New maps added to CS:GO competitive Map Pool

Valve just pushed out a new update to CS:GO that added two new maps to competitive matchmaking. We’ve taken a look at the new maps as well as other general changes.

Which new maps are added to the Matchmaking Pool?

The two new maps added to the competitive matchmaking pool are Abbey and Zoo. These maps have been seen in operations and casual map pools before, but this is the first time they’ve been included in competitive matchmaking. This update follows a recent push by Valve to open up their gameplay experience to more game modes and maps for players to enjoy.

© Valve Corporation

As expected, these maps have not been added to the professional map pool, and we’d be surprised if they ever did make it into the pool. However, if you’re looking for some new fun in CS:GO whilst you try to rank up, Abbey and Zoo are worth a try.

For those unaware, Abbey was launched in 2019 – it’s a bomb defusal map set in a Mediterranean village. Zoo is another bomb defusal map that first got its debut in operation bloodhound 3 years ago. Many fans are happy to see it return, and especially considering it’s now available in competitive.

Besides adding these maps and bringing some changes to make them more suitable for competitive matchmaking, there were few other adjustments in this patch. Vertigo got a few tweaks. If you didn’t know, that map is also now available in CSGO Wingman ranks mode.

It’s great to see Valve pushing more updates like this, even if it is relatively small content-wise. There was a long period where Valve paid little to no attention to CS:GO, but since it has gone free to play, it has received a new level of love.

What are your thoughts on Abbey and Zoo coming to the matchmaking pool? Are you excited about this change or would you rather other maps were added instead?