VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1 has come to an end — one of the key stages of the season for the twelve partnered teams of the Asia-Pacific region. The squads fought for slots at two upcoming international events. In this article, we recap the tournament results and highlight the incredible run of Rex Regum Qeon — from underdogs to champions.
Tournament Format and Prizes
The event featured two stages: the group stage and playoffs. In the group stage, all teams were split into two groups of six, playing round-robin Bo3s. The top four teams from each group advanced to the playoffs, which were played in a double-elimination format. All matches except the lower bracket final and grand final were Bo3s, while the decisive series were Bo5. The main prizes included three slots for Masters Toronto 2025, two for the Esports World Cup 2025, and Pacific points. These points will help determine the final two teams that qualify for Champions 2025 after Pacific Stage 2.
From Underdog to Hero
The biggest surprise — and the central story of the tournament — was the victory of Indonesian team Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ). A team not even considered among the top five favorites showcased consistency, individual brilliance, and an ability to learn from past mistakes — something they proved in the grand final. By winning VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1, the team secured a slot at both Masters Toronto 2025 and the Esports World Cup 2025, as well as 8 Pacific points — 3 from the group stage and 5 for winning the playoffs. This placed them second overall in the regional rankings, just two points behind the leader.
Compared to the champions of the Americas and China stages (G2 Esports and XLG Esports), RRQ’s path was much rougher, suffering three losses throughout the tournament, while G2 and XLG only lost one each. Still, RRQ lifted the trophy just the same.
Group Stage: Neck-and-Neck Battles
RRQ was placed in Group Omega and finished with three wins and two losses. Their match history in the group stage looked like this:
With three wins, RRQ placed second in their group and advanced to the playoffs. Just one more win could have secured them first place and a direct seed into the second playoff round — a valuable privilege that might have made their path easier.
A Nerve-Racking Playoff Run
During the playoffs, RRQ gave their fans some serious stress. The first moment came in the upper bracket final, where they lost 0:2 to Gen.G after defeating DRX 2:1. This dropped them into the lower bracket final against Paper Rex — their second nerve-wracking test.
The Decisive Match
Paper Rex vs. Rex Regum Qeon turned out to be more pivotal than even the grand final. It was an intense five-map thriller that felt scripted. RRQ’s pick, Fracture, ended in a brutal 2:13 loss. However, they bounced back with two overtime wins on Split and Pearl (both 14:12). PR made it 2:2 with a dominant 13:3 on Icebox, but RRQ seized control on the decider, Ascent, winning 13:6. With a 3:2 final score, RRQ advanced to the grand final to face Gen.G Esports once more.
Did the Lower Final Decide the Champion?
The grand final was less dramatic than the lower final. RRQ’s victory over Paper Rex gave them a confidence boost and clarity on their mistakes — a combination that helped them defeat Gen.G 3:1 in the final series and secure the championship.
The Star of the Team and the Tournament
Maksim “Jemkin” Batorov was a cornerstone of RRQ’s success. He was rightfully awarded the MVP title by the organizers. Across 27 maps, he posted an average ADR of 161 and an ACS of 254 — 11 points higher than the runner-up, T3xture.
Final Tournament Standings
Here is a clear and informative table summarizing the final standings of VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1, showing qualifications and Pacific point distribution:
Place | Team | Qualification | Pacific Points |
1 | Rex Regum Qeon | Masters Toronto, EWC 2025 | 8 |
2 | Gen.G Esports | Masters Toronto, EWC 2025 | 6 |
3 | Paper Rex | Masters Toronto | 4 |
4 | DRX | Masters Toronto | 5 |
5-5 | TALON | — | 3 |
5-6 | BOOM Esports | — | 5 |
7-8 | Nongshim RedForce | — | 3 |
7-8 | T1 | — | 3 |
9-10 | Global Esports | — | 1 |
9-10 | ZETA DIVISION | — | 2 |
11-12 | DetonatioN FM | — | 0 |
11-12 | Team Secret | — | 1 |
VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1 was held from March 22 to May 11 in South Korea. The LAN event featured 12 teams from the Asia-Pacific region competing for three slots at VCT 2025: Masters Toronto, two slots for the Esports World Cup 2025, and crucial VCT points needed to reach the season’s final event — VALORANT Champions.
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