The Counter-Strike community is currently discussing the imminent return of the map Cache to CS2. Following a highly suggestive tweet from Valve last week, a release appears confirmed for the very near future. The primary question remaining is whether the map will be added directly to the active competitive map pool for upcoming tournaments or if Valve will wait until after the IEM Cologne Major to make structural changes to the professional circuit. The following is a summary of the current information, recent developments, and historical data regarding map pool updates.
The Facts: Where Cache Stands Today
Regarding the current status of the map, Cache is available to play in Counter-Strike 2, although it is not yet in official Valve matchmaking. The original map designer, Shawn “FMPONE” Snelling, rebuilt the map for the Source 2 engine and released this remake on the Steam Workshop on March 3, 2025. Reports indicate that Valve has acquired the rights to the map from FMPONE. This process is similar to the integration of previous community maps like Anubis into the Active Duty pool. While not available in Premier mode, the map is playable on community servers, Faceit, and offline via the Workshop. This testing period has allowed players to identify bugs and performance optimizations.
The Setting: Pripyat and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
The map is set in Pripyat, Ukraine, within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. FMPONE’s CS2 remake includes specific environmental details based on this location. From the Terrorist spawn, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is visible. The map features nearby buildings and fencing materials that match the real world counterpart. This connection to the real world location is a central point in recent community discussions.
The Tease: Valve’s Recent Tweet
Speculation reached a peak last week when the official CS2 X account posted a video highlighting legendary moments from Cache with the caption, “What are you doing next week?”
This coincided closely with Sunday, April 26, 2026, which marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. The tweet strongly indicates that a Cache update is arriving immediately. However, it remains unclear if the map will be forced into the active tournament pool right away or simply added to the game while professional play remains unaffected until the next Major concludes.
Historical context: Map pool timings
The last four out of five map rotations have occurred after a Major. The following list details the most recent map pool changes in competitive Counter-Strike and their timing:
- January 2026: Anubis replaced Train. This update happened after the StarLadder Budapest Major in December 2025.
- July 2025: Overpass replaced Anubis. This update happened after the BLAST Austin Major in June 2025.
- November 2024: Train replaced Vertigo. This update happened before the Perfect World Shanghai Major in December 2024.
- April 2024: Dust 2 replaced Overpass. This update happened after the PGL Copenhagen Major in March 2024.
- November 2022: Anubis replaced Dust 2. This update happened after the IEM Rio Major in November 2022.
The next upcoming Major is IEM Cologne, scheduled to begin on June 2, 2026. Given the established pattern of the last five rotations, an active duty map pool update is most likely to occur after this tournament concludes, while the map is most likely to be released to the public this week in the game, which could also give Valve time to readjust and fix issues with the map after the release.
