Aquarius

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Aquarius
Pl aquarius.png
Basic Information
Map type: Payload
File name: pl_aquarius
Released: July 24, 2025 Patch
(Summer 2025 Update)
Developer(s): Alien31
Andrew "Bengali Hedgehog" Mishchuk
Christoph "Gadget" Manschitz
Dansky
Logan "Cipherlock" Eaton
Lucky
Mitchell "AltraNade" Leyte
Neal "Blade x64" Smart
Szabó "Maxxy" Attila
Torkil "TheLazerSofa" Malvik Bidtnes
Maxime "Fubar" Dupuis
Map Info
Environment: Research technologies
Setting: Inside
Hazards: Sharks
Deep Water: Yes
Bot support: Yes
Map Items
Healthico.png Health Kits: Smallhealth.png ×2  •  Mediumhealth.png ×10  •  
Largehealth.png ×3
Ammoico.png Ammo Boxes: Smallammo.png ×1   •   Mediumammo.png ×8   •  
Largeammo.png ×4
Map Photos
Loading screen photos.
Map overview
Aquarius overview.png
Map Stamp
Item icon Map Stamp - Aquarius.png
Supporters Leaderboard


On behalf of our crew, we would like to welcome you to Sea Base Aquarius. Aquarius is located on a coral reef deep below the Caribbean, it is yours (and our) frontier of research and discovery. Your journey will take you through the beautiful waters with rich marine life, however, lurking in the depths comes many dangers.
Aquarius publicity blurb

Aquarius is a community-created single-stage Payload map released during the Summer 2025 Update. It is set inside of an underwater RED Underwater Facility researching a Megalodon of which BLU intends to blast right back into extinction.

This map's Payload track rides through 2 large moon pools. Entering the water provides additional perks not normally granted while in water. Firstly, players are unable to drown while submerged and Sentry Guns receive a 25% damage resistance. Additionally, 35% movement speed bonus is granted to most classes. The only exceptions are the Pyro and Heavy, who receive a 50% and 20% movement speed boost respectively. Vision while underwater is also much clearer, being less blurry, distorted, and hazy than standard water. setup timer is 1 minute and 10 seconds.

Aquarius was contributed to the Steam Workshop.

Water speed

Class Speed boost Underwater speed on Aquarius Regular underwater speed
Leaderboard class scout.png Scout 35% 416 Hu/s (139%) 320 Hu/s (107%)
Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier 35% 259.2 Hu/s (86%) 192 Hu/s (64%)
Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro 50% 360 Hu/s (120%) 240 Hu/s (80%)
Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman 35% 302.4 Hu/s (101%) 224 Hu/s (75%)
Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy 20% 220.8 Hu/s (74%) 184 Hu/s (61%)
Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer 35% 324 Hu/s (108%) 240 Hu/s (80%)
Leaderboard class medic.png Medic 35% 345.6 Hu/s (115%) 256 Hu/s (85%)
Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper 35% 324 Hu/s (108%) 240 Hu/s (80%)
Leaderboard class spy.png Spy 35% 345.6 Hu/s (115%) 256 Hu/s (85%)
Notes Due to the maximum movement speed in water being 416 Hammer units/s, Scout's movement speed buff is effectively 30% instead

Locations

Pictogram comment.png The following locations are described from the BLU perspective.

Checkpoint A "Alpha"

  • BLU Spawn: BLU Team spawns at the top of the facility where the entrance airlock vault door is located. BLU has two slopes leading downwards on either side of its spawn, which lead to fence doors leading downward to the first moon pool. Following the capture of checkpoint B, the platform that previously lowered the Payload cart into the first moon pool raises to form a platform, and two doors open leading into Checkpoint B.
  • First Moon pool: Directly under BLU Spawn the track lowers down into a massive pit of open water of the ocean below. The seafloor is littered with coral reef and biohazard barrels with fish swimming about, the occasional dolphin swimming inside the fenced off perimeter of its boundaries. There is a medium health pickup on the underwater walkway and a large health pickup floating above a barrel below the lift to Checkpoint Bravo.
  • First Moon Pool Walkway: Above the water there is a walkway surrounding and hanging over the moon pool. It serves as a flank for locations under water. On the paths here you can find a medium health pickup and a large health pickup together as well as a pair of medium ammo and health pickups.

Checkpoint B "Bravo"

  • Checkpoint B Lift: The cart takes a lift above the water onto a platform where Checkpoint B is located. There is a large ammo pickup adjacent to the checkpoint. Additionally, just before the moving platform to Checkpoint C there is a medium ammo pickup.
  • Storage Tank Building: A building just besides the checkpoint with a system of pipes leading to a tank atop it. There is a pair of medium ammo and health pickups inside it.

Checkpoint C "Charlie"

  • Second Moon Pool : After a section of dry ground the cart is taken back into the ocean dipping into a second moon pool for part of its journey. It contains similar amounts of vegetation, animals, and biohazard barrels but is slightly smaller than the first. Above a barrel at the sea floor floats a large health pickup.
  • Second Moon Pool Walkway: Another walkway above the second moon pool of this map. It serves the same purpose as the first moon pool's walkway does. Near the railing there is a medium health pickup.
  • Checkpoint C Lift: The cart is taken out of the Second Moon Pool via another lift.
  • Catwalks: Upon exiting the water the cart enters an open area of the map with several different layers, the ground layer being the cart track, the walkways below leading toward Checkpoint D's Flank, and upper decks. On the upper balconies, there is a medium ammo pickup. On the path to the flank hallway there is a medium health pickup. Next to the point there is also a large ammo pickup.
  • Checkpoint C Flank: Upon the capture of Checkpoint C, a previously fenced off section is opened up leading towards the point.
  • Yellow Platform: The highest deck around Checkpoint C has a distinct yellowing covering that provides good high ground. There is a pair of small ammo and health pickups here.

Checkpoint D "Delta"

  • RED Spawn: RED spawns at the lowest part of the facility hanging over a submarine canyon. After checkpoint B is captured, RED's garage door facing into the track leading towards checkpoint B is sealed, leaving the three doors facing checkpoint D to be the remaining exits.
  • Checkpoint D: The final checkpoint area of the map, leading the cart into the open water for the Megalodon to snack on and subsequently blow into a bunch of meaty pieces, which also destroys the roof of the aquarium causing water to start flooding in. There are a medium health pickup, large ammo pickup, and small ammo pickup in order of closest to furthest from Checkpoint C.
  • Flank Hallways: There is a network of flanking tunnels with tiny water features present underneath Checkpoint D. Inside the two water features are a set of ammo and health pickups, one being large and medium and the other a pair of mediums.

Strategy

Main article: Community Aquarius strategy

Update history

July 24, 2025 Patch (Summer 2025 Update)
  • Added Aquarius to the game.

July 25, 2025 Patch

August 14, 2025 Patch 1

  • Fixed underwater speed boost conflicting with several item effects.
  • Fixed some cases where players could get stuck in Payload lifts.
  • Fixed case where Megalodon could eat the Payload without final being capped. (Thanks Chaos!)
  • Adjusted layout of catwalk area over A to improve flow and navigation.
  • Full ammo on B reduced to medium.
  • Slightly raised rubber catwalk over C lift.
  • Blocked dead end cubby near point C.
  • D shortcut platform given short barrier and easier pipe jump.

Changelog

This is the changelog of the map before it was added to the game.
Changelog:

Changelog (May 13, 2025)

  • Various visual improvements.
  • Redirected Red's initial spawn.
  • Reworked C's point area.
  • Adjusted cover around final.
  • Fixed gaps in func_respawnroom for Blu spawn.

Changelog (May 16, 2025)

  • Various visual improvements.
  • Removed floor from under point A tracks.

Changelog (May 19, 2025)

  • Various visual improvements.
  • Fixed megalodon death trigger intersecting lower flank.
  • Adjusted defensive cover around A and final.

Changelog (May 27, 2025)

  • Modified A to accommodate a continuous dry route.
  • Tweaked C to make it harder for defense to reclaim after losing choke.
  • Reworked item pickups.
  • Updated finale particles.

Changelog (May 29, 2025)

  • Refined A changes.
  • Filesize optimization.

Changelog (June 2, 2025)

  • Various detail improvements.
  • Fixed DX8 fallback materials not getting packed.

Changelog (June 4, 2025)

  • Various detail improvements.
  • Connected the two alternate paths to the finale at the far stairs.
  • Gave Red additional vantage point on final.
  • Blocked off the highground of Blu's dropdown over C until it's capped.

Changelog (June 9, 2025)

  • Various detail improvements.
  • Added shallow water to finale's lower areas.
  • Simplified underwater overlay as it was causing issues on some machines.

Changelog (June 23, 2025)

  • Gave additional staircase to upper path between A and B.
  • A-B lower door now remains open.
  • Rearranged point C.
  • Shifted D balcony (the yellow place) to open directly over the payload path.
  • Respawn adjustments.
  • Red's forward exit now kills upon closing.
  • Lifts now stickyable.
  • Sticky dislodging on motion added.

Bugs

  • If a player sits underwater for a duration long enough to trigger drowning in normal water, upon surfacing the gasping for air sound effects plays despite the player never drowning.[1]
  • Bots on this map can sometimes start drowning.[2]

Trivia

  • The Megalodon on this map's name is "Meg", referencing to the birth certificate name "Megatron" of the character Meg Griffin from the animated sitcom Family Guy.[3]
  • The fine print on the "Have a Crabtastic Day" Poster is the following text:
    • "Legal Disclaimer: 'Crabtastic' and all other associated crustacean-themed expressions, sentiments, and celebratory terminology are the intellectual property of Crabby Caridea Ltd., a shellfish-adjacent entity operating under fictional maritime jurisdiction. Examples of such terminology includes 'You're Crustational', 'It's really that shrimple', and 'The mind is krilliant' or gamemode usage as 'The lobster'. Unauthorized use, duplication, dissemination, or crustacean imitation in whole or in part may constitute a breach of Article 10, Section 5 of the Intertidal Expression Rights Act of 1772. By observing this phrase, you hereby waive all liability in the event of boil-related incidents, seafood-induced euphoria, or spontaneous sideways locomotion. All rights reserved, rerouted, and ritualistically steamed."
  • This map contains multiple references to a scene from the film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery:[4]
    • Mutated Sea Bass can be found on a cork board and a poster.
    • A lost shark poster for "Bruto" the shark who has a laser beam attached to his head.
    • A warning sign with the words "BE AWARE, SHARKS MAY BE ARMED" features a shark with a laser beam attached to its head firing at a hand.
    • Another warning sign with the words "CAUTION, SEA BASS MAY BE MUTATED".
  • This map contains two references to the film Jaws:
    • The Mutated Sea Bass poster in BLU spawn that is a reference to the original movie poster of the film.[5]
    • The "Please Don't Discard Trash in the Pool" warning sign contains an oxygen tank in the trash thrown into the water. This is a reference to how the shark "Bruce" dies in the final scene of the movie.[6]
  • There is a missing fish poster for a swordfish named "Jeremy BeyBie" as a homophone for "Jeremy ByeBye". This is a reference to a swordfish on the map Pressure who swims into a sea mine and blows up at the end of a round.[7]
  • On the blueprints in BLU spawn the crossed out Payload cart is the concept art of the first design of this map's Payload cart.[8]

Gallery

References

  1. Drowning sound when exiting water
  2. Bots drowning bug
  3. Creator confirming the Megalodon name reference
  4. Creator confirming the Austin Powers references
  5. Creator confirming the Jaws reference
  6. Creator confirming the Bruce death scene reference
  7. Creator confirming the Pressure swordfish reference
  8. Creator confirming the concept art reference