Top 5 Players from VCT Pacific League attending Masters Tokyo

VALORANT Champions Tour 2023, although featured a significantly different format to preceding years, produced equally, if not more entertaining matchups with VCT 2023 - Pacific League being responsible for more than a handful of them. Despite the various storylines that developed, the closeout race between DRX and Paper Rex dominated narratives for most of the event such that the Grand Finals matchup for the VCT Pacific title also featured both teams going the distance.

Even though Paper Rex prevailed in the end, DRX VS wasn’t too far behind, and neither was T1, the third team to represent the region at Masters Tokyo. While team play ultimately decides the outcomes of matchups, individual contributions are equally as significant and proved to be so during the Americas League as well. This article breaks down the top 5 players and their ability to make a difference at VCT 2023 - Masters Tokyo.

d4v41- Paper Rex

Paper Rex finished the Group Stages of the Pacific league with a 7-2 record, losing only to DRX and Team Secret. Maintaining a record is an impressive feat especially considering that they introduced only one roster change since VCT 2022. For this situation to turn out like it did, the roster needed to elevate their individual performances to keep up with other teams in the scene that reinforced themselves during the off-season.

One member that notably made the jump was Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee, who finished the event with the same rating as something but did so across five agents and over 113 more rounds played. During the tournament, his role changed quite significantly as the team flirted with the idea of him picking up Viper, KAY/O, and even Sova at the start, eventually restricting him solely to Killjoy and Skye. His impact in matches was often overshadowed by something’s aggression but he was a consistent factor in Paper Rex’s title run.

MaKo – DRX

Considering how the league turned out, it was only time before a DRX player was introduced into the leaderboard conversation. Out of the several talented players that the roster boasts, Myeongkwan "MaKo" Kim, made the list while playing Omen, Viper, and Brimstone. Although his contributions to the team’s performance in the Playoffs cannot be overlooked under any circumstance, his impact was more significant in the group stages where he led the team to an 8-1 record.

This isn’t MaKo’s debut appearance in the tournament leaderboard as his spectacular performance earlier this year at the VCT LOCK IN placed him amongst the top 5 players at the event and contributed to the team’s deep run through the bracket and Semi Finals qualification. With notable LAN experience under his belt, expect MaKo to show up at Masters Tokyo and give DRX’s opposition a tough time.

f0rsakeN- Paper Rex

Playing the flex role in VALORANT is undoubtedly one of the most challenging tasks, requiring exceptional adaptability and skill. However, if there is one player who has flawlessly executed this role at a high level of competition, it's none other than Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto. Throughout the tournament, he showcased his versatility by proficiently playing 9 different Agents. While a few of these agents were temporary slot-ins, f0rsakeN seamlessly embraced the challenge and utilized the opportunity to showcase his abilities in a different light.

Despite the constant Agent switches, f0rsakeN concluded the event with an impressive 1.12 rating on 223 ACS. These metrics alone would be considered highly respectable. It is definitely fair to say that without his contributions, Paper Rex would may not have emerged as the champions of the VCT Pacific League. f0rsakeN's skill, adaptability, and unwavering efforts played a pivotal role in their success.

Sayaplayer – T1

In the intense competition between Paper Rex and DRX for the top spot, T1 closely trailed behind, securing a respectable 3rd place in the group stages with a commendable 6-3 record, including two losses against the aforementioned teams. Although T1 faced a setback in the playoffs with a loss to Paper Rex, they swiftly avenged their defeat in the 3rd round of the Lower Bracket defeating Gen. G Esports for the second time in three matches, consequently securing their ticket to Tokyo.

T1's journey to the Grand Finals was within reach, as their Lower Finals match against DRX unfolded in a nail-biting manner. The decider concluded with a 13-9 scoreline in favor of DRX, barely tipping the scales against T1. Throughout the entire event, and particularly in the Playoffs, Ha "Sayaplayer" Jung-woo emerged as T1's beacon of inspiration, leaving a profound impact on the team's gameplay while expertly wielding Jett and Raze. His efforts bore fruit, with Raze achieving an impressive 1.17 rating on 247 ACS during the tournament.

BuZz - DRX

Considering that PRX something’s visa issues still remain a matter of concern, it felt imperative to include Yu "BuZz" Byung-chul, who was also an instrumental factor in DRX’s showings throughout the tournament. A prime example of this was seen in the match against Team Secret, where he showcased his skills on Raze, achieving an outstanding 2.02 rating on 423 ACS. However, in the subsequent matchup against Paper Rex, his performance dipped significantly, resulting in a 0.70 rating. Nonetheless, his exceptional abilities with Jett and Raze are bound to captivate the attention of many at Tokyo.

Honorable mention: something - Paper Rex

Despite earning a franchising spot, Paper Rex proceeded into the 2023 season with the same roster, an uncommon choice in the scene given the significantly active transfer market. At the first event of the year, VCT 2023 - LOCK//IN, they faced elimination in the first matchup, the outcome of which combined with a couple other factors resulted in the signing of Ilya "something" Petrov. Ever since, his involvement with the team has grown and his performance has on several occasions taken the Pacific scene by storm proving his capacity for impact, primarily on Jett and more recently on Reyna as well. Although his participation at Masters Tokyo is doubtful due to VISA issues, his consistency and determination to elevate his team’s performance deserves him a spot in the player leaderboard.

Overview of Statistics

Here's a concise view of the contrasting performances each of the five aforementioned players put up during the VCT Pacific League, with something from Paper Rex leading the way. Make sure to keep an eye for these players in Tokyo because if they managed to stay afloat in the leaderboard with these metrics, they are likely to make headlines at Masters Tokyo.