We continue breaking down all the matches of the first qualifiers of the year at VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff. Today, we’ll discuss the upper bracket semifinal, where Gen.G faces DRX for the second spot in the final. The match promises to be intense and exciting, and below, we will predict its outcome.

Current Team Form

Gen.G Esports

Gen.G enters this match in relatively good form. The team finished second at the recent SOOP VALORANT League 2024 event. In the current qualifiers, they have already secured their first win. In their last five matches, they claimed four victories over DRX, Sentinels, Talon, and Rex Regum Qeon, while suffering one loss against NRG Esports.

At the end of 2024, the team underwent significant roster changes, which, at first glance, were not for the better. The core of the squad moved to other organizations, and currently, Gen.G appears weaker than before.

DRX

DRX, on the other hand, looks more stable. They finished 3rd-4th at SOOP VALORANT League 2024 and secured a 3rd place finish at Spotlight Series Pacific 2024. In their last five matches, they won three times, defeating Nongshim RedForce, Bilibili Gaming, and Rapid LoFi, but lost to Gen.G and Trace Esports.

Like their upcoming opponents, DRX is quite an unpredictable team. They can defeat stronger opponents, but their consistency is questionable, as they sometimes lose seemingly easy matches.

Map Pool Analysis

Expected Bans:

• Gen.G will likely ban the recently returned Fracture, as DRX has an impressive 71% win rate on this map.
• DRX may remove Haven, where Gen.G has played over 100 matches.

Expected Picks:

• Gen.G might choose Bind, one of their staple maps.
• DRX could opt for Abyss, as they are among the few teams that feel comfortable on this map.

Head-to-Head Record

Over the past six months, the teams have faced each other twice. Gen.G emerged victorious at SOOP League with a 2-0 score, while DRX took revenge at Radiant Asia Invitational with a 2-1 victory. This makes their recent head-to-head record evenly matched.

Match Prediction

Considering their current form, map stats, and head-to-head results, both teams appear evenly matched. DRX lacks consistency, while Gen.G is weaker compared to last season. This match will undoubtedly be thrilling, but we predict a Gen.G Esports victory, though not without difficulty.

Predicted outcome: Gen.G Esports win 2-1

The VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff is taking place from January 18 to February 9 in a LAN format at Sangam Colosseum in Seoul, South Korea. Twelve partnered teams from the VCT program are competing for two invitations to Masters Bangkok and valuable Pacific Points, which are crucial for qualifying for the World Championship.