The Counter-Strike 2 map pool is all the time a relentless level of debate. Everybody has their favorite map, everybody has their least favorite, and there’s nearly all the time somebody calling for both Mirage or Inferno to be eliminated.
No matter which facet of that debate you sit, there may be some solace to be taken in the truth that Valve have turn out to be far more energetic with map pool adjustments, with a map change following every of the 4 CS2 Majors to date. So, on the StarLadder Budapest Main, we spoke with plenty of prime gamers and analysts to get their ideas on the energetic responsibility map pool.
Which map ought to go away the pool?
As we talked about earlier, Mirage is commonly a map that’s rapidly introduced up when folks debate which map ought to exit the pool. It has been a part of the energetic responsibility pool ever for the reason that launch of CS:GO, and though it has seen some adjustments it that point, the shortage of actual substantial adjustments like what has occurred to Overpass, Nuke, or Inferno has led to many individuals locally contemplating it to be “stale.”
Sadly, in case you are a kind of folks, you’re not more likely to get your want any time quickly. As Martin “STYKO” Styk says: “Valve seems to be at a variety of information. Mirage could be very widespread, it’s the go-to map, you don’t have to be a superb participant to be good at it.”
So what map can go? Nicely, for those who’re Danny “zonic” Sorensen, then you definitely’d be asking for Overpass or Inferno. The explanation for one is clear: it’s the Falcons’ perma-ban, while the opposite is results-oriented. And given what occurred to Falcons on Inferno on the BLAST Austin Main, who can actually blame him for that?
Dislike of Inferno is a view shared by STYKO, who mentioned: “Get Inferno out. The map is simply stale; the volumetric smokes take an excessive amount of of the chokepoints. Watching it’s painful due to the saving, casters have mentioned it’s ‘meh.’
“Normally when Inferno is GOATed it’s when a group overperforms, slightly than the map itself being good.”
So, if Inferno is the map that individuals appear to suppose ought to go away, then what map ought to come into the pool? As Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg factors out, it simply isn’t that straightforward.
Which map ought to enter the pool?
The CS2 map pool is balanced round two completely different types of play. The brawl-heavy “pugging” maps, corresponding to Mirage, and the extra tactical maps, like Nuke. On condition that Counter-Strike is a tactical FPS, a map pool that barely favours these tactical maps is all the time most well-liked.
The issue then, is that Cache appears to be the map everybody thinks can be returning, with even the lately launched 2026 service medal seemingly hinting in direction of it. In Mauisnake’s eyes, that signifies that solely considered one of three maps will be eliminated so as to not sacrifice the stability:
Mauisnake mentioned: “We have already got a couple of brawl-y maps in Mirage, Historic, and Dust2, so I really feel like for those who preserve any of these three and take out any of the others, now you’re taking away a extra tactical map.”
The brawl-y nature of Cache is one thing that STYKO additionally picked up on. “We must always usher in Cache, but it surely might want to change loads. It’s extremely flat, there’s not a lot elevation, will probably be headshot paradise for lots of gamers, and I’m undecided how that may play out.”
And naturally, on condition that zonic’s group has two headshot machines in Nikola “NiKo” Kovac and Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin, he mentioned it will be a “good map for us.”
Adjustments as soon as a map comes into the pool symbolize one other drawback. Overpass got here into the pool as robust because it has ever been, however Practice nonetheless faces criticism in comparison with its CS:GO counterpart.
On condition that STYKO mentioned that Cache will want a variety of adjustments so as to be extra suited to the CS2 meta, is it preferrred that one other map is available in with out being in excellent situation for aggressive play?
