Inferno
| Inferno | |
|---|---|
| Game Modes | — |
| Scenario | — |
| Teams | — |
Overview
Inferno is a legendary Counter-Strike map set in a sun-drenched Italian village, featuring narrow streets, tight chokepoints, and close-quarters combat. First introduced in Counter-Strike Beta 4.0 in 2000, Inferno has been a competitive mainstay for over two decades. The map is renowned for its emphasis on teamwork, utility usage, and coordinated site executes.
The defining characteristic of Inferno is its tight corridors and narrow angles, which make utility management crucial. Smoke grenades and molotovs are arguably more important on Inferno than any other map, as they can single-handedly shut down pushes through the map's many chokepoints. The Banana area leading to B site is one of the most contested zones in all of competitive Counter-Strike.
In CS2, Inferno benefits from improved visibility and updated textures while keeping its classic layout intact. The map continues to be one of the most picked maps in professional play due to its deep strategic meta and the variety of strategies it supports.
Map Layout
Bombsite A
Bombsite A is a relatively open site accessible through Apartments (Second Mid/Apps) or from the A Long approach through Library and Arch. The site features the Balcony area, Pit, the elevated Graveyard position, and the Truck area. CT defenders commonly play from Site, Pit, Library, Balcony, or Back Site (behind the boxes near CT Spawn). A site takes require clearing multiple angles and often involve heavy utility usage.
Default plant is behind the boxes for coverage from Apartments and Pit. The retake is relatively straightforward for CTs due to multiple approach angles from Library, Arch, and CT Spawn.
Bombsite B
Bombsite B is accessed through the narrow Banana corridor, which is one of the most heavily contested areas in CS2. The site features the Fountain, First and Second Oranges (box positions), Dark (Spools area), and the elevated Construction area. CT players hold from Site, New Box, Coffins, Dark, or aggressively in Banana. B site executes require methodically clearing Banana of CT utility before committing.
The default plant is behind the fountain. B site retakes come through CT Spawn and Construction, making post-plant Molotovs essential for Terrorists.
Mid
The Mid area of Inferno connects T Spawn to both bombsite approaches. Second Mid leads to A Apartments, while the main corridor branches to Banana (B approach) and continues toward A Long. Mid control determines whether the T side can freely rotate between sites or is forced to commit early. CT aggression in Banana or Second Mid can disrupt T-side timings significantly.
Top Mid is the T-side hub where players decide to go A (through Apartments or Long) or B (through Banana). Alt Mid provides an alternative path to Second Mid.
Callouts
| Area | Callout | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A Site | Pit | The depressed area on A Site providing cover from multiple angles |
| A Site | Balcony | The elevated balcony position overlooking A Site |
| A Site | Library / Libs | The room connecting A Site to Arch and CT Spawn |
| A Site | Arch | The archway corridor from CT side to A Long |
| A Site | Graveyard | The area behind A Site with grave markers |
| A Site | Apps / Apartments | The apartment building connecting Second Mid to A Site |
| Mid | Top Mid / T Ramp | The T-side intersection splitting toward A and B approaches |
| Mid | Second Mid / Alt Mid | The mid corridor connecting to Apartments |
| B Site | Banana | The narrow curved corridor leading from Mid to B Site |
| B Site | Car | The car on Banana providing a defensive anchor point |
| B Site | First Oranges | The first set of orange boxes on B Site |
| B Site | Second Oranges / Spools | The second set of boxes deeper in B Site |
| B Site | Dark / Spools | The dark corner area of B Site |
| B Site | Coffins | The coffin-like boxes near the B plant zone |
| B Site | Construction / New Box | The construction area connecting B Site to CT Spawn |
Strategy
T-Side Defaults
Banana Control: Three players push Banana with a wall of utility — molotov Car, smoke CT, flash over — to establish B presence. One holds Second Mid, one watches Apartments. This gives the T side information on CT rotations and the option to execute B or fake and rotate A.
A Split: Two players push Apartments from Second Mid while two push through Arch/Library from A Long. One player creates a Banana diversion with grenades. Coordinated flashes into A Site from multiple directions make this hard to defend.
Slow B Execute: Methodically smoke off every CT angle in Banana, clear it of utility with HE grenades, then hit B with five players. This works when the CT team is over-invested in Banana aggression.
CT-Side Setups
Standard 2-1-2: Two players hold A (Pit and Balcony/Library), one watches Second Mid for information, two hold B (Site and Banana). The Mid player rotates based on sound cues.
Banana Aggression: Push two or three players into Banana with utility to contest control early. Winning Banana forces the T side to spend time and utility retaking it, slowing their executes.
A Stack: Three players hold A with one playing Apartments aggressively. The lone B player plays retake from Construction. Effective against teams that frequently hit A.
Utility Guide
- Banana Smoke from T Spawn — From the corner near the top of Banana, aim above the buildings and throw to block the CT push through Banana early.
- CT Smoke on B Site — From Banana after taking control, aim at the top of the Construction wall and throw to block CT players pushing from Spawn.
- A Long Smoke (Arch) — From A Long approach, throw a smoke to block the Arch sightline, allowing safe passage to A site.
- Coffins Molotov — From Banana, aim over the wall to land a Molotov on Coffins, flushing out any CT player hiding there.
- Apartments Flash — Pop flash through the Apartments doorway to blind any CT player holding the exit toward A Site.
History
Inferno was created by Chris Auty and introduced in Counter-Strike Beta 4.0 in 2000. The map has undergone numerous revisions throughout Counter-Strike's history, with the most significant being the 2016 CS:GO remake that widened Banana, adjusted Apartments, and improved overall visibility. These changes addressed long-standing complaints about the map's extremely tight corridors.
The map has hosted some of the most memorable moments in esports history, including numerous clutch rounds and comeback victories at Major Championships. Inferno's deep strategic layer and the importance of utility management make it a favorite among professional teams and analysts alike.
Trivia
- Inferno's Banana area is considered one of the most contested zones in all of competitive FPS gaming.
- The 2016 remake significantly widened Banana and added the "new" boxes (Coffins area), fundamentally changing B-site play.
- Inferno was temporarily removed from the CS:GO competitive map pool in 2016 for its remake, replaced by Nuke.
- The bell tower on A site has been a consistent visual landmark across all versions of the map.
- Professional teams can use over 100 unique grenade lineups on Inferno, more than most other maps.