The favorite CS maps in the hearts of pro players

The new version of the CS map pool has always been criticized by everyone, but it is not beyond help.

Although the new versions of Vertigo, Dust2, and Inferno have left many people dissatisfied, there are still some decent maps in the game. Nuke remains the testing ground for all top teams, Mirage and Ancient have always been excellent, and Anubis is also fairly well-reviewed.

Simply ranting about these poor maps isn't productive, so sometimes we need to see some positive things. Therefore, at the 2024 Cologne event, we asked CS pro players to share their thoughts on their favorite maps.

Nertz

I think Mirage is the best map, it's very balanced. I think it depends more on the individual; if your personal performance is good, it becomes much easier. There are also many different tactical executions and strategies on this map.

hallzerk

Honestly, I think all the maps are terrible. So, let me think... this is the worst map pool ever... the best map? I'd have to say... Inferno is crap, Vertigo is crap too... maybe Anubis, or Nuke. I like Nuke, it's very suitable for snipers, and I have a lot of confident tactics on both CT and T sides.

lux

Vertigo, this is the map I'm best at. No one else likes it, I used to hate it too, but then I started playing the A site on the T side, and I found my comfort zone. Anubis is also very good.

VINI

That's tough, there are quite a few bad maps... I like Anubis, it has a fresh style, it's novel, and it plays smoothly.

SunPayus

Nuke, this map has a lot of different strategies and tricks to choose from. I like alternating positions and moving around the map, trying to read the opponent's mind. I think it's the most strategic map so far.

Brollan

I think the best map is Mirage, but my favorite is Vertigo. Mirage is a better map, you can do anything on it, it's very straightforward. I really like Vertigo, but I don't think it's the best map.

mezii

I think the best map for me is still Nuke. I think this map has a lot of variety on both CT and T sides. There are a lot of mind games in terms of position switching, aggression, etc., so I think Nuke has all the elements. Other maps are either not yet perfected or relatively monotonous in gameplay.

Despite what the community might make you believe, many pro players still seem to love Mirage. Its long-standing presence in the competitive map pool is because it's a classic map that can continually innovate. There's no denying that without it, the map pool would lose a unique touch.

Nuke also seems to be a popular choice, mainly because of its tactical diversity. For us, this is not surprising, as Nuke has long been a benchmark map for measuring the truly strongest teams in the world.