watch a demo?
Not with MapSense. The 2D replay runs in the browser. For the in-game viewer you need CS2 and the playdemo command.