Fans of CS:GO waited for the patch's release for the game's ten-year anniversary. The update added a sticker capsule to the client and some changes to the matchmaking map pool. Why has the introduction of the Tuscan map caused particular excitement? What is Tuscan's appeal to CS:GO players? Is it worth waiting for the map pool update in competitive mode? Please read about this in our article.
A little background information
Tuscan appeared in CS 1.6 as an improved version of one of the competitive maps of the CPL (the first cybersport company to hold international tournaments). The company's custom maps were unavailable for other tournament operators, but Tuscan's ancestor cpl_mill was a favorite of many shooter players. In 2005, game designer Brute released the de_tuscan map, much like cpl_mill, and it was immediately used in all tournaments.
During CS 1.6 popularity, de_tuscan was often used for matches between professional teams. The map was appealing due to a large number of hidden places, its length, and little features. One of the most popular moments on the pro scene was the round with a closed door. The Polish player kuben squeezed three Natus Vincere players in a passage, closing the door with his body in front of plant A. The poor guys had to return to the tunnel entrance, where their opponents were waiting for them - so the "born to win" lost the round.
CS:GO tried to introduce Tuscan back in 2014, but because of the quality of textures and a large number of skyboxes Valve didn't add the map to the official map pool. It was also affected by the fact that there were bugs during grenade throwing and the quality of the game was poor. The veterans were waiting for the updates and bug fixes, but her original developer didn't have enough time to bring the map to its proper state.
The map was left unfinished, and controversy over it continued until 2020. In September of this year, an insider said that the map was back in development, with Brute's "parent" involved in the upgrade. Tuscan already had show matches in 2021, but it wasn't released until August 17 in the game's anniversary patch.
Bet on CS:GO with 1xBetWhy is Tuscan attractive?
In CS:GO, the map remains just as wide, with plenty of room to maneuver. You can reach plant A by street and through the underground passage. Despite the large distance between houses, there are many hiding places between the boxes, and lurkers can use them to surprise their opponents constantly. There are convenient set-ups for the snipers to fire from. The map design consists of two spawns, two plants, and the middle. It's simple yet effective for the CS:GO competitive scene.
The map is more dynamic due to the direct line of contact between attack and defense (previously, there was a corner to throw grenades from). The right use of grenades will be the key to success on Tuscan. There is speculation that the defense will be more active here than on the other maps. But we can't talk about the balance yet - we need the background from the players in matchmaking.
Compared to the map from CS 1.6, Tuscan looks attractive here. There are landscapes with the sea, and the exterior of the houses resembles the views in coastal Italian cities. This is not surprising because its name is derived from the Italian province of Tuscany (there is even an inscription "Wine of Tuscany" at the entrance to plant A).
Developers used the memorable moments from CS 1.6, adding them to the map with some renditions. The legendary ace Edward gave the Ukrainian the title of "Pistol King", it happened in a match against Fnatic on Tuscan. There are crates in that place; one of them even has five bottles of wine with images of headshots and the inscription USP ACE.
Will Tuscan appear in the official map pool?
Of course, for the first tournaments, the map for the competitive mode will not be available. Professionals need time to practice timings, situations, and global strategies. Right now, matchmaking games on the map look like endless shooting from any position. Players, like blind kittens, rush to attack and defend any position. However, these are normal actions on new terrain for everyone.
Professional players are increasingly speaking out against Mirage. This map remains the only one unchanged since the release of CS:GO - all the others have been sent for redesign at least once. Replacing it with Tuscan in the competitive map pool looks logical, and the veterans will surely be happy.
There probably won't be any changes until the major in Rio de Janeiro. In Brazil, the map will probably be in the map pool for the show match, and it will be chosen for the challenge. After the season is over, there is a chance that there will be a change, and the "new old" map will find a place in the upcoming tournaments.
In conclusion, I would like to note that the introduction of Tuscan into matchmaking and CS:GO is particularly welcomed by the players who came from CS 1.6 and remember the emotions of that map very well. For the players of the 2010s, it's harder to understand the excitement of the innovation. Nevertheless, a pleasant landscape with wide possibilities allows the new map to become popular among old players and newcomers.
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