CS2 map designer starts work on Cobblestone port as community begs for more classic maps

A Counter-Strike 2 map designer is taking a crack at a CS2 rework a polarizing map of old — Cobblestone. While they haven't dived into the minute details of the redesign yet, it's already looking a treat, and fans of the map can't wait to rip in.

Joshua Roberts, better known as JFX Designs, is a 3D designer and map maker and has previously ported maps from multiple other titles into CS2. Of note is his rework of the popular Call of Duty map Nuketown — complete with updated lighting and built entirely in the Source engine.

Now, he's tackling a map not seen in half a decade — and one fans are dying to play again.

JFX Designs revealed his work-in-progress in an Oct. 12 post on the Counter-Strike subreddit. Very little gameplay-wise has changed, with the first step of the redesign porting the existing map into the updated Source engine.

The designer chose the 2018 Halloween Valve redesign as the base point of the port. Many in the community believed this update spelled doom for the map, with major changes — a full move of the A bombsite, a flattened B Platform, and the CT jump-up in Drop — blasted by fans.

Less than a year later, Cobblestone was gone from the matchmaking pool, and despite a short appearance in the launch trailer for CS2, there's been nothing but radio silence for over five years.

But now, a glimpse of the map is back — at least from a casual standpoint. Right now, many of the images shared by JFX Designs show an unfinished product with some existing textures. There are elements of the new Source 2 lighting; from there, he plans to apply updates and is considering gameplay changes. "It has to be done, I crave Cobblestone," one fan said.

Cobblestone isn't the only classic map getting remakes. We've already seen previews of an updated Cache from famed map makers FMPONE and Volcano. Like JFX Designs and Cobble, FMPONE first ported the existing Cache over to the new engine before touching anything else.

We last saw an update on Cache from FMPONE in late September. Aesthetically, the map is starting to look more like its original version than its mossy green rework in 2019.

A map remake has already technically made it to CS2 via the June update, which saw Thera — an up-to-date version of Santorini — enter the casual pool. Given the general player base contains many veterans of the game, reworks of old maps will always capture the interest of fans.

For those who can't wait, you can play the experimental version of de_cbble in CS2 now via the Steam Workshop. Now, excuse me while I beg for a CS2 version of Insertion — I want my four spawn points back!