Why NiP's 87-0 Still Can't Be Beaten: The Truth About Counter-Strike's Win Streaks
87-0 is one of the most famous numbers in esports. In 2026 Vitality came closer than anyone in years, before G2 stopped them at 24 maps. But the record is trickier than it looks, because it depends on what you count. Here is the full picture.
Say "87-0" to a Counter-Strike fan and they will know what you mean. It is also a number that gets argued about more than almost any other, because comparing streaks depends on what exactly you decide to count.
The Original
Ninjas in Pyjamas set the benchmark. From August 2012 to April 2013, the NiP lineup built by players like GeT_RiGhT won 87 straight maps on LAN across ten tournaments without dropping a single one. The run ended at the StarSeries Season V finals, where Virtus.pro became the first team to beat them, winning 2-0.
Why 87 Is Not the Whole Story
Here is where the arguing starts. Dot Esports noted that if you count only what HLTV classifies as Big Events, NiP's streak shrinks to 34 maps. The 87 includes every LAN map, many of them at smaller tournaments with weaker fields.
Neither number is wrong. They just measure different things. Some streaks count maps, some count series, and some count individual matches. Some include every LAN, some only top tier events. When people compare records, they often mix these up, which is why you see conflicting answers online.
Vitality's 2026 Run
The closest challenger in years was Vitality. Their map streak at Big Events started at PGL Cluj-Napoca in February 2026, right after losing a Mirage map 13-10 to The MongolZ and then winning the next two 13-4 on Dust2 and Nuke. It carried through BLAST Open Rotterdam, with Vitality skipping ESL Pro League Season 23 along the way. By the time they reached IEM Rio, it stood at 22 maps, and a win over RED Canids pushed it to 24.
On April 14, 2026, G2 ended it. They won Mirage 13-5 in a group stage match, even though Vitality came back to win the series 2-1. That made 24 the second longest by this measure, behind NiP's 34. Some pages still list the streak as 22, so check the date on any source you use.
Other Streaks
Vitality's records are not only about maps. In 2025 they won 30 matches in a row at big events, passing Liquid's old mark of 23 and then Astralis, according to a compilation on Dust2.in. It ended with a 3-13 loss to Legacy in a best-of-one on Inferno at the Austin Major. Wikipedia describes that run as the second-highest streak in Counter-Strike history, while Dust2.in called it the longest on big events, which is another example of how the measuring stick changes the answer.
In early 2026, Vitality also won 18 series in a row, according to HLTV, starting at BLAST Bounty in January. One outlet reported that Falcons ended that run with a 2-1 win at IEM Rio. Treat that detail as single source.
Spirit were the story at the most recent event. They came into ESL Pro League Season 24 on a 13-series streak, which Hotspawn described as one of the longest ever, and MOUZ ended it with a 2-0 win on Dust2 and Mirage in the Swiss stage.
The Streak That Fell One Short
Astralis never came close to NiP's overall number, but they got remarkably near on one map. Wikipedia credits them with 31 consecutive LAN wins on Nuke. HLTV noted in 2018 that NiP's record on that map stood at 32-0 from 2012 to 2013. In other words, Astralis' streak on one of its strongest maps fell short of the original by a single win.
Why 87-0 Is Still Safe
There is no single answer, but the pattern is clear. Today the top tier is deeper, with more teams capable of beating anyone on a given day. The calendar is crowded, formats include best-of-ones that raise the risk of a single upset, and the pressure of an expanding streak is a factor too. Vitality's run was historic by any fair measure, and it still ended 10 maps short of NiP's Big Event number and far from 87.
That is the beauty of the record. It has not been beaten, and every streak since has made it look more remarkable.
Test Your Knowledge of the Records
Knowing how records are counted, and who held them, is part of following this scene closely. The mini games on CS Guess test that kind of knowledge, covering prices, rarity, and the history behind this game, with free perks for playing well.
Head over to CS Guess and see how much of this game's history you know.