Cache Is Back in CS2 After 7 Years: Full Breakdown
Valve brought Cache back on April 29, 2026 — seven years after removing it. They bought it from FMPONE and rebuilt it for Source 2. Not in Active Duty yet, but already in Competitive and FACEIT.
Cache returned to CS2 on April 29, 2026 — exactly 7 years after being removed from Active Duty in March 2019. Valve purchased the map from its creator FMPONE, fully rebuilt it for Source 2, and released a 5.1 GB patch with a simple announcement: "Welc☢️me back." The radiation symbol isn't accidental — the release date ties to the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
Seven Years of Waiting: How Cache Disappeared and Came Back
Cache arrived in CS:GO in December 2012. In July 2014, it became the first and only community map in Active Duty — a unique occurrence in the series. It was removed on March 28, 2019, replaced by Vertigo. Since then the map lived in secondary modes while the community waited for its return.
The road back took years. In March 2025, FMPONE released a CS2 remake of the map on the Steam Workshop. Valve reached out the same day with a purchase offer. The deal closed in May 2025 — by which point FMPONE had already joined Riot Games. Valve bought the map from a creator who had moved to a competitor.
FMPONE on the sale: "They reached out to buy it on day one of release. It was a great honor and I don't want anyone to think we hesitated for one moment."
What Changed Visually
Complete reconstruction for the Source 2 engine: textures, lighting, shadows — from scratch. Valve deliberately returned to the industrial Chernobyl aesthetic of the original, rejecting the "green" 2019 version that the community received coolly. Posters, graffiti, and detailed environmental props have been added.
Gameplay layout remained unchanged: Mid, A Main, B Halls, Checkers — all in place, timings the same. FMPONE explained the principle: "Cache is fair and balanced, so changes come with more risk than reward." One exception — Mid window is now blocked, a significant strategic change.
A notable detail: s1mple's famous no-scope graffiti on B-site (ESL One Cologne 2016) was removed in the new version. s1mple himself wasn't too bothered — he said he sees that moment every day in a tattoo on his arm.
Why Cache Isn't in Active Duty Yet
The map is currently only available in Competitive, Casual, Deathmatch, and Retakes. It's absent from Active Duty and Premier. Valve has promised to update the pool after IEM Cologne Major 2026 — with the launch of Premier Season 5.
The top candidate for removal is Mirage: 13 years in Active Duty without a break. Voices are also raised for Ancient and Inferno, but no official statements have been made. With Cologne Major ongoing, everything is on hold.
FACEIT and Community Reaction
FACEIT added Cache to Season 8 on April 22 — a week before the official release — based on a community vote (148,840 votes). FACEIT servers became overloaded in the first days due to massive demand.
Community reaction has been unanimously positive. Seven years of waiting built enormous pent-up demand. Some players are already calling for Mirage to be removed immediately; others debate Ancient and Inferno. Either way, Cache in Active Duty is a matter of the next few months.
If you want to warm up before your first games on Cache, check out the aiming guide — the mechanics don't change regardless of which map you play.
