Valve returns reworked Cache to CS2 matchmaking

Valve released a CS2 update on April 29, 2026, that adds a reworked version of Cache to Competitive, Casual, Deathmatch and Retakes. The update restores the map to official matchmaking after it was removed from the competitive pool in 2019.

Cache was originally created by Shawn “FMPONE” Snelling. Valve purchased the rights to the map in May 2025 and rebuilt it on the Source 2 engine. A community remake appeared on the Steam Workshop in March 2025, and a community vote on April 22 supported the map and put it on FACEIT servers before the official update. Valve posted teasers in the weeks leading to the April 29 patch.

Cache first entered the Active Duty pool in 2014 and was removed from official competitive rotation on March 28, 2019. Its last major tournament appearance took place at IEM Katowice 2019. Valve has not added Cache to Premier mode or the professional Active Duty pool; any change to professional rotation could occur after the IEM Cologne Major 2026.

The update also made changes to several other maps. On Dust II, the Mid Box at Mid was uncovered to reveal a previously hidden jump spot; Valve’s patch notes indicated the change was intentional. Office received a collision fix for tarps placed on boxes near CT spawn. Community maps Stronghold and Poseidon were updated to their latest Workshop versions and included in the official build.

Technical adjustments appeared in Animgraph 2 that affect viewmodel animations. Two knife display issues were fixed so Talon and Karambit knives appear correctly when a player defuses the bomb. Audio fixes addressed a problem where the C4 equip sound was not interrupted by other equip sounds, removed a first-person death sound that could trigger when a music kit’s death cue was inaudible, and applied general sound mix adjustments.

Two additional bug fixes rounded out the patch. An ambient occlusion shader issue that caused railings to appear overly dark and blocky on certain maps, including Mirage, was corrected. The update also fixed an edge case where a player could end up holding no weapon after issuing a hand-switch request immediately following a grenade throw.

With the April 29 update live, Cache is now available in the listed standard modes for players to access. Valve left professional rotation status unchanged in this release.