Valve Officially Acquires Fan-Made CS Map Cache from its Creators

Valve has acquired the iconic Counter-Strike map Cache, long hailed as one of the most beloved community-made additions to the franchise.

The announcement came directly from co-creator Shawn "FMPONE" Snelling, who confirmed the deal via X (formerly Twitter), following the map’s re-release on the CS2 Workshop earlier in March 2025.

The buzz began when a player named Aqua speculated that Valve had bought the map, citing clues from a recent game update. FMPONE responded, confirming:

“Thank you for playing Cache. Thank you to Sal Garozzo for allowing me to work on his original creation for so many years. Thank you to Counter-Strike for being Counter-Strike!”

FMPONE also confirmed that Valve has acquired the rights to Cache’s in-map graffiti, including the legendary artwork commemorating s1mple’s no-scope double AWP clutch from ESL One Cologne 2016.

Who Are the Creators Behind Cache?

• Sal "Volcano" Garozzo, the original creator of Cache in 2014, is now co-lead designer of Valorant at Riot Games — an interesting full-circle connection, as Valorant is widely viewed as CS’s biggest competitor.

• FMPONE, a long-time mapmaker, was instrumental in updating and refining Cache over the years, especially during its prime in the CS:GO competitive map pool.

Valve's Long-Standing Interest in Cache

Interestingly, this wasn't the first time Valve had approached the creators to buy Cache. According to FMPONE:

"Valve previously offered to buy the map around 2013–2015. At that time, we chose to keep it and run with the Operations, because we believed in its popularity."

That gamble paid off — Cache quickly became a staple in the CS:GO competitive rotation and was last played officially at IEM Katowice 2019 before being replaced by Vertigo.

Valve Responds with a Handshake

While Valve didn’t issue an official press release, the @CounterStrike account on X simply responded to FMPONE’s announcement with a handshake emoji — a subtle but clear endorsement of the acquisition.

What’s Next for Cache in CS2?

The version of Cache currently in the CS2 Workshop is already considered one of the best-looking community maps, with updated visuals and high playability. With Valve now owning the map, small adjustments are expected, but no major overhauls seem likely. It’s also widely believed that Cache will return to the official CS2 competitive pool in a future update.