New CS2 banner explained: What does Smoke Dome mean?

Counter-Strike 2’s official Twitter/X page banner rarely changes, so the recent Smoke Dome banner has players buzzing about its meaning.

When CS2 reports were still murky, Valve teased release dates, logos, and more details through social media accounts. The banner for the Twitter/X account would periodically change with hints of incoming news. The return of the iconic map Train was also first hinted at through the CS2 banner, so players take these changes quite seriously. Since Valve tends to be cryptic when communicating with the community, fans often cling to these hints.

A recent banner change left fans confused. The new banner depicted a comical version of Vertigo’s sandbags with a popped smoke. In the middle of the smoke, the text reads, “Smoke Dome.”  Players are still theorizing what the Smoke Dome banner means, and there are some interesting speculations.

What does Smoke Dome mean in CS2?

Smoke Dome is a lineup on the CS2 map Vertigo used to block off Ts rushing in from the ramp. The lineup’s creator, Harry “JustHarry” Russell, turned it into a meme after fans pointed out that they don’t want Vertigo lineups, as it’s one of the community’s least favorite maps.

On December 6, JustHarry posted an interesting Vertigo lineup meant to defuse incoming sandbag molotovs while picking off Ts rushing in from the ramp. The lineup quickly gained traction, earning the attention of CS2 pros and players alike. Many comments slammed the lineup solely because of community-wide Vertigo hate.

It’s worth noting that Vertigo has been the least-played map in recent events. At IEM Rio 2024, it accounted for just 5.74% of matches, a sharp contrast to Nuke, the most played map, at 19.71%. Most teams at the Shanghai Major have continued to ban Vertigo, making it likely we won’t see it played at all in this tournament.

However, JustHarry kept the joke alive, claiming that Mongolz—a team that never picks Vertigo—would play it in the Major final if they qualified. The joke went so viral that fans collectively renamed the sandbag callout “Smoke Dome.” Valve’s acknowledgment of the meme has delighted esports viewers who popularized it.

How to Smoke Dome in CS2

While Smoke Dome may have turned into a meme, many players still believe it’s a good lineup. Here’s a video of the Smoke Dome in action.

The lineup is exceedingly complex for the purpose it serves. According to CS2 pro Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski, you can get nearly the same results by simply smoking yourself out without any lineup. Additionally, Terrorists may still be able to burn a molotov on the far left of the sandbags. The execution would be slightly tricky. Since this lineup has become popular, Terrorists may be able to predict the player’s position if they spot the lineup. The growth in popularity meant a higher likelihood of the lineup failing.

With Vertigo’s relative obscurity though, players might still get lucky in the lower ranks. As for trying the trick in higher ranks, players will likely have to ready themselves for disappointment. At the very least, teammates may be amused if they don’t report you for potentially throwing a game for a meme.

The Smoke Dome banner is intriguing, but nothing beats these Christmas gifts for CS2 fans to brighten the season.