So, you think you know how VCT Pacific Stage 1 went down. Most people just look at the Liquipedia page, see Paper Rex at the top, and figure it was just business as usual for the W-Gaming gods. But honestly? That’s barely half the story. The 2024 season was a mess of high-stakes roster swaps, visa scares, and a "Group of Death" that basically turned the regular season into a meat grinder.
It wasn’t just a tournament; it was a survival test.
The stage kicked off in Seoul at the COEX Artium, and the energy was different this time. We had Gen.G coming off a massive run at Masters Madrid where they nearly took the whole thing. People expected them to just steamroll the Pacific region. And yet, the narrative shifted the second a certain Singaporean duelist stepped back onto the server.
The Return of the King (and the Jinggg)
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Jinggg.
Everyone thought he was gone for military service. The emotional farewell at Champions 2023 felt so final. Then, out of nowhere, he’s back. Paper Rex (PRX) looked... okay without him, but with him? They were a different beast entirely. His return for VCT Pacific Stage 1 changed the math for every other team in the league. You can’t just "tactically outplay" a guy who Blast Packs into your face at 100 miles per hour while his teammates are flooding the site from three different angles.
It’s kinda wild when you think about it. Most teams spend months integrating a player. PRX just plugged him back in and started clicking heads.
But it wasn't a total cakewalk. They actually struggled in the group stage, dropping a series to Team Secret 0-2. Yeah, you read that right. The eventual champions got humbled by the "Adobo Gang" in a match where Secret's invy and Jremy just looked untouchable. It was a wake-up call that the Pacific gap was closing.
The Format That Broke Everyone's Brain
Riot loves their experimental formats, and Stage 1 was no exception. We had Group Alpha and Group Omega. Alpha had five teams, Omega had six.
The weird part? You didn't play the teams in your own group. You played everyone in the other group. This led to some truly lopsided standings. Group Omega was essentially a shark tank featuring Paper Rex, DRX, and Talon Esports. Meanwhile, Group Alpha felt like a desperate scramble for the remaining playoff spots.
- The Top Seeds: Gen.G (Alpha) and DRX (Omega) took the first-round byes.
- The Mid-Table Chaos: T1 and Team Secret had to fight tooth and nail just to stay relevant.
- The Masters Ticket: Only the top three teams would qualify for Masters Shanghai.
That third spot was the real prize. Getting to the Grand Final is cool, but for teams like T1, Shanghai was the only thing that mattered.
Why the Grand Final Was Actually a Revenge Plot
If you didn't watch the Grand Final between Paper Rex and Gen.G, you missed the best Valorant of the year. Period. This was a rematch of the Kickoff finals where Gen.G had previously humiliated PRX.
The series went the full five maps. It was grueling.
Gen.G took Lotus 13-9. Then PRX roared back on Sunset. It kept swinging like a pendulum. By the time they got to the decider map on Split, everyone was running on fumes. PRX was trailing 5-7 at halftime on the attack side—a side that is notoriously hard to win on Split. But then their defense happened. They shut the door. They ended up winning 13-10, with Jinggg taking the MVP honors.
It was poetic.
Gen.G’s t3xture was hitting shots that didn't even make sense, but the collective chaos of PRX was too much. The "W-Gaming" style isn't just rushing; it's about forcing the opponent to make a mistake because they're panicking. Gen.G, for all their tactical brilliance, finally blinked.
The Teams That Booked Their Flight to Shanghai
By the end of the madness, three teams stood tall:
- Paper Rex: The kings of Pacific.
- Gen.G: The most consistent tactical powerhouse in the region.
- T1: The "dark horse" that finally found their footing when it counted.
T1’s path was especially impressive. They beat Team Secret in the knockout round and then took down Gen.G in the upper semis. Even though they eventually finished third, seeing the Susanto brothers—xccurate (T1) and f0rsakeN (PRX)—both qualify for an international event was a huge moment for the community.
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Real Talk: The Teams That Failed
We have to talk about DRX. For years, DRX was the undisputed boss of Korea. In Stage 1, they looked... human. Losing to PRX in the upper bracket was expected, but getting knocked out by Gen.G in the lower bracket? That was a torch-passing moment. The old guard is being pushed out by the new generation of Korean superstars like Karon and Munchkin.
And then there’s Bleed Esports. The hype around yay was massive. The "El Diablo" comeback story. Honestly? It was a disaster. They finished near the bottom of Group Alpha with a 1-5 record. It turns out that throwing a superstar into a roster that lacks fundamental synergy doesn't magically win you games.
Actionable Insights for the Next Stage
If you're following the Pacific circuit, here is what you actually need to watch for going forward:
Watch the Map Pools
Teams are getting way better at Breeze and Icebox. If your favorite team hasn't mastered the "double controller" meta on these maps, they're going to get exploited. PRX showed that you can play weird comps (like Yoru on Bind) and still win if your mechanical skill is high enough.
The "Karon" Factor
Keep an eye on Gen.G's Karon. He was a ranked demon who got picked up and immediately started outplaying veterans. If you're looking for the next "best player in the world," he's the leading candidate.
Don't Count Out the Philippines
Team Secret proved they can beat anyone on a good day. They missed out on Shanghai by the thinnest of margins. In Stage 2, they’ll be the team nobody wants to face in the opening rounds.
Basically, VCT Pacific Stage 1 proved that the region is no longer a one-team show. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and it’s arguably the most entertaining league in the world right now. If you aren't watching the VODs of that PRX vs. Gen.G final, you're doing Valorant wrong. Go watch the Split decider. Now.