With the latest iteration in its series of Counter-Strike games, Valve revamped all the maps with more visually appealing elements while sticking to their legacies. All CS2 maps have had their time in the sun so it’s important to know your stuff.
In CS2, most of our old classics got a rework, including the likes of Dust 2, Overpass, and even Train recently, while others received a visual upgrade. In this article, we will take a closer look at all the maps in the game, where the most rambunctious moments unfold and unforgettable memories are made.
Active Duty Maps
These maps make up the map pool in Official Matches and are also playable in Premier games. Valve works the hardest on these maps to ensure no bugs disrupt official games. There are always seven maps in the active duty pool, allowing teams to pick and ban without issues during the veto. As of now, these seven maps are:
Ancient
The most played map in CS2 officials so far, Ancient features an, surprisingly, ancient fortress that has been abandoned and is slowly decaying. It was first introduced in December 2020 with the Operation Broken Fang update and later added to the active duty pool in May 2021.
Known for its balanced gameplay, it offers a perfect 50-50% split between the T and CT side round wins in official games. It’s also one of the few maps, alongside Anubis, where the B site demands more attention than the A bombsite.
Mirage
Arguably the most popular map in the game (second only to Dust 2), Mirage has been a staple since 2013. The map is set in an old town with apartments, a marketplace, and an underpass.
The CT side holds a slight advantage with a 51.4% chance of winning, but a 100% chance of a random teammate calling a “Rush B” during the pistol round!
Train
The most recent addition to the active duty pool, Train replaced Vertigo to the joy of the community. One of the oldest maps, it was remade in CS:GO in 2014 and removed from the active duty in 2021. However, Train has now made its return with a smaller size and fewer trains on the bombsites, which has not been as well-received as Valve probably hoped.
Given its design, it will likely remain a heavily CT-favored map, but we’ll see how it plays out in official matches.
Anubis
A newer map first added in 2020, Anubis was removed and then reintroduced in 2022, replacing Dust 2. This back and forth did get a little frustrating but for now, it seems like Anubis is here to stay.
Named after an Egyptian god, it seems pretty safe to say that the map is likely set in Egypt. Although it received a fair amount of dislike early on, I personally enjoy it. It was once a nightmare for the CTs, but with time, they’ve found ways to adapt. However, it still remains the most T-sided map in the pool.
Nuke
Known as the second most CT-sided map, Nuke was added to CS:GO in 2016 as part of Operation Wildfire and has been a mainstay ever since. It’s one of the most strategic maps, requiring excellent communication due to its unique layout where one bombsite is located above the other. The map introduces an ‘Outside’ area, setting it apart from the typical mid-control structure of other maps.
Inferno
Ah, Inferno, the map that always delivers as deciders. It’s a map that’s broken many hearts and filled others with exhilaration in the game. While balanced overall, it leans slightly toward the T side. Known for its narrow choke points and requires an extensive knowledge of how to use utility in CS2, it’s a map where B rushes can change the tide of the game.
Dust 2
The map that’s almost synonymous with the game itself, Dust 2 has been a part of Counter-Strike since 2001. It underwent a rework in CS:GO in 2017, was removed in 2022, but its undeniable popularity led to its return in April 2024. Once again, it’s a balanced map, though it continues to slightly favor the Ts in CS2’s current meta.
Other Maps in Competitive
Those were the Active Duty maps that are played in official games and premier, but these can change with the will of Valve. However, there are still many more iconic maps in CS2, some that have never seen the active duty light of day, and others that fell from grace. You can still queue for these maps with your friends in competitive matchmaking, including the recently reintroduced Hostage-Rescue maps.
Basalt
Designed by RZL and Yanzi, who also created de_reort, Basalt is a bomb-defusal map. Added in September 2021, it was removed from CS:GO before finally being brought into CS2 in November 2024. It is one of the most beautiful maps in terms of architecture, with mountains, a waterfall in the background, and a cluster of buildings in the foreground.
Edin
Situated in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, Edin is one of the coolest maps added to CS2 recently. It showcases real-life locations like Edinburgh Castle and Cockburn Street and is another bomb-defusal map. Adding maps like Edin to CS2 is what makes the game more exciting to play.
Overpass
One of the oldest maps, Overpass has roots in CS:GO dating back to 2013. It was removed from the active-duty pool in 2023 to make way for the return of Dust2 but remains a fan favorite. Situated in Berlin, Germany, it is known for being CT-sided and for unforgettable plays like olofmeister’s burning defuse and the iconic olofboost.
Vertigo
Among the most hated maps in Counter-Strike history, Vertigo, despite being as old as CS:GO itself, was added to the active-duty pool in 2019 after countless changes. The tweaks continued, but they never hit the mark with the community. As a result, Vertigo was removed from active duty in January 2025 and is now only available in competitive matchmaking. Hallelujah!
Italy
Italy is one of the most fun hostage-rescue maps and rivals the best in popularity, even though it has never been part of the active-duty pool. It was added to CS2 as part of the Armory update and continues to be a nostalgic favorite.
Office
Like Italy, Office is another very popular hostage-rescue map that has been around since CS:GO’s launch in 2012. It brings back fond memories for many players, and its return in CS2 with the Armory update is a welcome sight.
Wingman Maps
Moving on, the list of maps is still not finished. The game has another game-mode, the wingman where you can queue with your best friend and play in a 2v2 setting instead of the standard 5v5. This means the maps are the same but smaller, with just a single bombsite. You’ll still see some of the best CS2 maps in this mode but they won’t be there in their full glory.
There are currently six maps you can play in this game mode.
Inferno
Inferno can also be played in the wingman mode, and has the A bombsite in play. The Terrorists start in the middle, while the CTs are spawned near the A bombsite. It is my personal favourite map to play in wingman, as there are a lot of tricks you can do on the map.
Overpass
Overpass in the wingman mode features the B bombsite of the map. The spawn for the Terrorists gets a slight boost forward, while the CT spawn also moves a bit further to match the timing to reach B. Terrorists can enter the bombsite from short or monster, and also have the passage to connector open for them.
Nuke
Nuke is another fun map that you can also enjoy in wingman mode. The bombsite in play in the wingman mode is the B bombsite which is down lower. The CTs spawn in ramp, while the Ts spawn down secret.
Vertigo
Vertigo has been in the wingman mode for a long while. While it was the B bombsite which was in play earlier, it is now changed to the A bombsite, while availing mid to the Terrorists.
Whistle
Before getting Train officially released in CS2, we got Whistle! It is another map that featured trains and the with a very vivid color scheme during the fall season. It is made by Seth, the same creator who is also known for his famous creation Assembly.
Palais
The creators of Pitstop and Crete also created Palais, which was added to the wingman mode in November 2024. It is situated on rooftops in Paris with some very interesting Easter eggs!
Valve does care for the game
While Valve has often been accused of turning a blind eye to the game’s finer needs, they’ve managed to maintain balance when it comes to the map pool. They have kept changes to the active duty infrequent to maintain competitive consistency, and occasionally sprinkled in fresh additions to the other modes to keep things exciting for casuals.
What I really like, though, is their willingness to embrace community-created maps. This not only builds bridges between Valve and the player base but also sets the stage for even more creative map designs in the future.
