Counter-Strike 2’s latest update has shaken up the community map pool, introduced new charms and stickers, and added a series of gameplay and spectator tweaks.
Counter-Strike 2’s latest update has shaken up the community map pool, introduced new charms and stickers, and added a series of gameplay and spectator tweaks.
While the patch is full of fresh content, one absence is impossible to ignore: Cache, the legendary community battleground, remains missing from the official rotation – despite Valve already owning the rights to its Source 2 remake.
Four Fresh Community Maps
The latest shuffle sees four community creations introduced across different modes. Golden and Palacio have joined Competitive, Casual, and Deathmatch, offering new full-scale battlegrounds for players. Meanwhile, Rooftop and Transit make their debut in Wingman, the latter featuring a unique moving train element that adds flair to 2v2 skirmishes.
To make room, Valve removed Jura, Grail, Dogtown, and Brewery from all game modes, a regular practice to keep matchmaking rotations diverse.
Cache’s Curious Absence
What makes this update particularly surprising is what isn’t there. Cache, originally designed by Salvatore "Volcano" Garozzo and reimagined for CS:GO by Shawn "FMPONE" Snelling, is arguably the most iconic community map in Counter-Strike history. In March 2025, FMPONE confirmed that he had completed work on a CS2 version of Cache and that Valve had purchased it from him. Since then, the map has been in Valve’s hands – yet it still hasn’t been shipped.
This leaves the community puzzled. Unlike experimental newcomers such as Transit or Rooftop, Cache carries an enormous legacy: it was once a mainstay of competitive map pools, featured at Majors, and has remained a fan-favorite since its CS:GO prominence. Many expected its release to coincide with this autumn’s map refresh, but once again, Cache was nowhere to be seen in the patch notes.
Whether Valve is holding the map back for polishing, saving it for a larger content drop, or planning to tie its release to a future Major remains unknown. What’s clear is that fans are growing increasingly impatient to see one of Counter-Strike’s most beloved arenas make its long-awaited Source 2 debut.
Armory Expansions
While Cache waits in the wings, the cosmetic side of CS2 has seen another major expansion.
The Armory now features:
- Dr. Boom Charms: A playful set of grenade-themed charms.
- Missing Link Community Charms: 23 designs from community artists, ranging from creative to bizarre.
- 2025 Community Stickers: 29 new community-made decals.
- Sugarface 2 Stickers: A follow-up to the popular Sugarface line.
At the same time, Valve retired the Gallery Case, Graphic Collection, and Character Craft stickers.
ARMORY GOT UPDATED
— Thour (@ThourCS2) October 1, 2025
Two New Charms and Two Sticker Collections in Armory pic.twitter.com/AoH31C5oOA
Gameplay and Spectator Tweaks
Several quality-of-life updates also arrived:
- Deaths from C4 explosions now count on the scoreboard.
- Zeus-x27 kill streak bonuses have been capped in Deathmatch.
- Sniper scopes now show inaccuracy properly and fix previous pixel offset issues.
- Weapon charms will now subtly react when players make audible footsteps.
Spectators benefit from smoother camera transitions and richer detail when viewing a player’s loadout – now including glove wear and pattern.
Mapmakers also received a slew of new scripting functions and workshop tool upgrades, including deformers for Hammer and expanded callback support for player actions. These changes give creators more flexibility than ever, continuing Valve’s push to keep the community modding scene thriving.
Overall, this update underscores Valve’s commitment to refreshing CS2’s map pool with experimental and community-driven designs. But the glaring omission of Cache overshadows the excitement. With the remake ready and in Valve’s hands, its absence raises questions about timing, priorities, and what the developers might be saving it for. Until then, players can explore Golden, Palacio, Rooftop, and Transit, but Cache’s shadow looms larger with every patch it doesn’t appear in.