CS2 update: Overpass returns, Anubis drops out of the pool

Valve just shook up the Counter-Strike 2 competitive map pool, and if you main a specific map, this one might sting or make your week. Overpass is back in the Active Duty rotation, and Anubis is out. Here is what changed and what it means for your matches.

The Active Duty pool is the set of maps used in ranked Premier play and pro tournaments, so any change to it ripples straight through the entire competitive scene. Maps get rotated in and out to keep the meta fresh, force players to learn new spaces, and shake up which teams have the edge.

What changed in the map pool

The headline is a straight swap: Overpass returns to the competitive rotation, and Anubis drops out. Overpass is a fan-favorite with a distinct layout and a long history in Counter-Strike, so its return is a nostalgia hit for a lot of players who have been missing its bombsites and chokepoints. Anubis, meanwhile, steps aside after its run in the pool.

Map pool changes like this are always a big deal because they reset a chunk of the meta overnight. Teams and solo players alike have to dust off old strats or build brand-new ones, and the balance of who is strong on which map gets scrambled.

What it means for you

If you love Overpass, it is time to relearn those angles and callouts, because it is back in rotation where it counts. If Anubis was your comfort pick, you have got some adjusting to do. Either way, a fresh pool is the perfect excuse to grind ranked and figure out the new balance before everyone else does.

Counter-Strike 2 (PC)

Release: 21 Aug. 2012

Action

Free To Play

Metacritic:

82

5.1

Happy to see Overpass back, or sad to see Anubis go? Drop your map pool takes in the comments.