Insane CS:GO double-noscope memorialized as in-game graffiti, and now real tattoo

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The player who pulled it off now has a tattoo of the graffiti.

Update: Nearly three months later, s1mple—the player who pulled off the amazing double-noscope worthy of in-game graffiti—has commemorated it further by getting that graffiti tattooed on his arm. He tweeted a photo of the finished ink earlier today, which was apparently a birthday gift from his brother.

This comes off the back of s1mple playing out of his mind as ESL One New York this past weekend. The craziest moment of the tournament came when he threw his AWP over a wall as a distraction, before dropping down and taking out the last member of the opposing team. At this point, I think it's safe to say s1mple produces some of the most exciting clips in competitive CS:GO.

Original story: At ESL Cologne last weekend, Team Liquid became the first North American CS:GO team to make it into the final round of a major tournament. To do it, they had to defeat the team with the most major wins in CS:GO history: Fnatic, the Swedish superstars, the New England Patriots of Counter-Strike.

Liquid won their semifinal round against Fnatic two maps to none, an upset that's worth watching online or through CS:GO's in-game archive. Although there were several clutch plays from Liquid, a spectacular one came from s1mple in round 14 of the second map.

S1mple's first noscope is impressive enough, delivered as he hits the ground. The second is ludicrous, tagging the Fnatic player at a range that no mortal has a right to. Even though Liquid were ahead 10-4 at this point, it was a round that Liquid weren't supposed to win against a team that's more than capable of staging a comeback in the second half of the match. It surely dealt some emotional damage to the Swedes.

One of the creators of de_cache, FMPONE, felt the need to commemorate this sick play by adding a graffiti tag on the wall near where it happened. The revision hasn't been submitted yet by FMPONE, so you won't see it in game at this time, but the art depicts a falling angel with a scopeless rifle between the two CT entrances to bombsite B.

"It's an excellent example of when the casters and everyone, including myself, counts a player out, but that player believes in themselves fully and outperforms all expectations in a great moment," FMPONE told me today. "I thought the casting from James Bardolph and DDK sealed the deal and moved me to make it just as much as the excellent play, as well." 

American himself, FMPONE says that he isn't partial to Team Liquid, but admits that "the fact that this play was instrumental in the very first NA grand finalist is critical."

The painted figure wears wings because elevated platforms in Counter-Strike are often shortened to 'heaven' for easy communication in-game.

The painted figure wears wings because elevated platforms in Counter-Strike are often shortened to 'heaven' for easy communication in-game.

There's a few of these kinds of map references in CS:GO, little signatures of moments, or even bugs, that add permanence and history to a context that otherwise never seems to change.

Liquid fell in the finals to Brazilian squad SK Gaming, who took their second consecutive major, another massive achievement for the South American team. But this moment by s1mple, and the milestone for North American Counter-Strike that it signifies, should live on in de_cache as a memory of what Liquid achieved.

Evan Lahti
Evan Lahti
Strategic Director

Evan's a hardcore FPS enthusiast who joined PC Gamer way back in 2008. After an era spent publishing reviews, news, and cover features, he now oversees editorial operations for PC Gamer worldwide, including setting policy, training, and editing stories written by the wider team. His most-played FPSes are Hunt: Showdown, Team Fortress 2, Team Fortress Classic, Rainbow Six Siege, and Counter-Strike. His first multiplayer FPS was Quake 2, played on serial LAN in his uncle's basement, the ideal conditions for instilling a lifelong fondness for fragging.