What to expect from Falcons CS2 for the rest of 2025

With their perma-ban nemesis Anubis finally exiled, we’ll now have to see whether Falcons opt to flirt with Overpass or continue to sidestep it. I suspect Overpass and Inferno will still remain the least favoured maps in their arsenal, but at the very least, removing Anubis will embolden and consolidate their map pool.

It’s true that Falcons possess the most firepower at the moment, but there have been several occasions where it hasn’t quite borne fruit against elite opposition. CT sides, in particular, are shaping up to be a thorn in the flesh. The perennial question that haunted Falcons during the first half of the season will likely rear its head again: can they take down Vitality? Every recalibration they make seems laser-focused on that singular ambition. With most Grand Finals now being Bo5s, and that’s exactly where Falcons typically lock horns with Vitality, a more robust and versatile map pool has become imperative. So let’s dissect the maps and explore how Falcons might fare in the remainder of the season with kyousuke in the fold.

Mirage

Right out the gate, Mirage appears to be Falcons’ counterpiece It also happens to be kyousuke’s personal favourite, where he has averaged a 1.32 rating over the last six months with the academy squad. On the CT side, Falcons have the latent firepower to establish one of the most formidable defenses Mirage has witnessed, if they manage to stay in harmony.

Kyousuke will continue holding B short, NiKo will be stationed in connector, kyxsan will anchor B, and TeSeS will take over anchor duties on A. All the while, m0NESY roams around fluidly across the map. Now that’s an intimidating setup. Statistically, TeSeS averaged a tepid 1.02 rating from B short in the last three months. In stark contrast, kyousuke has posted a searing 1.43 rating on CT sides across his last 20 maps with Spirit Academy. While his ability to acclimate to Tier 1 competition remains a question mark, his inclusion should fortify the CT side considerably.

T sides will remain the domain of m0NESY and NiKo, whose impact swells dramatically after the side swap. They’ll continue leading the charge, but this may create teething troubles for kyousuke. There’s a strong possibility that Falcons will deploy TeSeS and kyousuke on the flanks of their offensive spread, a move that could prove to be an ideal crucible for the young prodigy to shine.

Dust2

Now to Falcons’ de facto first pick, Dust2. They’ve chosen it thrice against Vitality and have only eked out a single overtime win. On the other two occasions, they were reduced to single digit scorelines.

The CT side is poised for shake-ups. Kyxsan, who holds mid, will almost certainly relinquish it for kyousuke. The question is, where does he go? B anchor appears to be the intuitive choice, assuming they don’t want TeSeS to continue manning long. If TeSeS is transitioning fully into Magisk’s shoes, then he may find himself anchoring B. Ordinarily, I’d be skeptical of such a shift, but given that neither has looked particularly at ease in their roles, some musical chairs might actually do them good.

The CT side will also continue to demand more out of NiKo, who’s had brighter days on this map. On the T side, kyousuke is likely to be the trump card to get his team across. His proclivity for opening duels will be invaluable. Falcons have looked decent offensively, but Vitality has made them look rather toothless. Kyousuke takes far more opening duels than Magisk ever did, and while the comparison isn’t apples to apples, it still bodes well for the team’s momentum building potential.

Ancient

Statistically, Ancient is Falcons’ stronghold. They boast an 83.3% win rate in recent months, with scalps like FaZe, Spirit, and Heroic under their belt. It’s a comfort pick across the board, even kyxsan has looked somewhat composed on it. m0NESY typically takes on the burden during T sides, while NiKo shines brighter on defense.

As for kyousuke, his role at Spirit Academy saw him pairing up with Mokuj1n as an aggressive mid presence, a role he will now share with NiKo. Once again, this creates a ferocious CT setup, but it also opens cracks in the armor when it comes to the anchor roles. TeSeS, traditionally a B site player, might be reassigned to A to take over Magisk’s former territory. Ancient was actually one of TeSeS’s better maps, with a 1.10 CT rating, but there’s every chance that number takes a dip during transition. If that change does go through, the B bombsite will require immense stability from the rest of the squad, and that sort of synergy rarely forms overnight.

Other Maps

These three maps will likely form the core of Falcons’ strength. The rest, however, leave them exposed. Inferno can become a map Falcons look away from. It’s a map that demands more qualities that don’t always align with a firepower-heavy playstyle. Except for NiKo, no one on the team has posted a consistently positive rating on the map in the past six months. The same malaise extends to kyousuke, who’s looked visibly uncomfortable on Inferno.

Nuke, on the other hand, is a tantalizing prospect. It offers a fertile ground for kyousuke’s T side strengths to bloom. Falcons have long struggled on T sides, with no one but m0NESY showing any real spark. Even NiKo dips down to a 0.93 rating on the T half of Nuke, hardly what you’d expect from a player of his caliber. This map even saps some of m0NESY’s confidence in taking duels. There’s likely to be a clash of roles between NiKo and kyousuke, but sometimes, friction is what polishes the diamond.

Train is still in its infancy since reintroduction, but for that reason, Falcons may exploit it to great effect. Both kyousuke and m0NESY have shown glimmers of brilliance here. Kyxsan, who’s struggled noticeably on CT sides, may be phased out in favor of kyousuke.