Gen.G have been eliminated from VCT Pacific: Stage 2 Playoffs following defeat in their Lower-Bracket round 1 to RRQ. The 2-1 defeat leaves Gen.G’s attendance at Valorant Champions 2025 out of their hands.
Just a few short weeks ago, Gen.G looked like one of the favourites for the whole competition, but the precarious and unforgiving nature of VCT Pacific’s groups left them with no wiggle room, and on a knife’s edge. Gen.G slipped from first in their group in Week 3 of the group stage to fourth in the group for Week 4 following a 0-2 defeat to Nongshim RedForce. The result has had disastrous consequences for the Korean organisation.
The loss meant that they were condemned to start the playoffs in the Lower Bracket, making the playoffs effectively a single-elimination tournament for them, with their initial opponent in the bracket set as either Rex Regum Qeon or T1.
RRQ lost to T1, upsetting the esports betting sites odds. The 2-1 close series defeat sent the Stage 1 Pacific champions to the lower bracket against Gen.G, who they defeated back in May to claim that crown 3-1 in the Grand Final. History repeated itself with RRQ once again prevailing, this time much earlier in the competition, with Gen.G finishing a meagre 7th-8th in the region.
Speculation is already mounting online that the loss may trigger the return of Kim ‘Lakia’ Jong-min to the active roster. Gen.G announced his return on August 4, with Lakia stating he is “fully healed” following a period of injury that left him out of competition for months.
The move would not be without precedent. Gen.G released five of their contracted players following their dismal 2023 season. The result was a 2024 that saw the organisation make it to the top of Valorant’s competition scene, winning the VCT Shanghai Masters 2024, with Lakia.
If Gen.G wish to return to that level, that may be considering similarly drastic steps.
Will VCT Pacific elimination kill their season?
Gen.G have had a strong year, despite a lack of silverware, but the loss in Pacific Stage 2 threatens to derail everything they have worked for in the year-to-date.
Despite losing the Grand Final of Stage 1, Gen.G have had a generally stronger showing since then, placing 3rd at Valorant’s EWC tournament and 5th-6th at VCT Masters Toronto.
RRQ, by contrast, were eliminated in the groups at EWC, and were eliminated as early as possible in Toronto, finishing 7th-8th. RRQ began their Toronto campaign in the playoffs due to their Stage 1 victory, but failed to win a single series at the event, losing 0-2 to Wolves and 1-2 to Fnatic.
While Paper Rex is clearly the strongest team in the region, becoming the first Pacific team to win an international in Valorant, Gen.G were looking like a potential outsider to win it all in Paris. Now they can only sit and watch between their fingers to see how the rest of the bracket unfolds.
Gen.G currently sit joint third in the Pacific points, but can be surpassed by Talon and RRQ. The top 2 spots of Pacific Stage 2 will directly qualify to Champions, making their points irrelevant and meaning the spot can drip down to Gen.G. The overall picture is that they can only hope results go their way, and allow them to qualify through Pacific points.
One wonders how much Gen.G are regretting their contest against Nongshim RedForce.
Darragh Harbinson is an esports writer specialising in Counter-Strike. He has written for Esports News UK, Esports Insider, UKCSGO, Dexerto, and Rush B Media.
