G2 outlast Vitality in thriller series to win BLAST Open Fall 2025

Charles can keep his place on the throne for now, as British Counter-Strike did not get the chance to crown its King on home turf at BLAST Open Fall 2025. Even Vitality, wielding the full force of the crowd behind them with mezii starring as the hometown hero, could not overcome G2 in a 3:2 series that saw last season’s undoubted number one team lose the chance to return to the top for the first time since the BLAST.tv Austin Major.

Vitality and victory have gone hand in hand in 2025. But this was not to be here; rather, we got a true show of adversity from G2. Here’s how they won their first trophy of 2025 and upset the odds at every turn.

Vitality take two maps before G2 series slips through their fingers

If you’re a Vitality fan, you had every reason to be worried following map one of the BLAST Open Fall 2025 Final. G2 absolutely dominated the opener, shellshocking Vitality 13:3 on Dust2. Even the most delusional of G2 fans couldn’t have predicted such a one-sided way to kick off this Grand Final, and the stage seemed set for an upset. The question on everyone’s lips was simple: just how good are G2?

But remember, this is Vitality we’re talking about on the other side of the server. They have been the absolute experts of winning Grand Finals throughout 2025, and are no strangers to losing a map or two in the process. Mirage and Overpass followed, both of which shared eerie similarities in how they played out. Both maps finished their first halves 6:6, but Vitality pulled out two flawless second halves (on the T and CT sides, respectively) to win them 13:6. At this moment, you felt you knew how the wind was blowing in this series. How wrong we were.

A competitive Inferno to take us to a deciding fifth was always the ideal here. Make things really interesting. And that’s exactly what we got – a 16:12 map that Vitality had right within their grasp. This never should have gone to Overtime, and the decider of Train should never have happened, but a miraculous 2v3 retake from G2 at 12:11 down in regulation ensured we were going the distance on map four, and later, the series. 2:2, and it was officially game on.

It was on that final map that we got a glimpse into G2’s ceiling, which, under huNter-‘s guidance as IGL, appears to be much higher than first thought. G2 roared to an 8:4 lead at the half, doing so on the decider for the first time since the first map. But once they won that final pistol round, everything else felt like a formality. 13:6 the scoreline, Vitality toppled in front of the expectant London crowd. G2, victorious for the first time since the BLAST Premier World Final 2024. NiKo and m0NESY? Never heard of them, for they have been rebuilt in the aggregate.

Above all, it is the efforts of SunPayus and HeavyGod that have surprised the most. As two of the team’s stars, they will define G2’s floor and ceiling. For SunPayus, it is about recapturing his former self, finding the form that saw him finish 2023 as one of the best Counter-Strike players in the world. Easier said than done. But for HeavyGod, a player with much less experience at the very top, it’s about proving something else entirely. Not proving he’s still got it, but rather, proving he has what it takes to be truly elite in the first place. On this evidence, both are passing with flying colors.

BLAST Open Fall 2025 might feel worse for Vitality than any preceding loss

In isolation, a defeat here isn’t a totally miserable result for Vitality. Getting back to a Final is still their best result of the season, but losing BLAST Open Fall 2025 in this manner might feel worse than any of their earlier defeats.

The truth is, they had this series in the palm of their hands. They were just one round away from finishing it off on Inferno, and threw away a 3v2 advantage at 12:11 to go to Overtime. There are no excuses for not seeing this one out, and the pain of being so close will undoubtedly linger.

Of course, this doesn’t change the obvious assertion that Vitality are still one of the best Counter-Strike teams in the world. But they should be celebrating being BLAST Open Fall 2025 champions right now, and the fact that they aren’t, against a NiKo and m0NESY-less G2 at that, could be a real kick to the confidence.