All Competitive Maps in CS2 (CSGO)

CS2 (CSGO) is best known for its Competitive space, as players are constantly trying to improve to become the best. To accompany these players, CS2 (CSGO) has a handful of maps that these players can play in. The many maps are divided into two groups: The Active Duty Map Pool, and The Reserve Map Pool. In this article, we’ll cover all of the competitive maps, including both map pools!

Active Duty Map Pool

The Active pool features seven maps that are used in the professional CS2 (CSGO) scene. Let’s check out the different maps the professional players are playing on!

Dust II

The Morocco-based map, the ever-popular Valve Dust II, is arguably the most well-known and best map in the entire Counter Strike franchise, and has become the most iconic CS2 (CSGO) map to date.

Dust II has found most of its success and popularity from being one of the most evenly sided maps in the game. The map layout features three lanes which creates a balance to allow both sides to take control over their preferred areas of the map. This makes Dust II a great map for solo queuers.

In 2017, Valve released a revamped version for Dust II, improving the design and lighting on certain parts of the map.

Mirage

The map located in the Middle East, Mirage, is right on Dust II’s tail to be the most popular map in all of CS2 (CSGO). Mirage has been for almost a decade, and is yet to receive an updated version.

Mirage is known to be a flexible map, players are still able to find new strategies to play the map. The versatility of this map has allowed it to stay in the Active Map Pool throughout its entire lifetime.

Players love this map because it is quite a balanced map, and ultimately relies on which team has the better execution and rotations. This makes Mirage one of the most popular maps to play with friends!

Inferno

The next map on the list is Italy’s Inferno! Inferno is an incredibly utility heavy map, where lots of molotovs and incendiary grenades will be thrown around. Very fitting to its name, right?

Inferno is mostly enjoyed by high-level players, as lots of knowledge of smokes, flashbangs and molotovs are required to find success on the Terrorist side. The non-beginner friendly aspect of the map isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as some of the greatest professional CS2 (CSGO) matches have occurred on this map.

In 2016, Valve Corporation blessed Inferno lovers with a sick revamp of the map, giving it a more modern and bright design, with some minor adjustments to favor the Terrorist side.

Nuke

CS2 (CSGO)’s nuclear power plant, Nuke, is next up on the list. Nuke is most known for its unique design, where the bomb sites are directly on top of each other, creating interesting scenarios in every match played!

Despite the one-of-a-kind design, Nuke isn’t necessarily one of CS2 (CSGO)’s loved maps, as the map layout just leaves lots of players confused. Due to the lack of player enjoyment and the map being incredibly hard, Nuke was removed from the group of Competitive maps in 2015.

However, Valve surprised CS2 (CSGO) fans with a revamp of the map in 2016, which allowed the map to be re added to the Active Duty Map pool with a fresh new look.

Overpass

The canal overpass based in Berlin, Overpass, is known as the AWP haven, because AWPing on the CT side of this map is super easy and rewarding.

Overpass is known to be one of the most CT sided maps in all of Counter Strike. Counter Terrorists have lots of space to work with, while Terrorists have to make run through narrow areas such as Monster in the B site. With lots of long ranged angles and open spaces, this map is perfect for AWPers and strong aimers to find success in.

Despite Overpass’s long lifespan in the map pool, it is yet to receive a rework. Fans hope that Overpass can become more T sided if a rework does come in.

Vertigo

Vertigo takes place in a skyscraper that is currently under construction, and is one of the newer additions to the Active Duty Map Pool.

The main selling point of Vertigo is the escalation and deescalation that can happen in this map. There are also lots of chokepoints and boosts that players can abuse, making it one of the more interesting maps to practice. This map is definitely a great choice for players who like to get creative!

Most players were disappointed with the addition of Vertigo to the Active Map Pool, but fans have started to settle in and enjoy the map.

Ancient

The rainforest arrives in CS2 (CSGO), with Ancient making its way to the pool, replacing Train on its way here.

Ancient is one of the darker and more gloomy maps in the pool, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The newest map in the pool is also in the running to be the most CT sided map in the game, as Counter Terrorists are given lots of map control and pesky angles to hide in.

The Terrorist side naturally struggles due to the tight hallways and entrances, so lots of smokes are required to find success. However, over time, professionals will figure out the meta and find innovative strategies that can help them find success on the Terrorist side.

Reserve Map Pool

The Reserve Map Pool, or the hidden category, is filled with current maps that are rotated out of the Active Duty pool. These maps will still have the potential to get re added to the main map pool and are still balanced gameplay wise.

Cache

The Ukrainian-based map, Cache, was originally created based on the idea of the Chernobyl power plant. Despite being a fan-favorite map, Cache was rotated out of the main map pool.

Cache is known to be one of the most T sided maps, as the entrances to both bomb sites are quite large, making it easier for Terrorists to break in.

The Middle area of the map is also huge, which can greatly benefit the T side if they successfully take control over it.

Though we are not seeing Cache in professional matches anymore, lots of casual players still love to queue up a game of Competitive in Cache.

Train

The map located in Russian soil, Train, is a map based off a train station and has a few easter eggs added into it.

Train was notoriously a heavily CT sided map back when it was in the Active Duty Pool, where even professional players struggled to achieve rounds on the Terrorist side. The many train structures allow CTs to have lots of cover, and also provides lots of off-angles for the defenders to play with.

Even with a new version, Train was still found to be very CT sided, and was not suitable for the professional scene. As a result, it was rotated to the Reserve Map pool.

That concludes it for the list of all competitive maps in CS2 (CSGO). Make sure you find three or four maps that suit you best, and study those maps carefully. With a comfortable map pool, you’ll climb up the ranks in no time!