Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

2024 has been a monumental year for esports, with thrilling moments that have left fans in awe and captivated audiences across the globe. From incredible plays that define what it means to be a top-tier gamer to unforgettable technical glitches and shocking upsets, this year has had it all. Join us as we revisit some of the most exciting esports highlights from Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Dota 2, Apex Legends, PUBG Mobile, Rocket League, and Brawl Stars. These moments not only demonstrated the skill of professional players but also helped propel esports into the mainstream, with record-breaking viewership and buzz.

---

Tabel of contents

---

---

Counter-Strike 2: Unlikely Upsets and Unexpected Moments

The Counter-Strike 2 scene saw a few high-octane moments that had fans on the edge of their seats.

Jame’s Crash at the Copenhagen Major

At the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, Virtus.pro was on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs when disaster struck: Dzhami “Jame” Ali’s computer crashed at a pivotal moment during their match against G2 Esports. With the score tied at 11-11 on Inferno, Jame’s character suddenly walked out into the open, allowing G2 to capitalize and eliminate Virtus.pro from the Major. Fans were heartbroken as the clip quickly amassed nearly 300,000 views.

A Fan Opens a Knife at IEM Cologne 2024

Not all highlights come from gameplay. At IEM Cologne, one lucky fan opened a $400+ Ursus Doppler knife, making for an incredible moment that became one of the most talked-about clips of the tournament. Cologne’s LANXESS Arena, dubbed the “Cathedral of Counter-Strike,” was the perfect setting for such an unexpected event.

Donk’s 1v5 Clutch at the Shanghai Major

Team Spirit’s Danil “donk” Kryshkovets pulled off one of the most insane 1v5 clutches against HEROIC in the elimination stage at the Shanghai Major. His performance kept Team Spirit in the running and proved their potential in the new Counter-Strike 2 era.

---

Valorant: Heartwarming Victories and Controversial Strategies

2024 was a year of emotional moments and bold strategies for Valorant, with standout performances that stunned fans.

Kyedae Reacts to TenZ’s Victory at VCT Masters Madrid 2024

In a tearful moment at VCT Masters Madrid, Kyedae Alisha Shymko watched as her fiancé, Tyson “TenZ” Ngo, and his team Sentinels secured their first international VCT title in years. Kyedae’s emotional reaction after Sentinels beat Gen.G 3-2 in the grand final made this moment one of the most heartwarming highlights of the year.

G2 Esports’ Eco Round Strategy at VCT Champions 2024

At VCT Champions 2024, G2 Esports introduced a controversial eco round strategy against Leviatán by jumping off the map, sacrificing their players to deny the enemy money and Ultimate Orbs. Although the move sparked debates, it became one of the most memorable moments of the tournament, even though G2 was eventually eliminated by Fnatic.

Kang Kang’s 4K to Secure Valorant Champions Victory

EDward Gaming’s Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang, or Kang Kang, delivered a highlight 4K that sent his team to match point in the grand final against Team Heretics. His outstanding performance helped EDG secure the first-ever Valorant Champions victory for a Chinese team, solidifying their place in esports history.

---

League of Legends: Legendary Plays and Unlikely Comebacks

League of Legends fans were treated to a series of unforgettable moments that left everyone buzzing.

Keria’s Quadra Kill at the LCK Spring Finals

In a tense moment during the LCK Spring 2024 finals, T1’s Ryu “Keria” Min-seok pulled off a Quadra Kill against Gen.G, keeping T1’s hopes alive in the series. Although Gen.G ultimately claimed victory, Keria’s play was one of the year’s most iconic moments.

Faker’s 3v5 Team Fight Turnaround in the Worlds 2024 Final

The World Championship 2024 Final was a stage for a legendary comeback when T1’s Faker turned a 3v5 team fight into a triumph, wiping Bilibili Gaming and securing T1’s World Championship. This clutch moment cemented Faker’s place as one of the greatest players of all time.

---

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: Game-Changing Clutches and Surprise Wins

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang saw its fair share of jaw-dropping moments as well.

Alberttt’s 1v4 Defense at MPL Indonesia Season 14

Fnatic ONIC’s Alberttt pulled off an incredible 1v4 defense against Dewa United Esports during MPL Indonesia Season 14, ensuring his team’s victory and securing a top spot in the league. His clutch play will be remembered for years to come.

CikuGais’ Impossibly Timed Flank in MPL Malaysia

In MPL Malaysia, TODAK’s CikuGais managed to outplay Monster Vicious with an unbelievable flank. Teleporting to the enemy base, CikuGais destroyed it single-handedly, sending his team to victory and eliminating MV from the competition in one of the most viral moments of the season.

---

Dota 2: Raw Emotion and Unforgettable Outbursts

The Dota 2 scene also had its emotional highs and lows, with players showing raw emotion and dramatic moments.

SUNSfan’s Outburst at DreamLeague Season 22

In DreamLeague Season 22, Dota 2 caster Shannon “SUNSfan” Scotten went viral for his emotional outburst during a match between Gaimin Gladiators and Team Spirit. The Gaimin Gladiators failed to qualify for the playoffs by just one match, and SUNSfan’s unfiltered reaction to their performance added a layer of passion and drama to the event.

Talon Esports take BetBoom to the third map in The International 2024’s playoffs

Moving from the DreamLeague to the premier Dota 2 event of the year, The International 2024 was the most-watched Dota 2 event of the year. In the playoffs stage of the event, Talon Esports faced off against BetBoom Team in the lower bracket, after both teams just barely qualified for the playoffs throughout the Seeding Decider matches.

BetBoom team were the favourites to defeat Talon Esports and continue to advance in the playoffs, but Talon were not to go down without a fight. Towards the end of a gruelling 50-minute second map, Talon were able to swing the momentum in their favour for an explosive end to the match. Despite Talon’s ultimate defeat in the series against BB, their explosive victory on Map 2 was one of the most exciting surprises of the event for fans. 

Aurora Gaming’s 23 Savage plots revenge after a rage buyback

In the lower-bracket of playoffs at The International 2024, Aurora Gaming were set to play their first match of the stage against HEROIC. About half an hour into the first map of the playoffs match, HEROIC were dominating Aurora Gaming with 14 kills against Aurora’s measly two. 

In the Clip, HEROIC’s player João Gabriel “4nalog” Giannini Santos managed to catch Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon off-guard, securing his 9th kill of the match. 23savage instantly bought back into the game, a risky move which the match commentators pointed out as a rash decision and prompted a reaction from 4nalog dropping an “xd” in chat.

Aurora Gaming were quickly dismantled by HEROIC in the first map, but the Serbian organization had only been riled up. The dominant first map by HEROIC was followed by two solid performances by Aurora, who confidently bested their competitor on the remaining maps of the series. As Aurora claimed victory, while other players were politely telling each other good game, 23savage goaded his opponents to “type xd”.

Liquid’s Nisha wins it all himself against Xtreme Gaming in playoffs

Team Liquid entered the playoffs stage of The International 2024 as one of the favorites to win the entire event. The famed esports organization made their way throughout the entire playoffs stage without dropping a single map, but their first match against Xtreme Gaming in the Upper Bracket quarterfinals was close to not going their way.

In the late-stages of their first map against Xtreme Gaming, Team Liquid’s Michał “Nisha” Jankowski was caught off-guard by multiple XG players. TL’s carry managed to sneak away from the gank and survive the initial stages of the fight on low health, but with his teammates also on the ropes, Nisha smartly backed off and bided his time. 

While knocking on death’s door, Nisha was able to completely turn the fight around in his team’s favor. The Polish professional secured both a rampage and a beyond godlike, the former of which refers to five kills in quick succession, and the latter refers to a 10+ killstreak. Only two minutes after Nisha’s impressive play, Team Liquid claimed their first map of the series, and proceeded to defeat Xtreme Gaming in less than 20 minutes on the second map.

---

Apex Legends

Prycyy goes on a spree at the ALGS 2024 Split 1 Pro League APAC South

In the battle royale genre, Apex Legends hosted some of the most exciting content of the year through its ALGS system. The series features both international events and regional leagues, offering teams the chance to compete for the top spots and hone their skills for the international stage.

During the ALGS: 2024 Split 1 Pro League – APAC South, the broadcast production captured a thrilling moment with the Australian team, Team Burger. Dylan “Prycyy” Price, showing incredible individual skill, defended his team from all sides, taking down multiple enemy squads. Fans enjoyed this highlight, thanks to the “listen-in” function, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes view of how top-tier esports teams communicate during critical moments.

Gaimin Gladiators Lufka makes a 1v1 clutch look easy at the ALGS Split 2 Playoffs

The ALGS: 2024 Split 2 Playoffs was the final event of the ALGS season. Gaimin Gladiators showed their dominance early on, winning the first two games in the Finals. However, it was during the second round of the Finals that Jan “Lufka” Urban pulled off one of the most memorable moments. Facing off in a 1v1 against Complexity Gaming, Lufka executed a masterful clutch by baiting Complexity’s player into a close-range fight after starting to resurrect his teammate. The clutch, delivered with finesse, brought cheers from the fans and was a highlight of the entire season.

---

PUBG Mobile

Shifu wipes out ThunderTalk at the PUBG Mobile Global Championship

At the 2024 PUBG Mobile Global Championship, Dagestan 77, making their debut, proved their mettle against veteran competition. Vladislav “Shifu” Slepyshev was instrumental in securing an incredible team wipe, eliminating ThunderTalk in one of the most intense moments of the tournament.

Despite only barely qualifying for the World Championship, finishing 7th in the EMEA Super League, Dagestan 77 showed they belonged at the top. Their performance throughout the event showcased their potential and established them as a team to watch in 2025.

---

Rocket League

Team BDS claim their second Rocket League World Championship title

Team BDS came into the 2024 RLCS World Championship with something to prove. After struggling earlier in the year, they dominated the later stages of the tournament. The French team, known for their powerful gameplay, showed their strength by defeating rivals G2 Stride twice—once in the playoffs and again in the Grand Finals. Their victory at the 2024 RLCS World Championship marked their second title and solidified their legacy in Rocket League history.

---

Brawl Stars

SK Gaming miss an open goal in the Brawl Stars World Finals 2024

The 2024 Brawl Stars World Finals were one of the most-watched mobile esports events, reaching 1.1 million peak concurrent viewers. In a tense match during the opening games, SK Gaming seemed slightly off their game. After a team wipe against Elevate, one of SK’s players missed an open goal, which could have equalized the match. Despite this, SK managed to overcome Elevate 2-1 and advance to the Semifinals, where they were eventually defeated by the eventual champions, HMBLE.

As Brawl Stars continues to grow, it is poised to become one of the top mobile esports titles, with its viewership numbers rising and Supercell continuing to support the competitive scene.

---

2024: A Landmark Year for Esports

2024 has proven to be a landmark year for esports, delivering unforgettable highlights that captivated fans and broke livestreaming viewership records. From incredible plays to game-changing moments, these clips showcased the best—and sometimes worst—of competitive gaming. As esports continues to grow, so does the impact of these viral moments, connecting global audiences and driving innovation in livestreaming platforms. Whether you’re a hardcore fan or new to the scene, the highlights of 2024 remind us why esports is one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries.

About The Author