The first week of VCT Pacific Stage 2 has wrapped up, sparking a few surprises across the board. The region returned from VCT's midseason break by showcasing a flurry of changes to the game, an adapting meta, and Valorant's newest map, Summit.
Additionally, the week had eight matches opposed to the usual six, meaning four teams had to double up matches to start off their Stage 2 campaigns. This will continue through week three of the group stage, when play will run from Thursday to Sunday.
Here's a look at how the matches from week one played out:
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Gen.G
Gen.G
Korea
Rank #2
Ash
Ha Hyun-cheol (하현철)
Karon
Kim Won-tae (김원태)
t3xture
Kim Na-ra (김나라)
Efina
Kim Nak-yeon (김낙연)
Raxcal
Kim Min-seok (김민석)
2-0
ZETA DIVISION
ZETA DIVISION
Japan
Rank #10
Absol
Kazuki Fujinoki
SyouTa
Shota Aoki
SugarZ3ro
Shota Watanabe
eKo
Yeom Wang-ryong (염왕룡)
Xdll
Yuto Mizomori
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VARREL
VARREL
Japan
Rank #1
Foxy9
Jung Jae-sung (정재성)
C1ndeR
Ko Jae-hyuk (고재혁)
Klaus
Kim Min-hyuk (김민혁)
XuNa
Kim Tae-geon (김태건)
oonzmlp
Shin Sang-beom (신상범)
Zexy
Jang Suk-hyun (장석현)
2-1
Team Secret
Team Secret
Asia-Pacific
Rank #33
kellyS
Kelly Sedillo
natz
Jonathan Adiputra
STYRON
Tidus Goh
Zeus
Jhian Vega
Sylvan
Go Young-sup (고영섭)
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FULL SENSE
FULL SENSE
Asia-Pacific
Rank #12
Killua
Tanate Teerasawad
primmie
Papaphat Sriprapha
JitBoyS
Jittana Nokngam
seph1roth
Chinnakrit Phoojaroen
Crws
Thanamethk Mahatthananuyut
2-1
Nongshim RedForce
Nongshim RedForce
Korea
Rank #1
WoohyuN
Moon Woo-hyun (문우현)
Xross
Jeonghwan (정환)
Rb
Goo Sang-min (구상민)
Francis
Kim Mu-bin (김무빈)
Dambi
Lee Hyuk-kyu (이혁규)
Ivy
Park Sung-hyeon (박성현)
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KIWOOM DRX
KIWOOM DRX
Korea
Rank #5
MaKo
Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관)
free1ng
No Ha-jun (노하준)
HYUNMIN
Song Hyun-min (송현민)
Flicker
Kim Tae-hee (김태희)
BeYN
Kang Ha-bin (강하빈)
2-1
DetonatioN FocusMe
DetonatioN FocusMe
Japan
Rank #3
Meiy
Ibuki Seki
SSeeS
Tomonori Okimura
yatsuka
Kazuya Ikeda
Caedye
Amon Mateus Okakura
Akame
Yu Gwang-hui (유광희)
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Global Esports
Global Esports
Asia-Pacific
Rank #4
PatMen
Patrick Mendoza
UdoTan
Go Kyung-won (고경원)
Kr1stal
Savva Fedorov
xavi8k
Xavier Juan
Autumn
Kale Dunne
2-0
Rex Regum Qeon
Rex Regum Qeon
Asia-Pacific
Rank #7
Monyet
Cahya Nugraha
xffero
David Monangin
Xan
Xan Ng
Jemkin
Maksim Batorov
Kushy
Bryan Carlos Setiawan
crazyguy
Ngô Công Anh
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T1
T1
Korea
Rank #3
stax
Kim Gu-taek (김구택)
Meteor
Kim Tae-oh (김태오)
BuZz
Yu Byeong-cheol (유병철)
DH
Kang Dong-ho (강동호)
iZu
Ham Woo-ju (함우주)
Munchkin
Byeon Sang-beom (변상범)
2-1
Paper Rex
Paper Rex
Asia-Pacific
Rank #2
invy
Adrian Jiggs Reyes
Jinggg
Wang Jing Jie
f0rsakeN
Jason Susanto
d4v41
Khalish Rusyaidee
something
Ilya Petrov
- Gen.G 2-1 Nongshim RedForce
- Team Secret 2-0 KIWOOM DRX
Here are the standings in each group after week one:
Group Alpha
1. Gen.G (2-0)
A reinvented Gen.G, with
Efina
the new IGL and
Gen.G Global Academy
Gen.G Global Academy
Korea
Rank #11
graduate
Raxcal
joining to cover Sentinel and Duelist duties, saw the Tigers pop out to their best start in ages. After Karon was the standout in a dominating 2-0 win over ZETA, Gen.G entered its second match of the week against Nongshim. Against the Masters Santiago winners, Raxcal impressed, leading the way in a three-map win to help Gen.G start the stage 2-0. With the double-week complete, Gen.G will take on regional rivals RRQ next week.
2. Global Esports (1-0)
Global Esports, in its lone match of the week, showed off its reinvented self against RRQ. A slight adjustment of roles on Sunset, with xavi8k shifting onto Cypher, unlocked the team's double-Duelist pairing of Autumn and UdoTan . On its pick of Summit, a unique comp featuring Astra, Tejo, Veto, Raze, and Gekko looked poised to fail. GE managed just two rounds on attack, but found a way to bring the match back, forcing overtime after fighting against six match points before winning 16-14. GE will enter next week with its head high but expectations higher, as it takes on FULL SENSE and former head coach FrosT . After that, GE will take on Nongshim as part of a double-week.
3. FULL SENSE (1-0)
FULL SENSE started the week off against Nongshim, and things seemed rough to start. It lost its map pick of Haven 13-3, but bounced back on Split by doing just enough, winning 13-11. If the two teams weren't trading blows in the series already, Ascent was an all-out brawl, as the teams traded runs of six rounds apiece before FS escaped 13-8. While the team's play with star player primmie has been the subject of scrutiny, it remains to be seen whether he will be on Sentinel or in a Duelist role next week. In easily the biggest grudge match of the stage thus far, FrosT will go up against his old squad in GE.
FrosT and FS got off to a flying start on Ascent.4. Nongshim RedForce (0-2)
The Santiago winners started the stage out rough. Sitting in second in the Championship Point standings, their automatic spot to Champs is not quite secured, and a 0-2 start means the team has work to do. While both losses were three-map losses, Nongshim may enter week two with more questions than answers. A glaring weakness in NS's Ascent in the first match seemed to be addressed by the second, but its strong Haven from week one seemed weak in week two. Next week, Nongshim will take on GE during its double-week, and will enter that match with six days of rest.
5. Rex Regum Qeon (0-1)
RRQ looked out of sorts to start Stage 2. Monyet returned to the starting lineup in place of Xan , who played during the team's short EWC campaign, and a unique twist was made to comps. On Sunset, a Veto-Sage double-Sentinel comp struggled on defense, leading to a 13-9 loss on RRQ's own pick. On Summit, a double-Duelist comp with Kushy on Phoenix missed the mark, as he went 1-10 in first duels en route to a 16-14 OT loss. Awaiting RRQ next week ZETA and Gen.G.
6. ZETA DIVISION (0-1)
ZETA opened the stage against Gen.G on Ascent, and immediately turned heads with a Breach-Sova double-Initiator comp. The comp, while successful on attack, struggled once the teams switched sides, as a 6-6 half turned into a 13-7 loss. A Sage-Cypher double-Sentinel comp clashed with Gen.G's own Sage-Chamber, and ZETA seemed to hold its ground. A strong attack got ZETA match point first, but it squandered two closeout opportunities, ending the map and the series by losing 16-14 in OT. Next week, ZETA will take on RRQ, who will play two matches in the week.
Group Omega
1. VARREL (1-0)
VARREL earned its first win in VCT to open the stage, taking on and defeating Team Secret in three maps. Foxy9 , now more than three years removed from his VCT debut, is the veteran of the team, primarily taking on the Sentinel and secondary Controller roles for the team. He ended the series with the highest rating (1.26) and the most kills (59) of any VARREL player. In a dominant Split, he went 27/8, setting the tempo early for the all-Korean squad. VARREL's next match will be a big test, as it takes on a T1 team fresh off a win over PRX.
2. Team Secret (1-1)
Team Secret split its week with the loss to the aforementioned VARREL and a win over KRX, who have arguably the region's most outlandish approach to the split. After losing the tight series to VL, Secret shut down KRX's triple-Duelist comp, dropping just 11 rounds in a quick and easy 2-0 sweep to earn its first win over KRX since 2023. Next week, Secret will be taking on T1, who plays two matches next week.
STYRON and Zexy trade flashy kills, but it's STYRON who closes out the map after.3. T1 (1-0)
In perhaps the best viewing of the week for neutral eyes, T1 took down PRX in a series that could not have been any closer. Just two rounds separate the two teams after the series, as two maps needed overtime and the other map used up all of regulation. T1 showed some evolution to open up the stage, with Meteor seemingly moving into the primary Duelist role while BuZz , the team's original primary Duelist, has assumed a flex role of sorts. DH , who returns to the starting lineup in place of stax , took on the Controller and Sentinel roles in his re-debut. T1 has a doubleheader next week, taking on VARREL and then Team Secret.
4. KIWOOM DRX (1-1)
There was no bigger surprise than KRX choosing to go all-out with a triple-Duelist approach to the stage. In a double-week, KRX took down a hard-nosed DFM team, but then fell flat against TS. The comp, with HYUNMIN on Phoenix, free1ng on Neon, and Flicker on Waylay, seems to have its merits, but has some sorting out to do as it enters next week 1-1. The 'RX' Derby awaits KRX, as it takes on Paper Rex.
5. Paper Rex (0-1)
Having already played some of the most Valorant in all of VCT, Paper Rex opened Stage 2 with a 2-1 loss to T1. With a slot at Champions Shanghai already secured, PRX experimented. On Sunset, something was placed on Gekko. On Ascent, f0rsakeN continued to add to his repertoire, playing Miks in a Miks-Harbor comp. On Breeze, the team moved him onto Yoru off of his usual Neon. While the Stage is an opportunity to experiment, PRX looked strong at moments in its narrow loss to T1. Next week, it will take on KRX, who may or may not continue with their three-Duelist approach, and then DFM.
6. DetonatioN FocusMe (0-1)
It's hard to blame DFM for feeling sucker punched after week one. It would have been hard to expect KRX, its first-week opponents, to take on what could be described as the most non-KRX approach possible: three Duelists. DFM seemed comfortable to start by winning Split, its map pick, but looked uncomfortable on Sunset and Summit. DFM struggled to attack on both maps, crumbling after dominant retakes and floods backed by the three Duelists. Next week, DFM will take on Paper Rex, who have a double-week.
VCT Pacific Stage 2 will continue with the following matches:



