The Counter-Strike 2 map pool might be bad right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s irredeemable.

Despite the existence of Vertigo, Dust2, and Inferno, there are still good maps in the game. Nuke remains the proving ground for all the top teams, Mirage and Ancient are consistently great, and Anubis continues to develop nicely.

With the bad map pool constantly in the mind of players, sometimes a little positivity is needed. So, at IEM Cologne 2024, we asked CS pros to give their opinion on what is their favourite map in CS right now.

Which map is CS pros favourite?

NertZ

For Guy "NertZ" Iluz, Mirage ticks all the boxes. Its design rewards player skill and creativity, allowing teams to switch up strategies and catch opponents off guard. Mirage has been around for ages, but players like NertZ feel it still brings a lot to the table.

I think Mirage is the best, it's balanced and I feel like it's a lot about individuals, if your individuals are hitting hard, it's a lot easier. There's also a lot of different executes you can do and a lot of different fakes.

hallzerk

Despite his criticism of the current pool, Håkon "hallzerk" Fjærli has a clear soft spot for Nuke. With strong AWP potential and tons of flexibility for both CT and T sides, Nuke suits hallzerk’s style perfectly, letting him set up smart plays and control key points on the map.

I think all the maps are quite shit, to be honest. So, let me think... this is the worst map pool ever... best map? I'd have to say... Inferno is dogshit, Vertigo is dogshit... fuck... probably Anubis, or Nuke, I love Nuke, it's great for the AWP and there are a lot of plays I'm comfortable with on both CT and T.

lux

Lucas "lux" Meneghini’s journey with Vertigo went from dislike to deep appreciation. Playing on Vertigo has given lux a unique advantage, as he now feels completely comfortable on a map that others struggle with.

Vertigo, it's my best map. Nobody else likes it and I used to hate it, but then I started playing A on T side and I found myself. Anubis is also really good, too.

VINI

For Vinicius "VINI" Figueiredo, Anubis is a breath of fresh air. New to the pool, Anubis has won over players by bringing something unique and exciting. It offers angles and setups that are different from the classic maps, adding an unpredictable element to matches.

That's tough, there's a lot of bad maps... I like Anubis, it's a fresh style, it's new, it plays nice.

SunPayus

Alvaro "SunPayus" Garcia sees Nuke as the ultimate chessboard of Counter-Strike maps. Its layout allows for complex plays and deep strategies, where teams can outsmart each other with creative positioning and well-timed rotations. Nuke demands a lot of planning and quick decisions, which is exactly why SunPayus enjoys it so much.

Nuke, you can do so many different strats and gimmicks. I love the rotations on the map and moving around, trying to get into the minds of the opposing team, I think it's strategically the best map by far.

Brollan

For Ludvig "Brollan" Brolin, Mirage offers balance and versatility that every player can appreciate, but he has a soft spot for Vertigo. Though it might not be the easiest map, Vertigo offers something different that keeps him coming back, even if it’s just for the challenge.

I think the best map is Mirage, but my favourite is Vertigo. Mirage is a better map though, you can do anything on it but it's still really simple. I really like Vertigo but I don't think it's the best map.

mezii

William "mezii" Merriman appreciates Nuke’s depth, noting that it stands out as a map where players can experiment with different tactics. For him, Nuke allows for a full range of gameplay, from setting traps to taking control of key areas. Unlike other maps, it’s not limited to a single playstyle, making it ideal for competitive matches.

I think the best map, for me, is still Nuke. I think there's so much variation on the map, both on CT and T. There's a lot of mind games with rotations, aggressions, and so on, so I think Nuke has a bit of everything. All of the other maps either have some work to do or are pretty one-dimensional in terms of how people play.

Don’t listen to Twitter

Well, despite what Twitter may have you believe, it seems a lot of pros still love Mirage. There’s a reason that it’s been in the map pool for so long, and that’s because it’s a classic map with constant innovation. Admit it - the map pool just wouldn’t feel the same with it gone.

Nuke also seems to be a favourite, once again for it’s tactical diversity. That’s no surprise to us, though, Nuke has long been the map that was the marker for who was actually the greatest team in the world. It took a long time and many updates to get to this point, but we agree that it is now a phenomenal map.