Gaming
Esports
The must-see moments of the CS:GO championship
Watch the five Counter-Strike: Global Offensive championship moments that gave us goosebumps.
CS:GO Championships: Nailbiting must-see moments
© ESL/Patrick Strack
Cologne's gaming extravaganza Gamescom played host to ESL's massive Counter-Strike: Global Offensive championship, where 16 teams battled it out over four days for a share of the $250,000 prize pool. We were expecting some seriously impressive plays during the tournament, and it's safe to say we weren't disappointed. Cloud9, Fnatic, Ninjas in Pyjamas and more played their hearts out, proucing comebacks of heartstopping proportions, and colossal viewing figures. Read on to see what you missed!
Titan vs Cloud9
It was the first day and Cloud9 (formerly compLexity Gaming) weren't covering themselves in glory, as they took on the French team Titan. With Titan ahead 3–10, it looked like C9's Hiko might have managed to snatch a round back after going one versus three, but the bomb blew with milliseconds left on the defusal timer. But the North Americans managed clawi back some wins. At round 26 Titan is a single point from victory, but against the odds, C9 hold the bombsite. As Titan's finances dwindle the match hangs in the balance, going to not one but two stretches of overtime.
Dignitas v Cloud9
Another day, another Cloud9 breathtaker. Despite losing the pistol round, C9 seem to be on a roll, racking up five consecutive wins. It doesn't last though, and the next eight go Dignitas' way. Heading into the second half, the game kicks off with a close round with just one man apiece by the end. But C9 simply can't hold on for the victory and semphis backs into FeTiSh's sights.
The 17th round marks a change in C9's fortunes, but Dignitas refuse to just hand over an easy comeback. Unfortunately for the European side they reckoned without some phenomenal work by Hiko...
Ninjas in Pyjamas vs Cloud9
Going into the final game of the best-of-three quarterfinal, NiP faced off against Cloud9. With the scuffle taking place on Cobblestone – one of two new maps – there was an air of uncertainty as to which team would actually have the upper hand. C9's n0thing pulled off a triple kill in the thirteenth round to keep the North Americans in the game, but if you're looking for the most spectacular play of the game head to the 37m 20s mark. Then sit back and marvel at Friberg's perfectly executed takedown of the planter. We actually had goosebumps!
The Grand Final – NiP vs Fnatic
This final game brought a fantastic end to a great tournament. The first half saw an economic tussle, and both teams showed off their formidable skills as they went toe to toe for the Championship crown. We won't spoil the ending but if you only have time to watch one highlight, drop everything you're doing and head to round seven. A frankly fantastic performance from Friberg sees him single-handedly obliterate the entire enemy team, walking away with an ace – and just a sliver of health.
Record-breaking viewer count
According to ESL, more than 400,000 people tuned-in to the grand finale on Twitch, and via the in-game client. If that number gets verified, as the casters point out, it'll be the highest number of spectators for any CS event in the history of the game. It's a fantastic figure and speaks highly of the potential of CS:GO in the world of high-profile eSports.
Were you watching? What was your favourite moment? Tell us in the comments below.
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