Whether you’re grinding Premier, jumping into Casual, or warming up in Arms Race, this CS2 maps guide gives you everything in one place: the current CS2 premier map pool, reserve and casual maps, Wingman and Arms Race rotations, and practical tips that help you win more rounds today—not someday.
CS2 Premier Map Pool (Active Duty) in 2025
As of July–August 2025, the CS2 active duty maps (used in Premier/competitive play) are:
- Ancient
- Dust II
- Inferno
- Mirage
- Nuke
- Overpass (returned in July 2025)
- Train (replaced Vertigo in early 2025)
Quick notes on recent rotation changes
- Train replaced Vertigo in early 2025 after a full Source 2 return.
- Overpass replaced Anubis in July 2025 for the current season.
- Dust II returned to CS2 in April 2024 and remains in Premier.
Removed & Reserve Maps (What You Can Still Play)
These aren’t in the CS2 competitive map pool right now, but they appear across other modes and playlists:
- Reserve / Casual-favored rotations: Anubis, Vertigo, Agency, Italy, Office, plus Jura and Grail (community-featured/limited playlists).
- Former Competitive Trials (now removed): Thera and Mills were trialed in 2024 for Competitive/Casual/Deathmatch but are no longer active duty.
CS2 Casual & Deathmatch Maps
Expect a broader selection here for variety and fast queue times. You’ll commonly find:
- Casual/Deathmatch staples: Ancient, Inferno, Mirage, Nuke, Overpass, Dust II
- Hostage maps: Office, Italy
- Occasional/featured: Agency, Jura, Grail, and limited-time community picks
Why it matters: Casual/DM are ideal for learning angles, movement paths, and utility lineups without rank pressure.
CS2 Wingman Maps (2v2)
Wingman focuses on one bombsite slices of full maps or dedicated Wingman arenas. As of mid-2025, you’ll regularly see:
- Brewery, Dogtown, plus seasonal/featured additions
- Rotates more than Premier—check the in-game playlist each season
Pro tip: treat Wingman like a micro-lab for utility and trading discipline—your reps translate directly to full-map play.
Arms Race Maps in CS2
CS2 re-introduced Arms Race with a tight, aim-heavy pool:
- Baggage
- Shoots
- Pool Day (classic fy_pool_day reimagined for CS2)
Use cases: snap-aim practice, weapon familiarity, and fast warmups pre-Premier.
Map-by-Map Mini Guide (Premier Pool)
Ancient (CT Utility Discipline)
- Theme: wide exterior lanes, tight site chokes, punishing mid.
- Win ideas:
- CT: Default 1–3–1 with fast door/mid pressure. Molli T-smoke walls early to slow executes.
- T: Fight for mid control with layered smokes (Donut/Top Mid). Late A splits punish over-rotations.
- CT: Default 1–3–1 with fast door/mid pressure. Molli T-smoke walls early to slow executes.
- Mistakes to avoid: dry peeking Donut; unflashed Cave reclears.
Dust II (Timing & Trading)
- Theme: timeless flow; visibility improved in CS2.
- Win ideas:
- CT: Mix long takes and early tunnel pressure; anchor cross smokes/HEs for late rounds.
- T: Long control sets up mid-to-B or late A splits; keep the AWP active on cat boosts.
- CT: Mix long takes and early tunnel pressure; anchor cross smokes/HEs for late rounds.
- Watchouts: over-investing long without cat presence = easy retakes for CTs.
Furthermore: Dust 2 callouts
Inferno (Space Layering)
- Theme: narrow lanes, utility chess on Banana.
- Win ideas:
- CT: Banana denial with nades; re-aggress behind deep smoke; late 4-man rotates are common.
- T: Condition Banana early; punish boiler/short with pop flashes; late A execs are money once pits are cleared.
- CT: Banana denial with nades; re-aggress behind deep smoke; late 4-man rotates are common.
- Tip: track CT HE/molli counts—exec as stacks deplete.
Furthermore: Inferno callouts
Mirage (Mid Wins Matches)
- Theme: open mid, modular site execs, many off-angles.
- Win ideas:
- CT: Contest top mid with window/cat setups; palace tripwires shut down A execs.
- T: Smokes for stairs/jungle/CT; late mid splits to cat/connector win rounds without full site commits.
- CT: Contest top mid with window/cat setups; palace tripwires shut down A execs.
- Skill check: consistent window smoke and short flashes.
Furthermore: Mirage callouts
Nuke (Vertical Mindgames)
- Theme: layered verticality; rotations are fast but exploitable.
- Win ideas:
- CT: Info is king—ramp jiggle protocols and yard cross smokes.
- T: Secret/hell pressure, hut pops, and vent dives force CT rotations thin.
- CT: Info is king—ramp jiggle protocols and yard cross smokes.
- Note: plan post-plants for squeaky mollis and vent control.
Furthermore: Nuke callouts
Overpass (Map Control Economy)
- Theme: long rotations; early info wins halves.
- Win ideas:
- CT: Proactive connector/party control; B anchors must play anti-rush protocols.
- T: Default to take bathrooms/connector, then pivot into A crunch or instant B pop with monster/sandbags flashes.
- CT: Proactive connector/party control; B anchors must play anti-rush protocols.
- Upgrade: practice water/monster mollis and late-round A divider smokes.
Furthermore: Overpass callouts
Train (Angle Purity & Crossfires)
- Theme: sightlines and geometry; punishes sloppy spacing.
- Win ideas:
- CT: Ivy/ladder “tripwire” duos; rotate fast on solid info.
- T: Explosive outer hits (ivy + main + pop) or deliberate inner pressure; smoke walls to isolate AWPs.
- CT: Ivy/ladder “tripwire” duos; rotate fast on solid info.
- Fundamental: don’t enter yard without layered flashes—you’ll donate rifles.
CS2 Map Veto & Ban Strategy (Premier)
- Know your pool: keep 3 comfort picks, 2 neutral, 2 permabans.
- Scout opponents: if they float Train/Overpass, angle your veto to push them onto your best two maps.
- Draft line-ups: pre-build 2 fast execs and 1 default per map; adapt utility to economy.
- Play percentages: if pistol plans are <50% win rate, re-script them first—free rounds swing halves.
CS2 New Maps vs. Legacy: What Actually Matters
- Trials happen: Thera and Mills were tested in 2024; Memento/Assembly showed up in Wingman. Testing doesn’t guarantee active duty permanence.
- Engine updates continue: 2025 patches adjusted animations and multiple maps—rehearse lineups after major updates; pixels and timings can shift.
- People-first takeaway: focus on transferable fundamentals (trading, flashes, spacing, map control) so you aren’t reset by rotations.
FAQs
What is the current CS2 competitive map pool?
Ancient, Dust II, Inferno, Mirage, Nuke, Overpass, Train.
Why is Dust II not in Premier?
It is in Premier. Dust II returned in April 2024 and remains part of the CS2 premier maps in 2025.
What happened to Vertigo and Anubis?
Vertigo left the pool when Train returned (early 2025). Anubis exited when Overpass returned (July 2025). Both remain playable in non-Premier modes/playlists.
Are Thera and Mills still competitive maps?
No. They were trialed in 2024 and later removed from active duty. Keep an eye on seasonal updates for future trials.
What are the official Arms Race maps?
Baggage, Shoots, and Pool Day.
