S1mple Criticizes Cache for Removing His Graffiti

Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev has harshly criticized the return of the Cache map in CS2, pointing out the absence of a key element: the iconic graffiti in his honor. After the map was ported to the new engine, the tribute was removed — and the legendary AWPer didn’t hold back.

"Cache is a trash map because my graffiti is no longer there. Tell the dev," s1mple said during a stream.

Why is s1mple so upset?

The missing graffiti was originally added to the old version of Cache to commemorate one of the most legendary moments in CS:GO history. At ESL One Cologne 2016, playing for Team Liquid against Fnatic, s1mple pulled off an incredible double kill with the AWP — jumping from heaven and hitting both shots without scoping. The play went down in Counter-Strike history and was immortalized by Valve on the Cache map.

However, after the game transitioned to the Source 2 engine and Cache was brought back in CS2, s1mple’s graffiti was nowhere to be found. Although the map looks visually similar to the original, many details — including Easter eggs and commemorative elements — were either removed or not carried over. This sparked a wave of criticism from the community — and especially from s1mple himself.

What’s happening with Cache in CS2?

Cache was out of the active map pool for a long time and only returned to CS2 with the latest update. It has been added to the “unofficial” matchmaking pool but has not yet been included in any Major-level tournaments.

Some players have praised the improved visibility and lighting, but a significant portion of the community misses the old details and atmosphere of the classic version. The removal of s1mple’s graffiti has become symbolic of how CS2 risks forgetting CS:GO’s legacy.

What’s next?

So far, StarLadder, PGL, and other organizers have not announced any plans to bring Cache back to the official tournament map pool. Until that happens, the map remains in a kind of limbo. Will s1mple’s graffiti be restored? There’s no official word yet, but the reaction from fans — and from s1mple himself — makes one thing clear: this moment won’t be forgotten easily.

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