s1mple Criticizes Anubis After CS2 Update: “CT Side Became Much Worse”

Following the latest CS2 update that returned Anubis to the Active Duty map pool, professional players have begun sharing their impressions of the reworked map. One of the most notable reactions came from Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, who offered a mixed but critical assessment — especially regarding the CT side.

According to s1mple, while some gameplay aspects improved, the overall experience for defenders has significantly declined.

“I liked the new version of Anubis. It became much more interesting to play through mid. For CT the map became worse — much worse. They should have made new spawns.” — s1mple

What Changed on Anubis in the Latest CS2 Patch

The Anubis update launched alongside Premier Season 4 and included several layout and geometry changes intended to refresh mid control and bombsite play.

Key Anubis changes:

The bridge drop near Mid Doors was repositioned

Mid doors were reversed, altering early-round timings

A new utility hole was added between E-box and the back of B site

Bombsite A crates were moved up the steps toward the walkway

Additional scaffolding was added to the A-site pillar

Valve’s goal was to diversify utility usage and mid-round options, but early pro feedback suggests these changes may have unintentionally worsened CT survivability and rotations.

Why the CT Side Is the Biggest Problem on Anubis

Anubis has long been considered a T-sided map, and s1mple’s comments reinforce the idea that the update did not solve this issue. While mid control now feels more dynamic, CT spawns and rotations remain a major weakness, especially at the professional level.

S1mple specifically pointed out that new spawns could have helped rebalance the map — a change that was not included in the patch.

Pro Player Reactions to Anubis Replacing Train

The Anubis rework is closely tied to a broader discussion: its return came at the cost of Train, which was removed from the Active Duty map pool.

Several pro players publicly reacted to this decision:

donk (Team Spirit) stated that Anubis is a better map overall but questioned the timing of Train’s removal, as teams had only just started adapting to it.

Perfecto expressed shock over Train being removed so quickly.

Jame joked about CT expectations on Anubis, implying that winning more than a few defensive rounds is already considered success.

OverDrive criticized Train’s execution but still argued that other maps should have been removed instead, advocating for the return of Cache in the future.

These reactions highlight ongoing dissatisfaction with the CS2 map pool rotation strategy.

How This Update Affects CS2 Premier and the Meta

The Anubis changes arrived as part of a larger patch that also introduced:

The launch of Premier Season 4

SMG balance adjustments

Movement and subtick behavior changes

Audio improvements

Updates to weekly drops and Armory collections

As a result, teams are not only adapting to a new map version but also to a shifting overall CS2 meta, making early impressions from top players especially valuable.

Final Verdict: Is the New Anubis Better?

Overall impact score: 7.5/10

Pros:

More engaging and complex mid control

New utility options on B and A sites

Cons:

CT side feels weaker than before

No spawn changes despite defensive imbalance

Map pool rotation remains controversial

S1mple’s reaction sums it up clearly: Anubis is more interesting, but not more balanced. Unless further tweaks are introduced, the map may continue to favor attackers — especially in high-level competitive play.