Counter-Strike 2 and its predecessor Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are first-person shooter games developed by Valve Corporation and both are the most recent entries in the Counter-Strike series. The franchise has a very large competitive scene, which has received large media coverage. As a result, the games' multiplayer maps have built longstanding reputations within the series, with some becoming significant to the first person shooter genre as a whole with enduring legacies.

Traditional gameplay of Counter-Strike features two teams, the Terrorists and Counter Terrorists, fighting for control of a map while trying to fulfill their respective objectives. The goal of the Terrorists is to either kill all Counter Terrorists or plant and detonate a bomb at a bomb site within the level, and the goal of the Counter Terrorists is to either kill all Terrorists or defuse the bomb.

This article serves as a list of maps featured in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Counter-Strike 2 that have established notability in the first-person shooter genre and/or in the games' large competitive scene.

Competitive maps

Different game modes have separate competitive map pools. While many popular levels are designed by Valve Corporation, some community-created maps are also rotated in and may become permanent additions to the competitive scene. Among popular Counter-Strike maps are levels listed by Valve as "Active Duty." Such maps are considered the most balanced and competitive by Valve and are used in nearly all competitive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments.[1]

Ancient

Ancient (de_ancient) was introduced to the game in a December 2020 update as part of "Operation Broken Fang".[2] The map takes place in an archeological site, likely in Central America, and was created as a homage to a previous Counter-Strike map titled de_aztec.[3] The map has received consistent changes and upgrades since its introduction.[4]

The map has consistently appeared in competitive tournaments since its introduction and it is among the most played competitive maps alongside Mirage and Inferno.[5] The map is part of the Active Duty map pool.[1]

Anubis

Anubis (de_anubis) is a community-created map introduced in a March 2020 update at the end of "Operation Shattered Web".[6] The map takes place in Egypt. The map was noted for being buggy upon release, but has been updated over time.[7]

In November 2022, Valve contacted the creators of the map, Roald van der Scheur, "Jakuza", and "jd_40", and offered to buy out the rights to it, an unusual occurrence.[8] Upon their acceptance, it replaced Dust II in the competitive map pool in November 2022, becoming the final competitive change before the release of the upcoming Counter-Strike 2.[9][10] The map went from the least popular competitive map to a popular choice during the 2023 Paris Major.[11] The map is part of the Active Duty map pool.[1]

Cache

Cache (de_cache) is a map first made for Counter-Strike: Source in 2004, and was introduced to the Global Offensive's main competitive map pool in "Operation Breakout" in 2014. It, along with Anubis, have been the only community-made maps to be featured in the Active Duty map pool. It was removed from the game in March 2019 and replaced by Vertigo, before being updated as a standalone map outside of competitive play later that year.[12]

According to Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Cache has been compared to Inferno and Dust II, as one of the most well designed maps in the Counter-Strike series.[13] The map was used in a study from Uppsala University for a full analysis on level design in competitive video games.[14] A remake of the original Cache is a very popular demand for Counter-Strike 2's competitive map pool.[15]

Canals

Canals (de_canals) was added to the game in a March 2017 update. The map takes place in a city inspired by Venice, Italy.[16] It was the first new official Counter-Strike map since the addition of Overpass in 2013.[17] Canals varies from traditional Counter-Strike level design, and gives the Terrorists a crescent-shaped starting area that is relatively cramped, but gives the Counter-Terrorists a large open area.[18] The map also features additional routes that allow players to go under parts of the map to stealthily arrive to the bomb sites.[19]

Canals was added to the Reserve map pool, placing it outside of traditional competitive play and the map has not seen play in any of the Counter-Strike majors.[16] The map has been criticized for having an unorthodox layout that has been considered heavily unbalanced in favor of the Terrorists.[20][17]

Dust II

This section is an excerpt from Dust II.[edit]

"Dust II", also known by its filename de_dust2, is a video game map featured in the first-person shooter series Counter-Strike. Dust II is the successor to "Dust", another Counter-Strike map, and was developed by David Johnston before the official release of the original Counter-Strike game. It was designed with the aims of simplicity and balance, based on its symmetrical design and two points, over which the two teams must fight for control.

The map was first released in March 2001 for the original Counter-Strike game and is present in all games in the series.[21] Apart from graphical updates, it underwent minimal changes after its initial release, before receiving a significant visual revision in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in October 2017.[22] The map has been popular with players since its initial release, and both its original and revised design in Global Offensive have been positively received by players and mapmakers.[23]

Inferno

This section is an excerpt from Inferno (Counter-Strike).[edit]

Inferno, also known by its filename de_inferno, is a multiplayer map in the Counter-Strike series of first-person shooter video games by Valve Corporation. The map was first created for the original Counter-Strike in a 2001 update and has subsequently appeared in each series entry. While considered a traditional map in the series, its design differs from maps such as Dust II, featuring many hiding spots and branching, narrow paths.

The map was remade from the ground up for Counter-Strike: Source in 2004, changing large parts of the map and moving the setting from the Middle East to Europe. The map returned for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2012 and was revamped in a 2016 update, adjusting the map's graphics and visibility. The map returned in Counter-Strike 2, featuring various enhancements and graphical upgrades.

Since its introduction, Inferno has been one of the most popular maps in the Counter-Strike series in casual and competitive play. It has become an influential multiplayer map across the whole first-person shooter genre, being used as a community map in different games and declared one of the best multiplayer maps ever made.

Mirage

This section is an excerpt from Mirage (Counter-Strike).[edit]
"Mirage", also known by its filename de_mirage, is a popular map in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that was released in 2013. It was created by Valve Corporation, the game's developer, as a redesign of a Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike: Source map called de_cpl_strike. The original design of the map was created by Michael "Bubkez" Hüll.[24] Mirage has been used in a number of esports tournaments and Major Championships in CS:GO. It is known for its good balance and offers numerous opportunities for players to display their tactical and coordination skills. Over time, the map has undergone changes and updates by Valve to improve its quality and increase the tactical balance.

Nuke

This section is an excerpt from Nuke (Counter-Strike).[edit]
"Nuke", also known by its filename de_nuke, is a multiplayer map in the Counter-Strike series of first-person shooter video games by Valve Corporation, centered around bomb defusal. Set outside and inside the premises of a nuclear power plant as counter-terrorists attempt to repel a devastating attack, it was first released in November 1999 for the original Counter-Strike. It received a significant redesign in 2016 for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as part of the "Operation Wildfire" update, which added more realistic detail and tweaked its layout.[25] Another update was made to the map in 2018.[26] It is used heavily in competitive play, and continues to be divisive for its design even after its revamp due to its complex layout and large open areas. It is notorious for being a haven for the defending team.[27]

Overpass

Overpass (de_overpass) was the first competitive map made from the ground up for Global Offensive in a December 2013 update alongside an updated version of Cobblestone.[28] The map takes place in two different environments, an open canal and a public park.[28] The map has an increased emphasis on long-ranged combat.[29] Overpass was updated in April 2014.[30]

The map was one of the most balanced in the game upon release, and has become a very important competitive map.[31] Overpass is part of the Active Duty map pool.[1]

Train

Train (de_train) is a map from the original Counter-Strike, remade for Global Offensive in a December 2014 update. It is set in a trainyard and train station featuring many ladders, high platforms, long angles, and tight corridors. It was removed from the competitive map pool in May of 2021 and replaced by Ancient.[32]

Vertigo

Vertigo (de_vertigo) is a map from the original Counter-Strike added to Global Offensive in an October 2012 update and added to the competitive map pool in May 2019, replacing the popular map Cache.[33][34] The map is situated on the top of a skyscraper in an unnamed city.[35]

Vertigo has become relatively unpopular due to its awkward design and for its replacement of Cache.[34] While the map is still part of the Active Duty map pool, it was a popular choice for removal from the upcoming Counter-Strike 2.[1][35]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Robertson, Scott (2022-11-20). "All current CS:GO maps: Which maps are Active Duty, competitive, and more". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  2. ↑ "CS:GO Operation Broken Fang is now live". PCGamesN. 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  3. ↑ Robertson, Scott (2021-05-03). "Valve adds Ancient, removes Train from CS:GO active duty map pool". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  4. ↑ "Chunky CS:GO patch brings Ancient, Grind, Mocha, Cache map changes". PCGamesN. 2021-05-28. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  5. ↑ Biazzi, Leonardo (2023-05-02). "Most popular CS:GO maps ahead of BLAST Paris Major". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  6. ↑ "Clearing Out the Cobwebs". blog.counter-strike.net. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  7. ↑ "CS:GO update brings a batch of changes to Anubis and Mutiny maps". PCGamesN. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  8. ↑ Allana, Danish (January 12, 2023). "Anubis creator explains how CS:GO's newest active duty map was designed". HLTV. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  9. ↑ Stubbs, Mike. "Dust 2 Removed From 'CS:GO' Map Pool, Replaced By Anubis". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  10. ↑ Silverman, Leo (2022-11-18). "Anubis replaces one of Counter-Strike's most iconic maps in huge CS:GO update". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  11. ↑ Biazzi, Leonardo (2023-05-16). "One CS:GO map is rising in popularity during Paris Major—and karrigan knows why". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  12. ↑ Villanueva, Jamie (2019-10-18). "New CS:GO update adds revamped Cache, celebrates 20th anniversary". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  13. ↑ Richardson, Emily (2015-07-03). "How Do You Make A Professional Counter-Strike Map?". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  14. ↑ Edin Karakurt and Jeppe Willatzen (2020). Competitive Level Design A study on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Level Design (PDF) (BA). Uppsala University.
  15. ↑ Thomas, Harrison (2023-07-07). "Move over Nuke, CS2 players are demanding another classic map make its return". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  16. 1 2 O'Connor, Alice (2017-03-16). "Counter-Strike: GO goes Venetian in new map Canals". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  17. 1 2 "CS:GO's new Canals map is changing the game". Red Bull. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  18. ↑ "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Gets a New Map, Better Looking Phoenix Terrorist". Shacknews. 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  19. ↑ Nunneley-Jackson, Stephany (2017-03-17). "CS:GO's new Canals map is set in a historic Italian city, community designed weapons skins added". VG247. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  20. ↑ "Counter-Strike Players Are Sceptical Of The Game's New Map". Kotaku Australia. 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  21. ↑ "Version 1.1". Counter-Strike Planet. March 13, 2001. Archived from the original on March 30, 2005. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  22. ↑ Bowman, Mitch (October 13, 2017). "CS:GO's new Dust 2 map, reviewed". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  23. ↑ Leack, Jonathan (February 2, 2017). "Dust 2: How Counter-Strike's Most Popular Map Was Almost Completely Different - GameRevolution". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  24. ↑ "de_cpl_strike - CS 1.6 map". Maps.cs-bg.info. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  25. ↑ "CS:GO - Reintroducing Nuke". counter-strike.net. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  26. ↑ Stubbs, Mike (2018-02-12). "Nuke has changed yet again. Come see what's different". Red Bull. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  27. ↑ Higgins, Chris (2017-02-22). "Nuke's Polarizing Position in Competitive CS:GO". Red Bull. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  28. 1 2 "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to receive revamped de_cbble and a new map: Overpass". PCGamesN. 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  29. ↑ Biazzi, Leonardo (2022-03-28). "All Overpass callouts in CS:GO". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  30. ↑ Emanuel Maiberg (2014-04-10). "How Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's Overpass map evolved". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  31. ↑ "How data drives map design in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive". PCGamesN. 2014-01-27. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  32. ↑ Shaun Prescott (2014-12-11). "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive gets reimagined Train map". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  33. ↑ "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive patch has Vertigo". Shacknews. 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  34. 1 2 Villanueva, Jamie (2019-03-29). "Vertigo replaces Cache in the CS:GO Active Duty map pool". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  35. 1 2 Miter, Mateusz (2023-06-27). "CS:GO players agree one map should be cut from pool ahead of CS2". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
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