Counter-Strike 2 faced controversy after Valve removed the new map Transit from official matchmaking. What looked like a technical fix turned into a full scandal. Analyst Ozzny confirmed that the map included several unacceptable elements: a racial slur in its code, hidden crypto advertising, and possible copyright violations.
First suspicions
The story began when screenshots showed that Transit disappeared from the official map pool. Players soon found hidden content. The map contained missing-cat posters as part of an easter egg. Collecting them activated a scripted event. But what shocked players most was the entity name in the code. It used a racial slur.
Strange that Valve allowed a map with such a name to go live, wrote users on Reddit and Twitter.
Copyright issues
Players also noticed that the easter egg’s cat looked very similar to the character from Stray. This raised concerns about copyright infringement. One user even joked:
I’d be more worried about a lawsuit from the Stray developers than anything else.
These concerns added more weight to the case for removal.
UPDATE: This is no longer a 'rumor', and it looks like the map also included adverts for some crypto project as well as an alleged Ponzi scheme 💀
Safe to say this one won't be coming back https://t.co/8Y2bunlrEu
— Ozzny (@Ozzny_CS2) October 4, 2025
Crypto project and Ponzi scheme
Another discovery caused further outrage. The map’s environment included references to a real cryptocurrency project. Its name and logo appeared on a building inside the map. Ozzny explained that this was not a meme but a real coin linked to a suspicious financial scheme. He added: “Safe to say this one won’t be coming back.”
Community reaction
The removal sparked a wave of comments among fans.
Some were outraged that Valve allowed such content:
This €16 billion company just uploads maps from the Workshop without checking them.
Others reacted with sarcasm:
Bro, it’s 2025. You’re telling me shady crypto projects, Ponzi schemes, and racial slurs aren’t okay? I thought this was America.
A few players expressed disappointment:
Nooo, I had loads of fun playing this map.
What this means for Valve
The scandal raises questions about Valve’s process for integrating community content. The company supports Workshop creators, but Transit shows that stricter checks are needed before maps go live. The issue may not harm CS2 long term. Still, the fact that an official map included a slur and crypto ads is a serious mistake.
The removal of Transit is a lesson for Valve and the CS2 community. Even with millions of players worldwide, community content must be reviewed carefully before joining the official pool. Instead of becoming a highlight, Transit will now be remembered as one of the most controversial maps in CS history.
