Change in Scenery: The Era of CT Sided Maps is Dead
With the return of Nuke, we look back on the changes every map has received, and which map is next to go.
With the launch of the latest Operation, Wildfire, reintroducing the 1.6 classic that is Nuke, It's clear that Valve has an agenda. Over the past couple years in Global Offensive's development, a pattern has formed of each competitive defusal map being reevaluated. While every map has done this in a somewhat different manner, the endgame is always the same. Maps that have always been known as CT sided are being recycled. Some changes solely aesthetic, other complete overhauls. Almost every map has gone through a major change.
Starting from the beginning, first taking a look at Mirage. This may be a surprise to newer players, considering it was redesigned very early in Global Offensive's lifetime, well before Global Offensive had its popularity today. While the actual layout of the map stayed the same, the setting and appearance was completely reimagined. From being a European clay roof town similar to Inferno or Italy, to its current sandy landscape. While the map saw no layout changes, its setting was completely updated. In Global Offensive's first three Operations; Bravo, Payback, and Phoenix, there was the remake of another fan favorite: Cache. While Cache also saw no major layout changes, it’s important to note that before it was accepted into the Active Duty, Cache first also went through a face lift by widely praised mapper, FMPONE.
Original Global Offensive ports for Mirage A site (left) and Cache A site (right)
Next on the 18th of December 2013, Cobble was reintroduced as the predecessor of its CSS version, and Valve released their first new layout of Global Offensive, Overpass. These layouts while aesthetically similar, are very different to their current irritations. Since its initial release, the A site of Overpass has been redesigned more than any other section of any map. Both maps had few Terrorist options, extremely short rotation times, and unfair angles when entering the sites, making them very CT sided at first. Once Valve introduced them into the competitive map pool, these maps were so called “Instant Vetoes”. Being very challenging and new to the scene, many teams would bans these maps first in their veto processes. It was clear that if Valve wanted these maps to be taken seriously, major changes would need to be made. Over the course of the next year, Cobble and Overpass would see drastic changes in connecting routes and site entrances that would favor the T side. Many argue that the current version of Cobble is actually T sided, with not much cover on the sites and the fast nature of terrorist attacks, holding Cobbles sites can turn out to be a challenge.
Older Variations of Cobble B site (left) and Overpass A site (right)
Now turning to Nukes initial replacement, Train. Train was surprisingly sidelined when Valve introduced the divide between Active Duty and Reserve, Overpass and Cobble taking its spot to the surprise and outrage the fans of the 1.6 legend. Not knowing that a rework was already in the works. The map has always been famously CT Sided, the map had seen many attempts at balancing, all failing. It was clear that to save the map, a full rework was necessary. The current version while still seen as CT sided, is nowhere close to its past state.
The latest of this trend is Nuke. While maybe not as CT sided as Train, Nuke was by far the most infamously CT sided map since its birth. Chokepoint after chokepoint, instant rotation times, predictable Terrorist strategies made it a Terrorist nightmare. Top teams such as Na'Vi refused to play or even practice it, and at the time, was their “Instant Veto”. Being the most controversial map in the rotation, and with the new Train launch imminent, Nuke was the weakest link of the map pool. This new version gives much longer rotation times to CT’s and more options to the Terrorist, such as the catwalk through heaven to A site.
Prior to their remakes, this is the original Train A site (left) and Nuke outside area (right)
Mirage, and Cache were reskinned, giving fan favorites new appearances. An old relic of the series and a new face, Cobble and Overpass were added to provide diversity to a stagnated map pool. Train and Nuke were removed and re-added to provide long awaited balances. That leaves only two maps left in Competitive CS:GO that have not been majorly edited within Global Offensive's lifespan- Dust2, and Inferno. Dust2 is a cornerstone of first person shooters, even outside of Counter Strike, is a well-respected map. Games such as Insurgency have seen fan recreations of this map. Any redesign of this layout would see an uproar by the community, and would surely be rejected. This only leaves one option: Inferno. If Valve wishes to continue their agenda, Inferno meets all criteria; it is the only map that has not seen a complete ascetic redesign, it is considered by far the most unbalanced map in the current rotation, and with Newke a part of Operation Wildfire, this seems extremely similar to when Vanguard ended, Train taking Nukes spot in the rotation.
It’s clear that the era of CT sided maps, is over. Long standing pillars of Counter Strike: Nuke, Train and Inferno, maps that were known for their favorability of the CT side. Valve sidelining these maps for more balanced, more promising layouts showed that they weren't scared to make big changes, regardless of what the community said. Nuke and Train have gone through their cycles, and have been reintroduced into the community. Is it too outlandish to think that Inferno is next?
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