In a dramatic turn to kick off the 2026 competitive Counter-Strike 2 calendar, Valve has confirmed a map overhaul to the Active Duty map pool that will reshape professional and ranked play this season. With Premier Season 3 concluding later this month and Season 4 ready to launch, teams and tournament organisers are being forced into a rapid strategic pivot to add Anubis back into their rotation — just weeks before several high-profile tournaments get underway.

Anubis Replaces Train — A Rapid Rotation Back to Familiar Territory

In a surprise move that has reverberated through the CS2 community, Valve announced that Anubis will return to the Active Duty map pool, replacing Train when Premier Season 3 ends on January 19. The decision reverses course on recent map decisions and signals a renewed focus on a map that was removed only six months ago.

The Egyptian-themed layout of Anubis, known for its tactical depth and unique sightlines, will slot into the competitive rotation alongside stalwarts like Dust II, Mirage, Inferno, Nuke, Ancient, and Overpass. Train — despite its iconic status in prior versions of Counter-Strike and its year-long run in CS2’s Active Duty group — will bow out after a brief tenure in the pool.

While Train found its way into the pool in early 2025, statistics from Premier matches showed it struggling for meaningful traction, with only a small fraction of matches played on it throughout the year — a factor analysts believe contributed to Valve’s decision.

Season Three Climaxes on January 19

Valve also confirmed that Premier Season 3 will officially wrap up on January 19, marking the end of another long competitive cycle in CS2’s ranked ecosystem. Players vying for the Season 3 Premier medal still have a narrow window to secure the required 25 wins and maintain a visible CSR (Counter-Strike Rating) before the season concludes.

With the transition to Season 4, the competitive grind resets — complete with new ranked progression, rewards, and of course, a refreshed map pool anchored by Anubis. The timing creates an unusual overlap, as several top-tier events begin before the season transition, leaving teams to balance preparation with the changing competitive ruleset.

Tournament Organisers Pivot Quickly — ESL and BLAST Lead the Charge

Perhaps the most immediate competitive impact will be felt on the professional circuit. ESL and BLAST have already updated their map pools to accommodate Valve’s shift, ensuring their early-year events reflect the new Active Duty lineup.

BLAST announced that BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026 — set to begin with its closed qualifiers on January 13 — will go forward using Anubis instead of Train. That adjustment comes even before the official Premier Season change takes effect, giving teams precious little time to deploy polished strategies on the map in a competitive setting.

At the same time, ESL has confirmed Anubis will be part of its competitive map pool from January 19, encompassing the IEM Rio 2026 qualifiers and the first LAN of the year, IEM Kraków 2026.

While both tournament organisers have history acting quickly in response to Valve changes, the proximity of these updates to event start dates has raised strategic questions for coaches and analysts. Teams now face a condensed window to refine veto strategies, utility setups, and playbooks — all while juggling ongoing season goals.

Community Reaction and Meta Implications

The announcement triggered a wave of reaction across social platforms, with players and fans both excited and exasperated by Valve’s timing and choice of map rotation. Some view the return of Anubis as a welcome return to a fan-favourite competitive battleground, while others lament the absence of fresher options like Cache — long speculated to be a future contender for the Active Duty pool.

From an esports meta perspective, Anubis’ reintroduction could shift veto strategies and team strengths early in the 2026 season. Its distinctive layout rewards coordinated executes and post-plant positioning — elements that teams will now scramble to optimize ahead of LAN and online clashes.

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With Premier Season 4 Launching January 19 and marquee events like BLAST Bounty and IEM Kraków right around the corner, the professional CS2 landscape enters 2026 with a renewed sense of urgency. Whether Anubis becomes a defining part of the early competitive meta — or merely a stopgap before future additions — remains to be seen.