The first map of the grand final between Vitality and The MongolZ at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 set a new viewership record in CS2. Mirage attracted over 1.57 million peak viewers, and after Vitality moved to Dust2, the total viewership increased even further to 1,715,362. This is a new all-time record in major history and the most popular Counter-Strike 2 match to date.

This surpasses the peak audience of the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 (1,329,860 people) and any other match at the BLAST.tv Austin Major. The MongolZ significantly contributed to the popularity, with an estimated 3% of Mongolia's population watching live, despite the late-night broadcast. In Mongolia, it's currently 5 AM, and 85,375 people are following the match.

Mirage and Dust2 Details

The first map of the final, Mirage, chosen by The MongolZ, was a real sensation. The MongolZ defeated Vitality with a score of 13:5, showing complete dominance. Vitality managed to keep the score close while defending (5:7), but didn't win a single round after the sides switched. In the attack, Vitality appeared disoriented, while The MongolZ were confident and coordinated. It was a clean 6:0 half and a powerful statement at the start of the series.

On the second map, Dust2, the situation changed. This was Vitality's pick, and they confidently got back into the game. The first half ended with a score of 9:3, after which Vitality quickly closed out the map — 13:4. The MongolZ couldn't handle the opponent's aggression and precision, while Vitality played composed and flawlessly.

At the time of publication, the match is moving to the decisive map — Inferno, which will determine the winner of the first-ever CS2 major by BLAST. You can follow the final match here.