On January 8, 2025, ESL announced an immediate change to their mapping: Train will replace Vertigo in all tournaments run by the organization. This change is the result of Valve's decision to remove Vertigo from the official Counter-Strike map and add Train.

The changes will affect key ESL tournaments, including:

• ESEA Advanced (starts on January 13),
• ESL Challenger League (starting on January 21),
• IEM Katowice 2025 (starts on January 29),
• ESL Impact (qualifications start on January 31).

This decision received mixed reviews among professional players, analysts, and fans. Some welcome the return of the classic map, which was once one of the most popular, while others regret the loss of Vertigo, which offered unique gameplay.

PGL supports the change of the map

According to sources, PGL has also confirmed the transition to a new map. Their first tournament with Train will be PGL Cluj-Napoca, which will take place in February. Thus, all the leading tournament organizers - ESL, BLAST and PGL - have synchronized their mappings with the official Valve changes.

These changes will also affect Major tournaments: BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, scheduled for June, will be held with Train as part of the official map.

History and significance of Train

Train is one of the most famous cards in the history of Counter-Strike, first introduced in the original version of the game. Its strategic depth as well as the possibility for interesting tactical decisions made it a favorite among many professional players. In 2021, Train was removed from the CS:GO map and replaced with Ancient, which caused a mixed reaction.

The return of Train to Counter-Strike 2 opens up new opportunities for teams, especially those that have had success on this map before. It also creates challenges for teams that have not trained on this map in recent years.

How will this affect IEM Katowice 2025?

The first major tournament with the new map will be IEM Katowice 2025, which will start on January 29. This tournament will be a testbed for teams preparing to demonstrate their developments on Train. Spectators are looking forward to the return of the legendary map, which can significantly influence the course of the competition.

The new map promises many intriguing matches and unexpected tactical decisions. Teams that adapt quickly will have a significant advantage in the early stages of the 2025 season.