One of the biggest wishes of the CS community is an anti-ch… the return of Cache to the competitive map pool (people really want a strong anti-cheat too, but that’s not today’s topic). The CS.MONEY Blog has gathered everything we know about Cache in CS2 in one place, and whether this map will be played at the upcoming Majors.
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Why is Cache a popular map?
Even though Cache was last part of the competitive map pool back in 2019, many players still want it to return. And it’s not just nostalgia: the map has good balance and a unique look. In the lore, Cache is set in the exclusion zone near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It’s also known for iconic moments like s1mple’s double noscope kill. The map is simple enough to understand individually, but challenging when it comes to team play. Overall, almost everyone loved it.
Can you play Cache in CS2?
Yes. The map’s creator, FMPONE, dropped a version of Cache for Counter-Strike 2, but it did not make it into the official game and is only available in the Workshop. The Workshop version has some optimization issues, plus it has not been updated in over a year. The thing is, Valve bought the rights to this map, and all signs point to Cache returning in a completely different form than what FMPONE made.
So you can launch Cache in CS2, but mostly just for the nostalgia. There is absolutely no point in practicing on it right now.
When will Cache return to CS2?
This is where it gets interesting. For almost all of 2025, Valve stayed quiet and pretty much ignored questions about Cache. That all changed in 2026, when we saw hints on the official game Twitter (a radiation symbol in 2026), and then direct replies like: Let us cook.
Knowing Valve, this means Cache will drop sooner rather than later, and we might actually play it this year. Right now, Valve devs are on their usual corporate vacation in Hawaii, so we are not expecting anything in the next couple of weeks, but after that, an interesting window opens up.
First of all, Valve rotates community maps roughly every six months. The last update was in January, which means something might be waiting for us in May or June. Add to this the upcoming armory update featuring Arabic-style collections and spy gadgets, plus the Animgraph 2 update that is actively being tested right now, and we have all the pieces for a massive update.
Will Cache be at the CS2 Major?
Cache obviously will not be at IEM Cologne 2026. As for the second tournament, PGL Major Singapore, the chances are slim, but they are still there. A hypothetical scenario: the map drops in May or early June. Over a month or two, the main bugs get fixed thanks to community hype, and sometime around July we see the start of season five and an updated competitive map pool. That’s the window where Cache could be added.
However, this is just one scenario. Valve is known for being unpredictable, so it’s hard to guess what they’ll do next. The developers might need more time to polish the map. They might also have a different vision for the map pool. Also, if Cache returns, it will likely need a new collection, which adds extra work. So while the шанс is there, it’s far from guaranteed.
No matter if Cache returns in the next couple of months or not, CS2 is still a fun game that you should enjoy to the fullest! Customize your inventory with CS.MONEY!
