Iconic map Dust 2 has officially been removed from CSGO

On a dark day for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive grinders everywhere, Dust 2 has been removed from the active duty map pool.

Valve has announced a new round of gameplay changes following the conclusion of the Rio Major. The most beloved map Dust 2 has been removed from the active duty pool and has been replaced with Anubis. The M4A1-S and AWP also both received substantial nerfs, which will have major implications for the competitive and casual scenes. Here’s the story behind this unexpected map change and the numbers for the weapon nerfs.

Valve announce the new round of changes on November 18, 2022, in a blog post titled Anu Map Who Bis. The biggest change by far is the removal of Dust 2 from the active duty map pool, which means that it will no longer be an option for professional play. It will also be removed from the premier map pool, though players can still play casual, ranked, and other game modes on the cherished map.

Anubis, a community-made map first introduced in 2020, will take Dust 2’s place as the newest active duty map. The Egyptian-themed map features a unique spiderweb layout with a large number of entry points leading to a two-stage mid. The map has never before seen competitive play in CSGO, but professional players and lineup maestros will likely double down on exploring the map.

Dust 2 removed patch also brings M4A1-S, AWP nerfs

In addition to removing the game’s most iconic map from pro play, the Anubis patch also significantly nerfs the M4A1-S and AWP.

Starting the AWP, the iconic sniper rifle’s magazine has been knocked down from ten bullets to five. The AWP’s slow reload speed compounds this to potentially make holding certain angles such as Mirage mid or Overpass long A more difficult. It also nerfs pot shots through smoke, as whiffing just one leaves only four attempts left.

The M4A1-S has been unquestionably overpowered for most of 2022, so Valve has chosen to lower its damage output at longer ranges. Spots like banana or coffins near Inferno B may become riskier to watch for entry. In combination with the smaller magazine, this nerf bolsters the silenced CT’s rifle identity as a sneakier option better suited for close-range combat. However, it retains its slight accuracy advantage over the M4A4.

The M4A1-S and AWP nerf seemed designed to make holding longer angles much more difficult for the CT side. The Ts also decide the pace of a push default, so offensive AWPers also get more opportunities to reload. Players will get to test out the M4A1-S and AWP nerfs while also exploring Anubis in the active duty map pool.