Valve has rotated Anubis back into Counter-Strike 2's active duty map pool, replacing Train starting with Premier Season Four. The change, announced just before the 2026 esports season, has sparked disappointment among players who hoped for maps like Cache. Professional teams must now adjust their strategies amid upcoming tournaments.
Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) players were caught off guard by Valve's latest map pool rotation, which brings Anubis back into competitive play at the expense of Train. The update takes effect from Premier Season Four, adding Anubis to Premier and Competitive modes for online matchmaking. Train will be removed from Premier and esports events on January 19, 2026.
The timing of the announcement has raised concerns in the esports community. Most professional teams have already begun training for the 2026 season, with the first major qualifier for BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 scheduled for January 13. This event leads into IEM Krakow 2026, starting January 28. Organizers like BLAST and ESL will need to decide on map usage, as Anubis enters right between the qualifier and the LAN finals of Bounty Winter 2026.
Anubis was previously removed after the Boston Major 2025, when Overpass took its place. Train itself was added following the Shanghai Major 2024, replacing Vertigo, but lasted only about a year in the pool. At the StarLadder Major in Budapest, Train saw moderate popularity, outperforming Ancient and Overpass in picks, including a key win for NAVI against FURIA.
The community had voiced strong calls for fresh maps like Cache and Cobblestone, making the return of a recently removed map particularly frustrating. Pro teams, including paiN and FURIA who played on Anubis during the Boston Major playoffs, are expected to adapt quickly, though early tournaments may see unpredictable results.
It remains unclear if Anubis receives any updates, such as visual refreshes or gameplay tweaks. When asked, the official CS2 account responded with a joke. Alongside the rotation, Premier Season 4 includes a rating reset and a new grind for a commemorative Medal. Full patch notes are awaited for more details.
