Vertigo rejoins CS:GO competitive map pool, Cobblestone removed

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s competitive map pool has been changed once again.

Two months removed from the addition of community maps Zoo and Abbey, Vertigo has been added to the competitive rotation. This comes at the expense of Cobblestone, which has been moved into the reserves.

Vertigo is one of the oldest maps in Counter-Strike, but is likely an unfamiliar one for many modern fans.

Added in Counter-Strike version 1.1 in 2001, Vertigo later made the jump to Global Offensive but was removed from the rotation and completely pulled from the game’s files altogether in 2017. The map was reintroduced to CS:GO in January alongside Zoo and Abbey, but was only made available in a limited form in Wingman. Now returned to the standard defusal rotation, it stands in stark contrast to the rest of the pool.

While most defusal maps take place inside buildings or cities, Vertigo takes place atop a skyscraper with a surrounding cityscape. It possesses a unique look, but also a distinct layout that is made up of two floors, necessitating vertical firefights in some areas. It also has an abundance of corners and props throughout, providing ample cover for ambushes.

Though Vertigo joins the competitive map pool, it is not yet a part of the professional map rotation.

With Vertigo coming in, Cobblestone has been pulled from official play.

Before being cut, the map had undergone a number of changes. Once the largest in the competitive rotation, big chunks were made inaccessible including the pathway that connected the main and long entryways to the A bombsite, the outside clocktower, and the bathroom area near T spawn. This made Cobblestone more streamlined and accessible, but also removed much of what made it unique.

No other changes were made to the rotation. Vertigo is available for play right now.