Later this month, Anubis will finally make its competitive debut at BLAST World Final 2022, the first new CS:GO map added into rotation since Ancient in May 2021.
While fan anticipation is high, what can we expect when the map replaces Dust II in Abu Dhabi?
Scarabs Everywhere
When the map’s addition into Active Duty was first announced, the pros got to work at finding all of the angles and nade-spots that could give them the edge, in a game defined by marginal gains. What they found was that currently, Anubis is quite buggy.
Despite it’s initial release being in March 2020, increased attention surrounding the map has meant that bugs are being found thick and fast. Broken terrain hitboxes, invisible walls preventing bullets and grenades, one-way smokes – Anubis still has some way to go. Yikes, Valve.
With any new map, it’s an early race to see who develops the best strategies, and masters them before anyone else. While teams get used to the unpredictability of a new map, this could prove to be a trump-card that leads to unlikely victories for smaller teams. Some of the best moments in CS:GO history have came from players unveiling new strategies on the world stage.
Thousands of hours of well-drilled routines on other maps becomes irrelevant, and natural skill matters more than ever. For fans of CSGO betting, Anubis represents opportunity for great value odds, with underdogs at the BLAST World Final 2022 having a greater opportunity to upset the game’s elite.
New CS:GO Map Permabans
Dust II’s removal will come as welcome news to five particular teams. Heroic, MOUZ, FURIA, fnatic and Ninjas In Pyjamas all perma-ban Dust II, so the addition of Anubis is an amazing opportunity for these teams to refine their map pool and climb the rankings.
Eyes here are on Heroic, who currently find themselves amongst the best CS:GO teams on the planet. Heroic have a chance now to cement a place among the elite, and prove it’s not just a phase, but an era.
While reaction from the pro scene has been mixed to Anubis’ addition, there is some notable support for a refresh. FaZe’s Russel ‘Twistzz‘ Van Dulken described the addition as “great for the scene”. We just hope that Valve continues to iron out bugs before any team manages to secure a dubious victory, with any bug abuse in competitive play surely bad for the scene.
