Steven R. May 30, 2019
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s competitive map pool has received another big shakeup.
After spending a month in Defusal Group Sigma in the casual matchmaking rotation, Ruby has officially been added to the competitive map pool. Losing its spot as a result is Zoo.
Ruby was added on the April 25 update alongside hostage map Workout. The level based on historic Portugal stands apart from most other defusal maps, with a labyrinthian layout comprised of numerous narrow passageways that include varying elevations and options for cover. Its time in casual matchmaking has seen it tweaked a bit, but Ruby’s unique feel makes it a compelling addition to the competitive pool.
Though it has been added to competitive, it is not yet a part of the Active Duty Group that is used in professional CS:GO events.
With the promotion of Ruby, Zoo has been removed from competitive mode. The level inspired by the San Francisco Zoo was added in January alongside Abbey and received a lukewarm response. While Zoo was visually impressive, it never properly caught on with fans and quickly became one of competitive’s least popular maps. Zoo is still available for play in casual mode’s Defusal Group Sigma.
In addition to the changes to the competitive map pool, more changes have arrived in the Danger Zone. The Ballistic Shield has been given a buff in the form of a narrower window, making it tougher to headshot opponents through the shield. The Radar Jammer has also seen its price dropped to $1,250, giving players more options for dealing with pilotable drones.
Finally, a change has been made to the competitive cooldown penalties for vote kicking teammates. Abusive kicking will now be limited to a single cooldown level, regardless of how many teammates were kicked in an individual match.
The full patch notes can be found on the official CS:GO blog.
