CS2 Just Got More Adventurous – Mapcore’s 5v5 Contest Winners Revealed
- cottonsox
- May 6
- 3 min read
Updated: May 14
The results are officially in for Mapcore’s CS2 Map Contest “Big Adventures”, and the top maps are anything but standard. From luxury resorts to fantasy minigolf madness, this line-up again proves that the CS2 community doesn’t just build maps—they build full-blown worlds.
This contest wasn’t just for bragging rights (though there's plenty of that). With serious cash prizes, Valve merch, and potential matchmaking exposure on the line, the stakes were high, and the submissions were S Tier.
Let’s take a look at the top 4 winners in the 5v5 category. Let's goooooo...
🥇 1st Place – “GRAIL”
A bomb defusal map set in a stylised fantasy mini-golf course, combining unique aesthetics with competitive gameplay.
This one’s already been teased in recent CS2 leak talk—for good reason. Grail blends classical architecture with some clean gameplay loops. It’s got that rich, European ruin aesthetic but keeps the layout tight and readable, which is a rare combo in custom maps. Expect this one to become a fan-favourite—and honestly? It feels like a perfect candidate for the next Armoury rotation.
Why it won: Unique style, clear bombsite control, and it runs beautifully in Source 2. Top-tier execution all around.
Prize: $7500, and eternal bragging rights
Spotlight on Mapcore (linking to each work in progress thread)
Special Valve prizes! (Counter-Strike/Valve merchandise, courtesy of Valve Software)
🥈 2nd Place – Alpine
Set in a snow-covered, mountain resort, Alpine feels like a relaxing holiday—until bullets start flying at your head. This is a hostage rescue map done right, offering scenic beauty and layered depth. It's the kind of map that makes you wish more hostage maps had this much love.
Why it placed: It’s rare for a hostage map to nail both theme and strategy. Alpine does it with style. A strong theme, crisp layout, and it's just fun to play—whether you’re solo queuing or in a full stack.
Prize: $4,500, Valve merchandise, and eternal bragging rights.
🥉 3rd Place – PALACIO
A palace on a hilltop with stunning Mediterranean vibes? Yes please. Palacio offers verticality, tight angles, and open fights across elegant architecture. A proper playground for both riflers and lurkers.
Why it made top 3: Strong layout and beautiful visuals without overcomplicating the pathing.
Prize: $2,000, Valve merchandise, and eternal bragging rights.
🏅 4th Place – Stronghold
Set in Gibraltar with historic bunkers and World War-era detail, Stronghold is a map with serious atmosphere. It manages to feel grounded and gritty, with a layout that supports slow plays and executes alike.
Why it made top 3: Visually stunning without sacrificing competitive depth. Really nice theme and solid fundamentals. A grounded map with creative pacing. A map you’ll want to queue into again and again.
Prize: $1,000, Valve merchandise, and eternal bragging rights.
Why This, Adventurous – Mapcore’s 5v5 CS2 Map Contest Matters!
Valve’s been suspiciously quiet lately, but contests like this are where the community shows what could (and should) come next. Whether these end up in official matchmaking or not, they’re already making waves.
Community-made maps have always been the heart of CS. Some of the most iconic maps in history—like Cache and Agency—started just like this, in contests. So when we see standout maps like Grail, Alpine, and Palacio rise to the top, it’s not just a win for their creators—it’s a blueprint for what Valve should be paying attention to.
Whether you’re building a loadout, grinding XP, or just waiting for something fresh in Premier, keep these maps on your radar. They might be in your rotation before you know it.
Want the full list of winners and download links? Check out the official post on Mapcore.org
And keep your eyes on SkinRush—because if these maps go live, we’ll be the first to cover what skins match, what tactics work, and which ones to learn before your enemies do.
Your grail loadout starts here. So should your next map pick.
Credits & Source
This update is based on the official Mapcore contest results:👉 Mapcore – Big Adventures Winners
Map creators:
Grail – Lizard, Radu, flowlee
Alpine – Lukyvald, zavaro, Twinnie, g3om
Palacio – Slimek, KlixX, Coachi
Stronghold – T-Rexer, Squidski, Haaselh0ff, Kale
Massive props to all participants and the Mapcore team for continuing to push the boundaries of what a CS map can be.
Want to see how these maps might influence future loadouts, cases, or Valve rotations? Stick around—SkinRush is where your grail loadout starts, and where your next go-to map might just be hiding.
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