Competitive shooters often create maps based on locations from the real world. In Rainbow Six Siege, for example, you can visit Kafe Dostoevsky, which was inspired by an actual location in Moscow. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive utilizes this trick as well. The maps you play could well be found in the real world. Today, the CS.MONEY Blog is going to tell you where exactly they are situated.
Dust 2: Casablanca
Let’s start off with the most essential map of the game, Dust 2. You probably think it’s somewhere in the Middle East? Well, if so, you’re mistaken. A number of details indicate that in reality, Dust 2 would be located in the state of Morocco, North Africa. For instance, the license plates on the cars are suspiciously reminiscent of these in Morocco.
There are other references, too, like signs pointing to a specific city: Casablanca! By the way, it’s the largest city of Morocco, the country’s economic and tourist center.
Mirage: Marrakesh
Mirage is another map that looks like the embodiment of the Middle East region. The lettering, the architecture, and even the sand — an unsophisticated viewer wouldn’t distinguish these landscapes from those seen in movies like Black Hawk Down. But we did some research and… we couldn’t find any specific clues that would help us identify the city.
However, we believe that Mirage is related to Marrakesh, Morocco (even if only partly). Indirect evidence includes the colorful houses, and architecture, and the abundance of carpets and even the logo of the game. Nevertheless, the source of inspiration may well have been other cities such as Fez and Tangier.
But here’s a fun fact: Marrakesh has not only sand but also snow. Near the city is the mountain Jbel Tishka, its peaks constantly covered with snow!
Ancient: Mexican jungle
Hollywood depicts Mexico through a yellow filter. Talk about Breaking Bad episodes. But apart from sand and sombreros, the country has some actual jungle. For example, the Lacandon Jungle is a huge area of rainforest. And these forests are home to a number of important archaeological sites of Mayan culture.
In addition to the Maya, Mexico also boasts traces of Aztec Empire culture. Bottom line, Mexico lays the biggest claim to being the real-life location that inspired Ancient. As a matter of fact, other Central American countries can claim this title as well, but we opted for Mexico and its beautiful jungle.
Overpass: Nuremberg
Near the passageway from the T spawn on Overpass, there’s a one up graffiti. It’s a direct reference to the famous Berlin-based graffiti band. Surprisingly, though, Overpass is most likely located in Nuremberg. This is testified to by the huge TV tower behind the CT spawn.
Notably, Valve itself simply omitted this matter in the map creation notes. Instead of providing a specific location, it mentions a European setting. Regardless, we think that Overpass is Nuremberg. After all, the TV tower is a much more serious clue than one graffiti.
Vertigo: New York
Vertigo was the toughest nut to crack in this selection. It just so happens that a skyscraper in downtown with a bunch of yellow cabs on the road the epitome of a megalopolis center in the United States. And since we’re talking about stereotypes, Vertigo is “obviously” located in New York, the most stereotypical metropolis ever.
The downtown skyscraper, the presence of FBI special agents, and the pile of yellow cabs, which are the city’s instantly recognizable hallmark, all make this version incredibly plausible. But there’s one problem! The same clues may point to other metropolitan areas in the United States. So you can just make up your own mind.
Nuke: Harrisburg
Last but not least, Nuke. It’s most likely located in the US as well. Let’s start with a few obvious hints. All inscriptions on the map are in English. From the street, you can instantly notice a huge parking lot, the kind you’d barely see anywhere in Europe. And don’t forget about the river: it’s a most curious detail that’s indirect reference to the Three Mile Island power plant.
This power plant is notorious for the accident that was the worse in the history of nuclear power in the United States. That said, the safety awards that can be found on the map look like black humor. By the way, Nuke is one of the few maps in CS:GO that has moved from one country to another. Namely, the old version was located in Germany, and this one’s in the US.
You might have noticed that Inferno’s missing in this selection. Its old version was based on a location in California, USA. The new one, on the other hand, is somewhere in Italy. We haven’t yet identified the real-life location, but it’s just a matter of time. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it. Just leave your mail in the box right there.
