The competitive Counter-Strike 2 map pool has always been a hot topic, with community members constantly voicing their opinions on the current rotation. While personal taste does come into play, some maps are simply better than others, as illustrated in our CS2 map tier list.
Credit: tiermaker.com
S Tier Map List
Nuke
Ancient
Nuke
@ Valve
Nuke has been a fan favorite for professional and casual players alike for many years. The biggest advantage of the map is the sheer variety it possesses.
It offers close-range and long-range fights, wide open spaces and tight corridors, tactical depth and individual prowess, unique verticality, and high visibility.
All of those reasons combined make for one of the best CS2 maps for all types of CS2 players.
Ancient
@ Valve
Ancient’s addition to the active duty map pool in 2020 faced considerable criticism, largely due to visibility problems created by the green background and some CS2 agent skins.
However, people got used to it over time, and now it’s one of the most beloved maps in the game. Ancient’s popularity shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering its layout closely resembles that of an old fan favorite – Cache.
A Tier Map List
Mirage
Anubis
Mirage
@ Valve
Despite some people calling it boring, Mirage is still undoubtedly the most popular CS2 map, especially among casual players. Virtually everyone knows the classic Mirage smoke lineups, which makes it a great solo queue map.
It’s also incredibly well balanced, with both T and CT sides providing a ton of opportunities for advantageous individual fights that can make or break a round.
While it may seem a little bit stale, Mirage is a CS2 staple and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Anubis
@ Valve
Anubis was a breath of fresh air when it was first added to the active duty map pool, as it’s heavily T-sided, which is a rarity in modern Counter-Strike.
What was also apparent straight away was how much thought went into the graphic design of the map, with places like the canals and surrounding areas looking particularly beautiful.
No one knows if Anubis will stand the test of time, but as of right now, it deserves its place in the A Tier of our CS2 map tier list.
B Tier Map List
Dust 2
Dust 2
@ Valve
Over the past two decades, Dust 2 has transcended Counter-Strike and become the most popular map in all of gaming, even being recreated in other titles like Minecraft, Roblox, and many others.
That being said, its recent return to the map pool came as a big surprise. We’re excited to see what will the newest Dust 2 updates bring to the meta, and how it’ll impact the gameplay.
Despite some drawbacks, Dust 2 is an absolute classic for everyone to enjoy. Veterans love it for the nostalgia and newbies for its simplicity and memorability.
C Tier Map List
Inferno
Inferno
@ Valve
Inferno is another classic map, which stock went down heavily in CS2. The fresh remake of the map, albeit beautiful, left a lot to be desired.
Players complained about the gameplay feeling clunky and some portions of the map being cluttered with unnecessary scenery. That’s why players’ Inferno callouts need to be on point.
Valve has made an effort to improve the map, but it’s still only a shadow of its CS:GO version. On top of that, Inferno is one of the maps most prone to saving, which is another reason why playing the map can feel rather boring.
D Tier Map List
Vertigo
Vertigo
@ Valve
Although Vertigo is quite popular among casual players, it is by far and away the least-liked map by pros, to the point where most top CS2 teams don’t even play it much.
The most common complaint revolves around the map’s soundscape, which can be quite confusing, as well as awkward engagement, like the A ramp smoke duel, which happens in virtually every round.
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