Azure Ray vs IG.G2 set new record for longest Dota 2 game series at 5.5 hours

In a historic record in professional Dota 2, the matchup between Azure Ray and G2.iG has made history as one of the most intense and lengthy series ever played. The grand finals of the China closed qualifier for ESL One Birmingham 2024 has established a new record in Dota 2 Esports.

Lasting almost eight hours in total, with 5.5 hours of actual in-game duration, this best-of-five series has broken previous records for the longest Dota 2 game series.

Azure Ray and IG.G2 Record-Breaking Dota 2 Game

The marathon began at 9:00 AM CET, with the first game already setting a new record high in the patch 7.35, lasting 1 hour and 23 minutes. Displaying the remarkable resilience of both rivals, they pushed their limits further in the subsequent game 4, extending the battle by an additional 24 minutes (game 4 duration is 1 hour and 47 minutes) beyond their initial record-setting game.

The series eventually led to a swift victory for G2.iG in game 5, marking a less climactic but decisive end to an otherwise intensely competitive series.

Exceeding the Previous Milestone

This extraordinary series eclipsed the previous record for the longest Dota 2 series, a title held since 2015 by a 5-hour and 16 minutes-long face-off between Mamas-Boys and STARK.gg. The recent Azure Ray versus G2.iG encounter not only showcases the evolving dynamics of Dota 2 gameplay but also highlights the increasing stamina and strategic depth required at the highest levels of competitive play.

. @G2esports/@invgaming vs @AzureRayDota just finished the longest series in the history of Dota 2 – over 5.5 hours of gameplay.

Yes, longer than the C9/Scaryfacez epic. Yes, longer than the DK/IG bo7 reverse-sweep (that was barely 4 hours!). pic.twitter.com/mvlKGHdzGQ

— Ben Steenhuisen (@Noxville) January 30, 2024

The Longest Dota 2 Pro Game in History

While the iG.G2 vs Azure Ray series has set a new record for series duration, it’s worth revisiting other memorable long-duration matches in Dota 2’s storied Esports history. Notably, the longest single game remains the epic battle between Cloud9 and ScaryFaceZ, which lasted an astonishing 3 hours and 20 minutes.

This match, part of the StarSeries Season 12 in 2015, featured a blend of iconic players and future stars, making it a memorable chapter in Dota 2 Esports.

Cloud9 vs ScaryFaceZ at StarLadder StarSeries Season 12 (Image credit: Valve)

The Longest Dota 2 Game in The Internationals

Another significant record-holder in recent years is the longest game in the history of The Internationals Championship, which took place during the International 2022 (TI11) main event’s first day. The intense match between Entity and Royal Never Give Up stretched to 1 hour and 47 minutes, demonstrating not just the back-and-forth nature of Dota 2 matches but also the resilience and determination of these players. Especially considering four RNG players were playing remotely due to contracting the coronavirus.

Fun fact, Yap “xNova” Jian Wei, who is currently playing for G2.iG was the former RNG player involved in this longest TI Dota 2 match. He was the only RNG player present on the main stage without his ill-stricken team.

Congratulations to G2.iG on securing their spot at ESL One Birmingham 2024. This crucial tournament in the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) circuit, boasts a prize pool of one million dollars and expects to commence on April 22.