Counter-Strike 2 has promised to be an improvement on the beloved competitive shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, boasting better graphics and an improved user interface. The most important part of CS2, however, is the competitive gameplay. Has the game become more or less balanced after the changes made to the maps?
One of the most fundamental aspects of Counter-Strikes is perhaps its many maps. Filled with tiny passageways, open bomb sites, and unique vantage points, they provide players with infinite ways of strategising versus their opponents.
From Counter-Strike Global Offensive to Counter-Strike 2, Valve Corporation has initiated many changes to the game, not the least to its maps.
Some maps, such as Overpass and Inferno, have been revamped, which has forced players to find new aim patterns and strategies to stay competitive. Others have solely received better light features, including Mirage and Dust ll.
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With the many map updates in Counter-Strike 2, Abios looks into whether the changes have impacted the win rate for Counter Terrorist (CT) and Terrorist (T) sites for each map and shares insights on how balanced the sites really are.
Mirage
| Game | CT Win Rate | T Win Rate |
| CS:GO | 52% | 48% |
| CS2 | 51% | 49% |
Verdict: Balanced
Just like in CS:GO, Mirage remains very balanced in CS2. It’s no surprise to see this little change since Mirage’s layout was the exact same in both games. The only real difference is the quality of the map’s texture and lighting in CS2.
Nuke
| Game | CT Win Rate | T Win Rate |
| CS:GO | 46% | 54% |
| CS2 | 46% | 54% |
Verdict: Pretty Balanced
Similar to Mirage, no fundamental changes were made from CS:GO to CS2. The major parts of the map are the same, with just lighting and texture touched. You can see that the win rates haven’t changed from game to game, somewhat favouring Terrorists throughout Nuke’s history.
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Inferno
| Game | CT Win Rate | T Win Rate |
| CS:GO | 52% | 48% |
| CS2 | 50% | 50% |
Verdict: Balanced
It doesn’t get more balanced than this. Inferno is perfectly balanced in CS2 according to match results from this year’s biggest tournaments. Like the previous maps, no real changes have been made to Inferno. More than likely, some parts of the map became clearer to comprehend when the graphics were improved.
Overpass
| Game | CT Win Rate | T Win Rate |
| CS:GO | 46% | 54% |
| CS2 | 46% | 54% |
Verdict: Somewhat Unbalanced
Despite Overpass being the first map to get an “overhaul” in CS2, the map remains in T’s favour. It seems the new design elements — even including new paths — didn’t really give CT a bigger chance.
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Vertigo
| Game | CT Win Rate | T Win Rate |
| CS:GO | 52% | 48% |
| CS2 | 53% | 47% |
Verdict: Balanced
Nothing has really changed for Vertigo in CS2. For this reason, the map has remained basically the same when it comes to win rate percentages as well, leaving it quite balanced. Despite being a pretty controversial map, the stats have proven it’s one of the more balanced in the game.
Ancient
| Game | CT Win Rate | T Win Rate |
| CS:GO | 49% | 51% |
| CS2 | 50% | 50% |
Verdict: Balanced
Based on recent tournament results, pro players have proven Ancient to be perfectly balanced in CS2. Aside from lighting and texture, no changes were made to Ancient between CS:GO and CS2, the layout remaining the same.
Anubis
| Game | CT Win Rate | T Win Rate |
| CS:GO | 55% | 45% |
| CS2 | 56% | 44% |
Verdict: Not the Most Balanced
Throughout history, Anubis has been a much-discussed map, with competitive players debating which side has a better chance. Right now, it looks like pro players have a much better chance of winning if they are CT side. Developers tried to fix this in CS2 with a drastic colour change, a lot of stunning water details, and other visual improvements — but the map remains similar in its layout. For this reason, it has remained a bit one-sided.
So, Is CS2 Balanced Compared to CS:GO?
The maps in CS2 are relatively balanced, with not much changing since CS:GO. While a few maps skew towards one side more than the other, it’s largely quite fair, according to esports statistics.
This data was taken from 16,539 pro matches that took place between January 1, 2023 and January 25, 2024.
Abios gathered this data and more from major and minor CS2 tournaments to help sportsbooks improve their insights and to increase the accessibility to data.
Our statistics power data-driven odds and widgets available to the regulated betting industry. Using proprietary modelling and innovative product features, Abios is taking esports betting to the next level. Learn more here.
