The Counter-Strike 2 community has been asking one key question over the past few days: when will Premier Season 4 begin, and will it finally bring Cache back into the active map pool? Today is January 7, and rumors are spreading fast, but opinions are clearly divided.
Some players believe the new season could launch at any moment, while others claim there is absolutely zero chance Season 4 starts this week. Let’s break down everything we currently know.
Rumored Release Date for CS2 Premier Season 4
In recent days, social media and CS forums have been filled with speculation that Premier Season 4 in Counter-Strike 2 could begin on January 7 or January 8. Supporters of this theory argue that Valve often releases updates on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, the current season has been active for a long time, and a rank reset feels overdue.
While this sounds reasonable on the surface, there is one major issue with this theory.
Why Season 4 Is Very Unlikely to Start This Week
According to many experienced players and analysts, the chances of Season 4 starting this week are extremely low. The reason is simple and based on Valve’s established pattern.
Valve always announces the end of a Premier season in advance, usually at least 10 days earlier. This information appears in in-game CS2 news, the official news tab, and update or patch announcements.
As of January 7, there has been no official announcement regarding the end of Season 3. If Valve follows the same approach as before, Season 4 simply cannot start this week.
Will Cache Return? Possible Map Pool Changes
The topic of Cache comes back with nearly every major CS2 update. According to ongoing rumors, Valve may finally introduce a map rotation in Premier mode.
The most commonly discussed scenario among players looks like this: Ancient is removed from the Premier map pool, and Cache returns as an active competitive map.
Ancient is often criticized for balance issues, visibility problems, and repetitive gameplay. Cache, on the other hand, is one of the most iconic maps in Counter-Strike history, loved by both casual and competitive players, with a layout that has been tested and refined over many years.
If Valve wants to refresh Premier gameplay, replacing Ancient with Cache would be a logical and popular decision.
When Can We Realistically Expect Season 4?
Based on all available information, the most realistic scenario is straightforward. First, Valve announces the end of Season 3. Then there is a transition period lasting around 7 to 10 days. Only after that does Season 4 launch, likely alongside a larger update.
This means that even if an announcement appears very soon, Premier Season 4 is far more likely to start in the second half of January, not on January 7 or 8 as current rumors suggest.
Summary
Rumors suggest that Season 4 could start on January 7 or 8, but there is no confirmation. Valve has not announced the end of Season 3, which makes a launch this week very unlikely. The chances of Season 4 starting right now are close to zero. A map pool change is possible, with Ancient potentially removed and Cache returning. The most realistic launch window is late January.
For now, all that remains is to wait for an official Valve announcement. Once the end date of Season 3 is revealed, it will be clear that CS2 Premier Season 4 is truly approaching.
