Two of the best teams in CS:GO play two-hour marathon

Two of the world’s best teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive clashed in one of the game’s longest live matches ever played.

Team EnvyUs and Ninjas in Pyjamas, widely regarded as two of the top three Counter-Strike teams in the world, met today in the semifinals of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Championship Series Kick-Off final. And while Ninjas in Pyjamas would ultimately prevail, it was a marathon second game that grabbed the attention of fans across the world.

Taking place on the game’s signature competitive map, Dust2, the match lasted over two hours and featured four overtime periods.

The game lasted so long thanks to the tournament’s 10-round format for overtime periods. After the two teams finished regulation tied at 15, they proceeded to trade 5 rounds each over the next three overtimes until Ninjas in Pyjamas were able to break through with a hot streak in the fourth and final, ultimately winning the map by a margin of 36-33.

With so many rounds being played, some of the players were able to put up astronomical numbers. Vincent “Happy” Cervoni and Fabien “Kioshima” Fiey led Envy with 58 and 57 frags respectively, while Ninjas in Pyjamas were fronted by Patrik “f0rest” Lindberg and Aleksi “Allu” Jalli with 54 and 52 frags.

Players were visibly fatigued and more than a little flustered as the game drew on. The long loss proved too difficult for Envy to overcome, as their Swedish opponents won the third game 16-11 to seal the series and secure a spot in the next round.

Screengrab via Keralis/YouTube