Valve adds de_cache to CS2 map pool

Valve added de_cache to Counter-Strike 2’s active map pool on April 28, 2026 and announced the update on X. The map was available for tournament selection the same day.

Valve purchased the map from Shawn “FMPONE” Snelling after he released a Workshop remake. FMPONE first announced plans for a CS2 remake in early 2024 and released his version in 2025. Valve completed the purchase in May 2025 and spent months adapting the layout and assets for the Source 2 engine while keeping gameplay largely unchanged.

de_cache began as a Counter-Strike: Source map created by Salvatore “Volcano” Garozzo. It was added to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in July 2014 as part of Operation Breakout and was removed from the Active Duty pool in March 2019, when it was replaced by de_vertigo.

Viewership records dating to late 2016 show several high-attendance de_cache matches. The highest peak was the ELEAGUE Major 2017 semifinal between Fnatic and Astralis, which reached 785,394 peak viewers on de_cache during overtime. Other top peaks include SK Gaming vs. Astralis at the PGL Major Kraków 2017 with 708,376 peak viewers; FaZe Clan vs. MOUZ at the ELEAGUE Major 2018 with 673,856 peak viewers; Virtus.Pro vs. North at the ELEAGUE Major 2017 with 550,012 peak viewers; and Virtus.Pro vs. SK Gaming at EPICENTER 2017 with 432,842 peak viewers.

Valve’s release notes state the company rebuilt assets and applied engine-specific improvements while retaining the map’s core choke points and tactical flow. Tournament organizers and teams can now select de_cache for official competition.

Valve hinted at the return in 2026 by updating its Counter-Strike 2 X account banner to an image of de_cache and responding “It’s cooking” to a question from the organization NAVI. FMPONE has been publicly active during the redevelopment, and original creator Volcano is credited.

With de_cache restored to the active rotation, the map is eligible for both online and LAN events.