NAVI Expand Their Map Pool Ahead of the Next Challenge

Natus Vincere are no longer looking to avoid specific maps in the current CS2 rotation.

According to Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskyi, NAVI have been preparing to compete across all seven maps currently available in the competitive pool, including the recently reintroduced Cache.

The Ukrainian rifler discussed the team's preparation and admitted that Cache is still a work in progress. However, he believes NAVI are making steady progress and could soon feel comfortable playing the map at the highest level.

“We now play all seven maps in the pool. Our Cache is still a little raw, but I feel like it's the same for many teams right now. Overall, I like the map — there are a lot of duels.”

Cache Is Still a Work in Progress

While NAVI are confident about their overall map coverage, b1t acknowledged that Cache remains the least developed part of their preparation.

That is hardly surprising.

The map returned to the professional CS2 rotation in July after spending approximately seven years away from the competitive pool. Teams therefore have considerably less experience with Cache than with maps such as Mirage, Inferno or Nuke.

For NAVI, the challenge is particularly interesting because the organization has not played Cache competitively for years.

The last time NAVI played the map was reportedly in 2018, when the lineup included legendary Ukrainian players such as Danylo “Zeus” Teslenko, Egor “flamie” Vasilyev and Ioann “Edward” Sukhariev.

The current NAVI roster belongs to a completely different era of Counter-Strike, meaning the team's approach to Cache has effectively been built from scratch.

Why a Seven-Map Pool Matters

Being capable of playing every map gives teams considerably more flexibility during tournament vetoes.

A team with a limited map pool can often be targeted by opponents who know exactly which maps to remove or force into the series. A broader pool makes those preparations much harder.

For NAVI, that could become particularly valuable in best-of-three matches.

If the team is genuinely comfortable on all seven maps, opponents have fewer obvious weaknesses to exploit during the veto.

Cache could eventually become another weapon in that strategy.

At the moment, however, b1t's comments suggest that NAVI are still refining their approach rather than treating Cache as one of their strongest maps.

A New Map Means a New Meta

Cache's return has also created an unusual situation across the professional CS2 scene.

Almost every team has had to rebuild its understanding of the map.

Teams have been developing new executes, defensive setups, grenade lineups and rotations, while players are still learning the most efficient angles and timings.

That creates an opportunity for organizations that can adapt quickly.

b1t believes NAVI are in a similar position to many of their opponents, with teams still trying to figure out the optimal way to play the returning map.

This could make early Cache matches particularly unpredictable.

NAVI Are Betting on Versatility

The decision to prepare all seven maps is also a sign of NAVI's broader approach to the current CS2 season.

Rather than building their tournament strategy around a small number of elite maps, the team appears to be investing time into becoming a genuinely versatile lineup.

That approach carries obvious benefits, but it also requires significantly more preparation.

Every additional map demands its own set of strategies, utility usage, setups and individual roles. Maintaining a competitive level across seven maps can therefore be considerably more demanding than specializing in five or six.

NAVI seem willing to take on that challenge.

Our Take

The most interesting part of b1t's comments is not necessarily that NAVI are practicing Cache. Most top-level teams have been forced to do the same since the map returned.

What stands out is the statement that NAVI now consider themselves capable of playing all seven maps.

If that claim translates into competitive results, it could become a major advantage.

Cache is still relatively new to the modern CS2 scene, and teams will likely continue to improve rapidly over the coming weeks. The organizations that establish reliable systems on the map first could gain a significant edge.

For NAVI, the goal appears to be broader than simply adding Cache to their repertoire.

They want to make sure there is no obvious weak point in their map pool.

That could make their future vetoes considerably more difficult for opponents to predict — and potentially give NAVI another weapon as the CS2 season progresses.