05.05.20259 min read

Anubis in the Spotlight: Why the Creator Is Calling for Change

Named after the Egyptian god of the afterlife, Anubis is an Egyptian-themed custom bomb defusal map developed by CS:GO community map makers in 2020. Although this map was designed to encourage dynamic gameplay with its multiple attack and defense routes, current data consistently show the map as the most T-sided map in Counter Strike.

It didn’t take long for the balance issues on this map to be identified after its introduction to the competition map pool, although there have been no fixes so far. With the BLAST.tv Austin Major just in sight, the lopsided nature of the Anubis map has once again sparked major debates in the community.

Despite being backed by numbers this time, the map is still part of the official competition pool as far as I know. Should Anubis still be included in the official competition map pool despite these developments? What are some of the changes that have been suggested for the map, and what do they mean for competitive play? Keep reading to find out.

Anubis – From Community Favorite to Pro Circuit Staple

Developed by Roald van der Scheur, Jakuza, and jd40 and introduced to Counter Strike on the 31st of March, 2020, Anubis was originally available in scrimmage mode only. The Anubis map has two bomb sites, where Site A is located near the counter terrorist spawn point, and Site B is organized around an obelisk with multiple entrances. The Map features massive yellow stone blocks, stone landscapes, ancient wall markings, and lush vegetation with lakes and ponds.

Given the map’s positive reception, it was promoted to the competition map pool in just ten days. This map’s initial run lasted for approximately 3 seasons, after which it was removed in May 2021, but made a comeback as part of CS:GO’s 10th anniversary update in August 2022. After the comeback, Anubis replaced Dust II in the Active Duty Group, making it only the second community-made map to be featured in official tournaments after Cache.

With the launch of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Anubis was visually updated with brighter, warmer lighting and more vivid environmental details, retaining its spot in the competitive map pool and quickly becoming popular in top-tier events.

The map is known for its verticality, tight choke points, and multiple rotation paths, demanding strategic coordination and map control. Overall, the map’s layout and evolving meta made it a fan-favourite, and being the only community-created map in the current CS2 Active Duty pool backs up this claim.

Why Roald Is Proposing Changes: The Side Imbalance Issues

Ongoing confirmation through data collected over the years indicates that the Terrorist’s win rate often exceeds 54-56%. Across 2,405 matches played in the first three quarters of 2024, terrorists won 54.8% of rounds compared to 55.2% for the counter terrorists. The Anubis map gives unfair advantages to terrorists.

First up, the Terrorists spawn point is closer to A Main and B Main. This allows the terrorists to quickly reach the bombsites, dictating the pace of the game and potentially forcing CTs into reactive positions with no defensive setups. The map’s design also allows the terrorists to easily block the CTs vision and take sites with ease.

Also, the layout doesn’t give CTs many sites to control outside of the bomb sites themselves, oftentimes making them sitting ducks for the terrorists. How? The rugs above the bombsite A allow Terrorists to pressure CTs to lower their guard, retreat, or risk being flanked. Whether CTs establish a defensive setup at A or are rotating to reach B, the Rugs give terrorists a secure angle to pressure defenders or cut off any rotations.

The T stairs are also faster to the canal than the CTs, leading to one-sided early skirmishes where the terrorists have the advantage. These simple imbalances have increasingly impacted the strategies and viewership of the sport. Speaking of strategy, pro teams adopt T-side strategies to secure their wins, forcing CTs into passive gaming as they are also aware of the obvious advantage and would have done the same. Anubis CS2 matches have also lost their suspense, with matches often depending on whether a team will survive their CT half.

A Breakdown of the Suggested Map Tweaks

Roald confirmed on his X page that the map was designed from the perspective to always be able to reach a bombsite as a T, even when having lower numbers. However, he also pointed out that it would be fun if a CT could gain more map control. During the conversation, Roald stated:

…Imagine removing the upper area (rugs). B lower is standard smoked anyway. T’s also beat CT’s on the timing, but a CT doesn’t have to worry about the upper area, and a CT canal crunch will be super strong. Having control there means control over A, B short and bridge… Or maybe move the path to the T stair a bit out to reduce the timing to T stair, so the T-CT fight between T stair and B lower is equal, perhaps A main to T stair as well.

This addresses the advantage that the rugs give, weakening the terrorist aggression and giving defenders a fair chance to control the canals and the bridge without fearing being flanked. He also suggests shifting the path to T stairs, addressing the speed at which the terrorists reach the canal.

What These Changes Could Mean for Competitive Play

Pro players will obviously have to adapt to a new meta if these suggestions are implemented on the Anubis Counter-Strike 2 map. First off, pro teams who have ditched any CT strategies to capitalize on their terrorist rounds will need to reconsider. Anubis CS2 matches will have more balanced starts because terrorists lose easy early control if the rugs are removed. They will no longer be able to overwhelm CTs at key points, and early skirmishes will become more contested.

With the Rugs gone and the T-stairs slowed, CTs have more confidence to push for early map information without the constant threat of an overhead flank. The defensive line also stabilizes and CTs gain new opportunities for aggressive setups such as double-pushing mid or taking positions in canals, which were precisely risky due to T timing.

Overall, both sides would have to rework their strategies as the T side needs to adapt to being cautious, and the CTs can be more dynamic. This would make Anubis a more attractive pick for pro teams with strong defensive playbooks, and could shift the map’s meta toward slower, more information-driven rounds with dynamic rotations and setups.

Anubis Confirmed for BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025

The BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, one of the year’s most anticipated CS2 major events, will run from June 3rd to 22nd. From June 19th to 22nd, the final playoff stage will be at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. As part of the official competitive map pool, Anubis has been confirmed and will play a pivotal role in shaping outcomes at the Major.

Known for being the most T-sided map in the current CS2 meta, Anubis is still evolving. Its teams are actively experimenting with new strategies. This volatility makes the map a key focus for analysts and fans alike, especially with growing calls for balance changes that could significantly impact team preparations and results.

With the MelBet Pick’em platform, you can get in on the action by making map-specific predictions for the BLAST.tv Austin Major, including outcomes on Anubis. Calculating the points at the end of the Melbet Pickem CS2 events, players can claim awesome in-game and real-life prizes like custom gun skins, keyboards, and even game consoles. Whether you’re forecasting match winners or leveraging your knowledge of the shifting Anubis Counter-Strike 2 meta, MelBet offers a dynamic way to engage with the major pickem as it unfolds.

CS2 Anubis4 IMG

Community Reactions and What’s Next for Anubis

Roald’s suggestions about the Map change has turned heads and many fans are now asking the question, is Roald cooking?

Pro players like nitr0 are “super excited” about the opportunity to see how the map evolves, while others, such as ropz, describe the change as “weird” but are open-minded about testing it out. G2’s Xizt has called the proposals “good for us,” suggesting that teams with strong tactical depth may benefit most. Meanwhile, FaZe’s Twistzz has previously shown enthusiasm for Anubis experimentation, and NaVi’s s1mple has advocated for ongoing updates to keep the map fresh and competitive.

Considering Valve’s history of iterative map balancing, it is expected that these changes could be trialed in limited test builds before a full rollout. Although there are no official reactions from Valve themselves just yet, Valve developers do monitor forums, social media, and in-game channels to use feedback to inform game changes.

With Roald’s proposals generating significant attention, many expect Valve to take community and pro feedback into account for the next major CS2 patch. However, Roald himself has described the proposals as “experimental but worth trying.” Will these bold changes usher in a new era of tactical depth for Anubis, or will they spark another round of heated debate in the pro scene?

AuthorTemujin Batbayar

Analyst from Ulaanbaatar specializing in CS2. Has competed in MESA tournaments, worked with Esports TV during the ESL Pro League, and reviewed both the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 and IEM Katowice 2024. Author of his own player evaluation metrics and known for accurate predictions. Has interviewed s1mple and ZywOo. In esports since the days of CS 1.3.