With over 20 million players (as of 2022), Counter Strike Global Offensive has managed to capture the hearts and minds of players all across the globe, offering a wide range of solo and multiplayer scenarios.
A mainstay in the lucrative Esports industry, with players competing worldwide for cash prizes at various seasoned events, CS:GO has become a fan favorite, with some teams earning millions in cash prizes every year.
Development And Release
Developed by Valve, and released in 2012, the game is played in a first person perspective shooter, and requires players to use an arsenal of various weapons to take down other players.
Weapons can be purchased in-game, stolen from players upon their death, or received as rewards upon completing missions or achievements.
The Best Tools For The Job
As is probably obvious, players don’t reach the dizzying heights of esports stardom without a serious arsenal at their disposal. With the level of talent from all over the world, and the high stakes of live competitions.
It is important to have a perfectly honed set up, ranging from weapon components, to ammo types, to combinations of weapons used, especially if it is your intention to reach the heights that some of these players have.Â
One of the most vital pieces of equipment is a crosshair, an aim assisting device inside a scope, to help with accuracy and precision during combat. This can be a dot or a cross, and the sizes and colorings vary greatly.
For more information on the best set ups, here is our list of the top 10 best crosshairs of 2021.
10. Hobbit
Hobbit is one of the most popular crosshairs available today. It comes with a number of useful features. First, it is very easy to configure. Second, it is very responsive. Third, it shows where the bullet will hit.
A thin and large cross hair that’s fairly transparent. Hobbit offers a more balanced approach towards crosshair visibility.
As long as you’re aware of your opponents’ movements, you can adjust your aim accordingly. A crosshair that makes you feel like you’re looking at an actual gun.
About Hobbit
(Formerly known as H0bbit), Hobbit is a 27-year-old Kazakhstan player working for Gambit Esports. Playing for seven years as part of various teams, Hobbit earned a prize of $425,000 in 2021 by winning first place in the Blast Premier Spring Finals.
9. ropz
Ropz has been designed to offer a high level of customization. This means that you can easily customize its appearance. You can choose between three colors. You can also set up the size of the crosshair. There are many options to choose from.
This crosshair is made of two parts. One part is the crosshair itself. The other part is the background. The background can be changed to any color or image. It can even be customized to look like anything.
You can also change the size of the crosshairs. All these settings can be adjusted quickly and easily. Ropz is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS.
About ropz
Known for his rifling skills and calm demeanor during play, Estonian-born ropz used to play for MOUZ as a support, before becoming one of their best riflemen with a kill to death ratio of 1.25 in 2021.
And a victory with MOUZ against team NAVI at the 2020 ICE Challenge in England, for which they took home $250,000.Â
8. XANTARES
This particular crosshair leaves a handy space in the center that caters especially for taking headshots. This essentially frames the head of the opponent, giving a more clear and accurate shot during fast-paced combat.
Adaptive to distance, the gap adjusts to surround the opponent’s head, even over longer distances, making it one of the best designs for this style of combat.
As well as this, the crosshair is nice and transparent, thanks to a bright green color, and clear design that reduces distractions within the viewfinder, and allows accuracy whatever the scenario.
About XANTARES
Famed for his role in BIG (Berlin International Gaming), and Space Soldiers, and known for his expert rifle skills, XANTARES now serves as the in-game leader for Eternal Fire.
Born in 1995 in Turkey, his overall headshot percentage is currently higher than fifty percent, and in 2020 he was named MVP at the Dreamhack Open Summer tournament, a summer esports festival based in Jonkoping, Sweden, winning $90,000 in prize money.
7. KSCERATO
Being small and somewhat compact, this simply designed crosshair incorporates a transparent, bright green cross that is thicker than some, and the compact dimensions.
Mean that it has an improved effect on aim and accuracy in most situations, especially when aiming at the center of mass of an enemy.
The small, compact nature of the cross allows you to also focus on an enemy’s head more easily, as the cross itself doesn’t overlap their head when you are trying to get them with a headshot.
Like the XANTARES, there is a gap in the middle, although due to the compact size of the crosshair, this neither makes much of a difference, nor is even really noticeable during use.
About KSCERATO
This Brazilian-born player working for FURIA Esports serves mainly as a rifler, and so far in 2021 he has a kill to death ratio of 1.21, as well as landing 48% of all attempted headshots during play.
A valuable asset to FURIA, in 2020 he defeated team Liquid two to one, at Dreamhack in Sweden, taking home $90,000 in prize money for the team.
6. NAF
This simple and compact crosshair, with a central dot for further accuracy feels strangely adaptive and synced during use, despite its many elements.
Whilst not especially transparent, the compact design makes it not an issue, and helps it to remain visible during night combat and low light, or on maps that include bad weather conditions as part of play.
About NAF
Born in Canada, this CS:GO player works for team Liquid, where he boasts a 44% headshot rate, a kill to death ratio of 1.19, and a deaths per round average (DPR) of .60 during 2021.
As far as the stats go, the figure of .60 means he is relatively close to dying almost every other round of play, meaning that despite his good ratio of kills, he perhaps cuts it close a lot of the time.
Despite this, in 2019 he helped Liquid bring home $250,000 in prize money from the Intel Extreme Masters XIV in Chicago, Illinois.
 5. yuurih
With a compact shape, despite a fairly large over-sizing, this crosshair removes the issue that many players have with smaller crosshairs, which is an inability to properly see the thing during combat.
Aligning well with enemy’s heads during close to mid range combat, the compact design promotes headshots and makes center mass shots especially viable from much further away.
For many players, a crosshair like this one provides more focus for headshots, allowing them to better visualize when they are lining up their shot.
However, whereas some players prefer a simple dot, others a compact, t-shaped cross, and others a larger one like Yuurih’s, they all come with advantages and disadvantages.
A dot works better over shorter distances, in a more “point and shoot” fashion, but is ineffective over longer ranges, and can be difficult to see in bad conditions.
A small, compact crosshair tends to be popular because it stays within the boundaries of the enemy’s head, meaning that accuracy is more likely, as the cross is within the target entirely.
Larger crosses like this one however, can run the risk of overlapping the target’s head, meaning that the degree for inaccuracy increases, particularly over closer distances.Â
About yuurih
Another Brazilian player, Yuurih was ranked the 14th best player in the world in 2020, bringing FURIA Esports even more acclaim. That same year saw him be named MVP at the Dreamhack Masters Spring Event, which earned the team $100,000 in prize money.
With a kill to death ratio of 1.13, a headshot ratio of 45%, and an ADR (average damage points dealt per round) of 81, it is easy to see why Yuurih, and his unique design, makes this list.
4. ScreaM
Perfect for headshots, ScreaM’s set up is extremely small and dot-shaped, meaning that it perfectly aligns with the oval shape of an enemy’s head.
He also included the option to alter and play with the dimensions of the crosshair, so lesser experienced players can get it to their specifications.
About ScreaM
This player of Moroccan and Belgian descent, is somewhat infamous for his headshot skill, being a key player for multiple CS:GO teams, including Envy and G2.
Formerly professional, he possesses one of the highest headshot ratios in the world, with a percentage of 68% of headshots landed.
Usually in charge of entering a conflict first as a “fragger” (someone in charge of launching grenades into a buildings or fight space on approach), and well known for his skills with a rifle.
He led team Envy to victory in 2017 when he defeated team Heroic 2-0 at Dreamhack Open in Atlanta, a feat that earned the team $100,000 in prize money.Â
3. ZywOo
Boasting a small, efficient, yet loose design, this small, green crosshair possesses a similar gap in the center to others on this list.
But the fluid nature of his set up, as well as the space within it, is more accepting when it comes to accuracy, acting more as a ring within which the enemy’s head will appear.
Beginning mainly as a sniper, and a feared and hated player by most, Zyw0o has since become known as a rifler, getting in closer and dealing all manner of damage during play.
About ZywOo
Considered one of the best worldwide, this 21 year old French player achieved a kill to death ratio of 1.36 in 2021, achieving around 1100 kills with the combination of the long range and short range rifles.
Working with team Vitality, they won the Blast Premier Fall in 2021, winning $225,000 in prize money after beating team Astralis 2:1.
Most impressively though, Zyw0o possesses one of the highest ratings in the world in 2021, achieving an extremely high kill count with his weapon combination, showing his skill, and set up certainly deserves a high spot on this list.
2. s1mple
Perhaps one of the most important attributes to a crosshair is consistency and effectiveness across multiple distances.
s1mple’s crosshair does just that, seemingly providing good transparency and accuracy across long ranges, and also perfectly sitting within the head dimensions of an enemy at closer range, ensuring accuracy and adaptability whatever the situation.
Though we’re not sure how, it seems his specific combination of compactness, transparency (thanks to the green hue), and middle dot have something to do with the strange but impressive phenomena surrounding this crosshair.
About s1mple
Primarily a sniper, this Swedish player has developed a reputation of excellence with his rifle skills, making him an amazing all-round addition to any situation.
Frequently named MVP, with a kill to death ratio of 1.46, a 47% headshot ratio (with sniper rifle), a 35% death ratio with close range rifles, and an 88 ADR rating, his stats have made him a feared and revered player within the world of CS:GO.
After winning the MVP award at the 2021 PGL Major in Stockholm, where he earned $2,000,000 for his team, and his win against team Gambit at the Blast Premier Final in 2021, it’s clear that s1mple is one to watch.
1. NiKo
With a bright white crosshair, and a small, compact design, NiKo has one of the most exciting setups in CS:GO.
With a small design, a gap in the middle, and an adaptive style that works across a multitude of environments and distances, NiKo’s might not be the easiest for all players, but it is the main choice for veterans of the game, thanks to its reliability and design.
People with a high brightness setting on their screen may not find this particular crosshair helpful, but with the right adjustments and the proper amount of practice and patience, this setup is one of the best we’ve seen.
About NiKo
One of the best in the world, this Bosnian player works for G2 Esports, and is perhaps the epitome of a professional Esports gamer, thanks to his skill, reliability, success rate, and professionalism.
A well-rounded player, with the right amount of aggression, patience, skill, and rifle skills (both short and long range), he has proven a dominant player in tournaments, and has earned G2 many successes.
Consistently ranked as one of the top 20 players in the game’s history, NiKo possesses a kill to death ratio of 1.18, a landed headshot rate of 50%, and an ADR rating of 86, proving that he is truly worthy of the top spot on our list.
Final Thoughts
When examining the statistics, and financial successes of these ten players, it is easy to see just how important good equipment is.
Practice and dedication are what achieve victory, and with the custom builds developed by these players, that is certainly what they have managed to achieve within the wider Esports community.
I think it’s safe to say that, in the developing Esports industry, the examples set by these role models are ones worth building upon.Â
My name is Ashley Newby and I want to put integrity back into esports and get the hype surrounding them paramount once more. During my teenage years, I happened to stumble across a Street Fighter tournament online and I was hooked.
From that day, I have kept up with and watched many tournaments including Valorant, Super Smash Bros, and League of Legends. I even got to compete in my first one earlier this year!
