Cache is back where it belongs. Valve has confirmed that Cache has replaced Overpass in CS2’s Active Duty map pool, ending the fan-favourite map’s seven-year exile from top-tier competitive play and reshaping the veto landscape heading into the next wave of Tier-1 tournaments.
Seven Years in the Wilderness
Cache was removed from the Active Duty pool back in March 2019, when Vertigo took its slot during CS:GO’s Operation Broken Fang era. It spent the best part of seven years on the sidelines while Valve cycled Ancient, Anubis, and various Overpass and Dust2 swaps through CS2’s competitive rotation. In April 2026, Valve quietly reintroduced a fully rebuilt Cache to CS2 matchmaking – Competitive, Casual, Deathmatch, and Retakes – signalling that a return to professional play was only a matter of time.
The rebuild wasn’t a workshop port, either. Valve purchased the rights to Cache from long-time community co-creator Salvatore “FMPONE” Garozzo in May 2025 and reconstructed the map from the ground up for Source 2. For context, Cache was a staple of the CS:GO pool from 2014 to 2019 and featured at every Major during that period, making it one of the most historically significant maps in Counter-Strike history.
What Overpass’s Exit Means for Teams
Overpass had only returned to Active Duty in July 2025, replacing Anubis ahead of Premier Season Three, so its latest stint in top-flight play lasted roughly a year before Valve pulled it again. Community analysts at SIH.App had flagged Overpass as one of the least-played maps in both Premier and pro scrim environments, arguing its removal would have the smallest impact on most teams’ comfort pools – and Valve apparently agreed.
The current Active Duty lineup now reads: Cache, Anubis, Ancient, Dust2, Inferno, Mirage, Nuke. That shift in veto dynamics – particularly around two macro-style maps in Ancient and Anubis sitting alongside Cache’s more traditional layout – will be fascinating to watch at the next wave of major CS2 tournaments. HLTV’s announcement post drew thousands of interactions, with pros and fans alike calling Cache’s return “long overdue.”
What’s Next
The new pool takes effect immediately for Premier and will feed into the next round of Tier-1 LANs, where teams will need to build out Cache strat books fast. Analysts are already watching whether Valve continues its roughly annual map swap cadence, with Vertigo and Train both potential candidates for future rotations.
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