Cache update changes, release date revealed at ESL One New York

At long last, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fans have seen the updated version of Cache.

The revisions to the Chernobyl-themed map were unveiled at ESL One New York in a show match featuring players from Team Liquid, G2 Esports, Evil Geniuses, and more. The creators of the map opened the final day of the event by discussing the changes and their creative process.

The Cache update is primarily a visual one, setting the map apart aesthetically from other CSGO levels. While CSGO often features varying shades of brown and gray, Cache is now much more colorful, with brighter indoor areas and a greater focus on how overgrown the real-life Chernobyl is.

For the most part, the core features of the map remain untouched. There is an open mid area for long-range battles, an enclosed B bomb site that can be attacked from multiple angles, and an A bomb site with a lot of nooks and crannies to hide or find cover in.

However, there are a handful of notable changes that shake up the strategies for attacking each area.

New angles, grenade spots in Cache update

Cache has long been among the most T-sided maps in CSGO and there were several changes made to address this. The pathway from the A-side bomb site to truck has seemingly been widened and a new box has been added. This provides extra cover while defending the site, as well as a new angle for watching the main entrance to the site.

The wall running along that area has also been lowered which allows grenades to be thrown onto the bomb site. Players around truck can throw incendiary grenades onto the site to clear out corners, which greatly improves the CT side’s ability to manufacture retakes.

The changes don’t end there. The boost spot named for Michael “shroud” Grzesiek has been strengthened by allowing players to stay completely hidden until players are through the A main entrance. Also, a new lamp post has been added over squeaky door to give CTs a new vantage point to catch players from.

The biggest new feature in mid is a new window within the Z pathway between CT spawn and mid. This provides a strong, somewhat protected vantage point for snipers. On the opposite end of mid, a new platform has been added to the popular boost spot on the T side.

It isn’t all improvements for the CT side, though. The truck near the T spawn has been changed to allow boosted players to watch Z.

The T side also got a strong new position on the B side of the map with a new ledge over the bomb site. The new spot gives them a strong vantage point to watch entries from both heaven and tree room.

Cache update release date revealed by map creator FMPONE

Anxious fans now know what the Cache update will look like and some of the new strategies that could define it moving forward. They also know when the map is coming out.

Cache creator FMPONE stated that the map will be made available on the Steam Workshop on October 10.

That’s great news for CSGO fans, but it’s unclear if this will come with any sort of official rollout as well. Valve has been completely quiet regarding the map and that makes it unclear if it will arrive in any official matchmaking capacity, either in competitive, scrimmage, or casual modes.

Odds are that it will get some kind of official launch with Valve support. If not, expect it to become a favorite among community servers this fall.