Counter-Strike Active Duty pool: maps that left, 2014 to 2026

The Active Duty map pool is the group of maps used at Majors. Valve introduced the group in 2014 and has swapped maps in and out ever since, first in CS:GO and later in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2).

This article lists the removals documented in Valve’s posts and patch notes, from Nuke in March 2015 to Overpass in July 2026.

Key dates

• Active Duty, Reserves and Operation groups listed: July 1, 2014
• Nuke moved to the reserves, Train added: March 31, 2015
• Inferno moved to the reserves, Nuke returns: April 21, 2016
• Dust II replaced by Inferno: Feb. 3, 2017
• Cobblestone removed, Dust II returns: April 20, 2018
• Cache moved to the reserves: March 28, 2019
• Train replaced by Ancient: May 3, 2021
• Dust II removed ahead of the Paris Major: Nov. 18, 2022
• Overpass replaced by Dust II: April 25, 2024
• Vertigo removed in CS2: Jan. 28, 2025
• Anubis removed: July 15, 2025
• Train removed: Jan. 21, 2026
• Overpass removed, Cache returns: July 8, 2026

How the pool began in 2014

Valve’s patch notes dated July 1, 2014 divided CS:GO maps into three groups: Active Duty, Reserves and Operation. Valve wrote that “These map assignments will be re-evaluated every Operation.”

Seven maps made up the first Active Duty group: Dust II, Nuke, Mirage, Inferno, Cobblestone, Overpass and Cache. The reserves held Train, Aztec, Dust, Vertigo, Office, Italy, Assault and Militia. Operation Breakout’s six community maps (Castle, Overgrown, Black Gold, Mist, Rush and Insertion) formed the third group.

Wikipedia says the grouping started with Cologne 2014 and that Active Duty was the category used for all Majors.

2015 to 2018

Valve’s release notes of March 31, 2015, which closed Operation Vanguard, said that “Train has been added to the Active Duty map pool” and “Nuke has been moved to the Reserve map pool.”

Nuke came back a year later. On April 21, 2016, Valve wrote: “Today, we’re reintroducing Nuke to the Active Duty map group, and moving Inferno to the reserves.” The post added that Nuke would be one of the seven maps played at the CS:GO Major Championship at ESL One Cologne 2016.

Inferno returned on Feb. 3, 2017, after the ELEAGUE Major, which Valve’s post says Astralis won.

“Inferno has returned to Active Duty, replacing Dust II, and will be featured at the next CS:GO Major.” – Valve, Feb. 3, 2017

Dust II did not disappear from play. Valve wrote that it was “front and center” on the Competitive Matchmaking map selection screen, and that Casual and Deathmatch map groups were split into Active Duty, Hostage, Reserves and Dust II.

Dust II came back on April 20, 2018, in place of Cobblestone. Valve wrote that “Cobblestone is out and CS:GO’s most iconic map, Dust II, is back in!” and that the revised pool would be featured at the FACEIT Major in London later that year.

2019: Cache goes to the reserves

On March 28, 2019, Valve called its update “a big map pool adjustment.” Vertigo joined Active Duty, and Cache left.

“Vertigo has been added to Active Duty, and Cache has been moved to the reserves while it undergoes some renovations.” – Valve, March 28, 2019

Valve asked players to try Vertigo matches and send feedback. The post also introduced the EZ4ENCE Music Kit and the Feral Predators sticker capsule.

2021: Ancient replaces Train

Valve’s post “The End of Broken Fang” of May 3, 2021, changed the pool again.

“Train is leaving the station, and Ancient is taking its place with a revamped A Site and minor changes to B site.” – Valve, May 3, 2021

2022: Dust II leaves before Paris

Valve’s CS:GO update of Nov. 18, 2022 added Anubis to Active Duty and removed Dust II. Valve wrote that the change would determine which maps were played at the 2023 Paris Major. Both maps stayed available in Casual, Deathmatch and Competitive modes.

According to Wikipedia, the BLAST Paris Major ran from May 8 to May 21, 2023. It was the last CS:GO Major.

2024 to 2026: changes tied to CS2 Premier seasons

In CS2, the pool changes in Valve’s notes line up with Premier seasons, except the first.

The April 25, 2024 release notes replaced Overpass with Dust II in the Active Duty group, the current competition map pool and Premier matchmaking. Wikipedia lists the Copenhagen 2024 Major as running from March 17 to March 31, so the change came less than a month after that tournament.

The next three changes came with new seasons:

• Premier Season Two (Jan. 28, 2025)Train added, Vertigo removed.
• Premier Season Three (July 15, 2025)Overpass added, Anubis removed.
• Premier Season Four (Jan. 21, 2026)Anubis added, Train removed.

A Wikipedia note gives Jan. 6, 2025 as the date a remade map returned to Active Duty in CS2. Valve’s patch notes list Train as added on Jan. 28, 2025.

Removals in Valve’s posts

What came next

Premier Season Five began with Valve’s update of July 8, 2026. It removed Overpass from the Active Duty pool and added Cache, which had gone to the reserves in March 2019. The same update included clipping adjustments to Cache.