What Is Retakes?
Retakes is an official CS2 game mode that skips everything before the plant. Every round starts with the bomb already planted at a random site. Three Terrorists defend it; four Counter-Terrorists have to get onto the site and defuse before it explodes. Instead of buying, each player picks a loadout card for the round.
It is the fastest way to practise the moment that decides most real matches: the post-plant. You get dozens of retakes and post-plant holds in the time a normal match gives you a handful.
Retakes Rules at a Glance
| Setting | Retakes |
|---|---|
| Teams | 4 CT vs 3 T (7 players) |
| Match length | Best of 15: first to 8 rounds |
| Round start | Bomb already planted at a random site |
| Economy | None: a loadout card each round |
| Party size | Up to 4 players |
| Maps | Casual Defusal Group Alpha and Delta |
Valve's 5 November 2026 update made Retakes rounds quicker: freeze time and the pause between rounds are shorter, and a defuse now finishes instantly once there is enough time left on the bomb and no live utility can stop it.
How Loadout Cards Work
At the start of every round you choose one card from a short hand. Each card is a full loadout, a weapon plus utility, so the decision is "what does my team need on this site" rather than "what can I afford". If you have both the M4A1-S and the M4A4 equipped in your loadout, cards randomly offer either one (Valve, 29 October 2025).
- As CT, make sure at least one player takes a card with flashes or a smoke. Four rifles and no utility usually lose to three Ts in good positions.
- As T, utility that delays the defuse, like a molotov or incendiary, is worth more than an extra rifle.
Your skins come with you: the weapons on the cards use your equipped loadout, so Retakes is a cheap way to see a skin in play. Browse skins under $10 if your loadout still has default guns.
How to Queue for Retakes
- Open Play from the main menu.
- Choose the Retakes mode. It is its own mode, not part of Casual.
- Invite up to three friends if you want to play as a party, then start the search.
How to Win Retakes as CT
- Group up before you go in. Four players arriving one at a time are four 1v3s. Wait a few seconds for the fourth.
- Hit from more than one side. Two entrances split the Ts' attention, which matters more than raw aim on a 4v3.
- Utility first, then swing. Smoke the long sightline, flash over the wall, then peek together.
- Watch the bomb timer. The bomb runs for 40 seconds from the plant, and a defuse takes 10 seconds without a kit or 5 with one. Do not start a no-kit defuse with under 10 seconds left.
- Fake the defuse. Tapping the bomb pulls Ts out of cover. Only do it when a teammate is ready to trade.
Most of these come down to peeking well. Our shooting, peeking and movement guide covers jiggle peeks, counter-strafing and trading.
How to Hold a Site as T
- Don't all sit on the bomb. Spread out so one flash cannot blind everyone. Play off-angles and crossfires.
- Time is on your side. You do not need kills, you need the bomb to explode. Fall back rather than take a 50/50 duel.
- Save a molotov for the defuse. Throwing it onto the bomb when you hear the defuse start is often the round.
- Listen. CTs have to come to you, and footsteps tell you from where.
Retakes History
Retakes first appeared in CS:GO with Operation Broken Fang in December 2020, and moved into the War Games menu when the operation ended. It was not part of CS2 when the game launched in September 2023. Valve brought it back on 22 October 2025 in the update it called "Re-Retakes", as an official mode on official servers. The same update let you trade up five Covert skins for a knife or gloves; see our trade-up contracts guide.
Community Retake Servers
Before the official mode returned, retakes lived on community servers, and they still do. Third-party retake plugins for CS2 dedicated servers are widely used, so you can find retake servers in the community server browser or run your own with friends. Community servers set their own rules, so team sizes and weapon allocation can differ from Valve's mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players are in CS2 Retakes?
Seven: four Counter-Terrorists retaking against three Terrorists who defend the planted bomb. You can queue in a party of up to four.
How many rounds is a Retakes match?
A Retakes match is a best of 15, so the first team to win 8 rounds wins. There is no money: you pick a loadout card at the start of each round instead.
Is Retakes back in CS2?
Yes. Valve brought Retakes back as an official CS2 mode on 22 October 2025 in the update it called Re-Retakes. It was in CS:GO from Operation Broken Fang in December 2020 but was missing when CS2 launched.
Which maps are in Retakes?
Retakes uses the maps of the Casual Defusal Group Alpha and Delta map groups, so the pool follows the Casual rotation. Valve added the remade Cache to Retakes in April 2026.
Do I need Prime to play Retakes?
No. Valve's Prime FAQ says free accounts can play every mode except Premier. Prime still matters for XP: Valve states that accounts without Prime earn no XP in any mode.
Can I use map guides in Retakes?
Yes, with limits. Since March 2026 map guides can be used in Retakes for the first 5 rounds of each half, up to 30 points.