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
Map Items
Healthico.png Health Kits: Smallhealth.png ×2  •  Mediumhealth.png ×10  •  
Largehealth.png ×3
Ammoico.png Ammo Boxes: Smallammo.png ×1   •   Mediumammo.png ×7   •  
Largeammo.png ×5
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. The water on this map is impossible to drown in and provides a speed boost whenever in contact with it, similar to the one provided by the Concheror.

Aquarius was contributed to the Steam Workshop.

Locations

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

  • Spawns: BLU Team spawns at the top of the facility where the entrance airlock vault door is located while RED spawns at the lowest part of the facility hanging over a submarine canyon.
  • Initial Spawn Openings: BLU has two slopes leading downwards on either side of its spawn which lead to fence doors leading downward to the first moon pool.
  • After B's capture: BLU's Spawn remains the same, but the platform that previously lowered the Payload cart into the first moon pool raises to form a platform, as well as two doors opening leading into Checkpoint B. 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 A "Alpha"

  • 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 Platform: 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 outside of the checkpoint with a system of pipes leadings to a tank atop it. There is a pair of medium ammo and health pickups inside it.
  • 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 "Charlie"

  • Checkpoint C Platform: 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 toward the point.
  • Yellow Platform: The highest deck around Checkpoint C has a distinct yellowing covering that provides a good high ground. There is a pair of small ammo and health pickups here.

Checkpoint D "Delta"

  • 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. 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

Changelog

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

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.

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 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 2, 2025)

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

Changelog (May 29, 2025)

  • Refined A changes.
  • Filesize optimization.

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 19, 2025)

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

Changelog (May 16, 2025)

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

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.

Bugs

  • If a player sits underwater on this map for a duration long enough to trigger drowning in normal water, upon surfacing the sound effect for drowning will play despite no effects of drowning occuring.[1]
  • Only RED Bots on this map do not experience the perks granted when in contact with water. [2]
  • If a player enters water on this map with a speed boost from the Disciplinary Action, Hot Hand, Big Earner, or Dead Ringer and exits during its typical duration, it will end prematurely. [3]
  • Players under the effects of the Concheror charge while in contact with water will lose their speed boost upon the end of its duration. Exiting and reentering water after will give you the speed boost as normal. [4]

Trivia

  • The fine print on the "Have a Crabtastic Day" Poster is the following text:
    • "Legal Disclaimer: 'Crabtastic' and all other associated crustacean 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 include 'You're Crustational', 'It's really that shrimple', and 'The mind is krilliant' or copyright usage as 'The lobster', unauthorized use, duplication, dissemination, or crustacean imitation in whole or in part may constitute a breach of Article 38, Section 5 of the Intellectual Expression Rights Act of 1772. By observing this phrase, you hereby solve 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 in the film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery:[5]
    • Mutated Sea Bass can be found on a cork board and the aforementioned poster.
    • A lost shark poster for "Bruto" the shark who has a laser beam attached to his body.
    • A warning sign with the words "BE AWARE, SHARKS MAY BE ARMED" features a shark with a laser beam attached to its body firing at a hand.
    • Another warning sign with the words "CAUTION, SEA BASS MAY BE MUTATED"
  • This map contains two references to a scene in the film Jaws:
    • The Mutated Sea Bass poster in BLU spawn that is a reference to the original movie poster of the film.[6]
    • 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.[7]
  • There is a missing fish poster for a swordfish named "Jeremy BeyBie" as a homophone for "Jeremy ByeBye". This as a reference to a swordfish on the map Pressure who swims into a seamine and blows up at the end of a round.[8]
  • 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.[9]

Gallery

References

  1. Drowning sound when exiting water
  2. RED Bots No Water Perks
  3. Speed Boost Removal
  4. Concheror charge ending cancels water speed boost until exiting and reentering.
  5. Creator confirming the references
  6. Creator confirming the reference
  7. Creator confirming the reference
  8. Creator confirming the reference
  9. Creator confirming the reference