win.gg
Win.gg News Cache map designer FMPONE shows CSGO fans preview of rework

Cache map designer FMPONE shows CSGO fans preview of rework

Olivia Richman
Olivia Richman Published 09/09/2019

It may be a month until Cache returns to competitive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but map designer FMPONE is already giving fans a sneak peak at some of the location’s changes.

FMPONE put a photo of Cache as his Twitter header, which only made CSGO players even more excited to see the totally reworked map after it was pulled from the active duty map pool in March.

The art in this image very closely resembles stained glass at Cafe Pripyat, a Ukranian eatery located near the Chernobyl power plant. Overlooking the water, Pripyat was a popular destination for young adults until nuclear disaster struck in 1986. Visitors would walk nearby or climb up to the observation tower. Now, Pripyat is a ghost city, abandoned when it was deemed unsafe.

This brings a whole new curiosity to Cache, making fans wonder if Cache may be totally reworked to resemble the toxic city in other ways. The original map is located in Pripyat, and the power plant can be seen in the background.

Cache creator FMPONE continues to drop Cache hints

At the end of June, FMPONE had hinted on Twitter that the newest version of Cache may be done. He released a photo of the minimap, but no further information was given. The vague nature of the tweet didn’t stop CSGO players from speculating what changes might be coming to Cache.

In the image, the word “apple” is visible above the T spawn area. This didn’t seem too significant at first, until FMPONE made a follow-up post that consisted of a single apple emoji. Fans theorized that this could be a connection to “The Big Apple,” or New York City. A few months later, it seems these theories weren’t too far off, since the map will be revealed for the first time at ESL One New York on September 29.

Others believed the apple was a reference to a popular YouTube video depicting a woman eating radioactive apples in Chernobyl.

With FMPONE’s most recent artwork reveal, it seems like this theory might not be too far off either. It’s possible that the reworked de_cache will feature more landmarks from the infamous abandoned city, including the aforementioned cafe.

Cache in the active duty map pool

Cache was removed from CSGO’s active duty map pool in March, replaced by Vertigo. While it remains in the game’s competitive and casual matchmaking pools, Cache isn’t available in professional tournament play.

The removal of Cache didn’t come as a surprise to the CSGO community, since it followed rumors of a possible rework. Valve has removed maps in the past, often with the intention of reworking them. Reworked maps are updated to ensure they’re still visually appealing to players of all levels and to change up gameplay rhythms, although nobody is quite sure how Valve picks which maps to rework. 

After seven months of waiting, Cache will be revealed with its new design at ESL One New York. The new version will be played in a showmatch, but fans in attendance will also have the chance to play on the map that same day. No date has been given for its return to the active map pool.

Olivia Richman Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile
Read Also
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Counter-Strike
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Counter-Strike
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Esports Betting
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Owen Harsono IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...