Cache has returned to Counter-Strike with much fanfare, and Premier players won’t have to wait much longer. Valve has confirmed Cache will join CS2‘s Premier pool in Season 5, replacing Overpass, which is being removed from the Active Duty rotation. Season 4 concludes on July 6th, after which the new pool goes live.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to reflect the addition of Cache to the Premier Map Pool on June 23, 2026.
Why isn’t Cache in Premier CS2 yet?
Since Premier’s revamp in CS2, Valve has kept the flagship game mode in lock-step with the professional map pool. By contrast, the developers now use modes like Competitive, as the testing grounds for maps, allowing players to opt into playing newer maps, like Cache, without affecting the most important CS2 ranking system.
This approach also allows Valve to gather extensive match data, bug reports, and performance metrics at scale before green-lighting it for Premier. Cache in particular requires the longer testing period, as it has never been played competitively in CS2.
The map underwent a complete Source 2 rebuild, introducing updated textures, enhanced lighting, improved shading, and some layout adjustments, warranting Valve’s cautious rollout to identify optimization issues across diverse hardware. A similar approach was used for other map pool changes in the past.
Cache is coming to Premier CS2 in Season 5
Valve confirmed the Season 5 Active Duty pool will feature Cache in place of Overpass. This timing aligns with Valve’s typical cadence: Major tournaments mark the end of the competitive season in pro play, and the six-month cycle makes them a natural point for Premier season resets. The post-major pool shuffle gives both professionals and ranked players time to adapt without mid-season chaos.
Related—Anubis Makes Surprise Return as Train Exits CS2 Map Pool for Premier Season 4
If you haven’t already, now is the time to get your reps in on Cache via Competitive mode before it hits Premier. CS2‘s skybox expansions alone open countless new avenues for utility usage across the map, so make sure you get ahead of the curve before Season 5 kicks off.
