Rex Regum Qeon is officially back in Apex Legends, marking its return to the battle royale esport for the first time in six years. The Indonesian esports organisation has announced a brand new Apex Legends division, set to compete on the world stage at the Apex Legends Global Series Year 5 Championship in Sapporo, Japan.

🚨Introducing Our New Apex Legends Division!🚨

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our newest Apex Legends team!

Please join us in welcoming three talented players: sato_kohai, mosu, and Noelsang, formerly from team LVI/Outside. They will be representing RRQ at the Apex… pic.twitter.com/bwZWQ82TrM

— Team RRQ (@teamrrqofficial) December 17, 2025

The announcement confirms RRQ’s intent to re establish itself among the elite, with a proven roster, experienced coaching staff, and a clear target in sight as ALGS 2026 approaches.

RRQ Announces New Apex Legends Division

RRQ revealed its new Apex Legends lineup through an official social media post, welcoming three players formerly competing under the LVI and Outside banners. The trio will represent RRQ at the ALGS Year 5 Championship, which runs from January 15 to January 18, 2026.

The organisation has also confirmed that the squad will be guided by an experienced coaching and analytics team, as RRQ looks to make an immediate impact in its long awaited return to the scene.

RRQ last competed in Apex Legends back in 2019, after signing a roster in March of that year. However, the organisation exited the scene just six months later. Since then, the competitive landscape has changed significantly, making this comeback one of RRQ’s most ambitious projects in recent years.

Full RRQ Apex Legends Roster

RRQ’s Apex Legends roster features a mix of leadership and firepower, led by a familiar core from the APAC South region.

Players

• Panupong “sato_kohai” Prasertphongkun, IGL and Captain
• Komkrit “Noelsang” Malaihom
• Supakorn “mosu” Kaewpang

Staff

• Jasper “yanlys” Xiang, Coach
• Alexis “zona”, Analyst

The roster was previously known as Las Vegas Inferno, a team that finished as runner up at the ALGS 2025 Last Chance Qualifier for APAC South. Their strong performance there earned them a spot at the Year 5 Championship, making them a ready made contender for RRQ’s return.

Yanlys brings valuable experience to the squad, having worked with teams such as JD Gaming and XNY in the ALGS APAC South scene, while Zona joins as the team’s dedicated analyst.

RRQ’s Road to the ALGS Year 5 Championship

The ALGS Year 5 Championship serves as the final and most prestigious event of the Apex Legends esports calendar. The 2026 edition marks the conclusion of Year 5, following months of qualifiers, Challenger Series events, and Pro League competition across all regions.

A total of 40 teams from around the world will compete in Sapporo, Japan, fighting for a share of the $2 million prize pool. Teams from every major region will be in attendance, from Alliance in EMEA to Shopify Rebellion in the Americas.

The offline event will unfold across three stages, starting with the Group Stage. Four groups of ten teams will each play a six match series, with results determining placement into the Winners and Losers Brackets.

From there, the top 20 teams will advance to the Finals on January 18, 2026. The championship will conclude with a Match Point format, where squads must reach 50 points and secure a match victory to claim the ALGS Year 5 title.

A New Era for RRQ in Apex Legends

With a competitive roster, experienced leadership, and momentum heading into the biggest event of the season, RRQ’s return to Apex Legends is one of the most notable storylines heading into ALGS 2026.

The organisation now faces 39 of the world’s best teams in a scene that has evolved dramatically since its last appearance. Whether RRQ can complete its comeback with a deep championship run remains to be seen, but expectations are already building among fans across the region.

As the countdown to Sapporo begins, all eyes will be on RRQ as it steps back onto the global Apex Legends stage.

The post RRQ Returns to Apex Legends With New Roster Ahead of ALGS Year 5 Championship appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Riot Games has rolled out its first ever VALORANT Global Power Rankings (GPR), giving fans a data-driven look at which teams stand tall ahead of Champions 2025 in Paris. Powered by Amazon Web Services, the rankings are designed to finally settle one of the scene’s biggest debates: who really is the best in the world?

For now, the answer is clear. G2 Esports sit at the top of the inaugural list with a power score of 1521, edging out Singapore’s Paper Rex (1514) and Indonesia’s RRQ (1486). It’s yet another highlight in a dominant year for G2, who recently claimed the VCT Americas Stage 2 title after sweeping NRG.

How the Global Power Rankings Work

The GPR takes inspiration from Elo rating systems, blending two main elements: a team’s individual Elo and their league’s overall Elo strength. Riot settled on an 80/20 weighting between the two, which they say produced the most accurate predictions during testing.

This means that results are not just about wins and losses, but also about the context of those wins. Beating a higher-ranked team gives a big boost, while losing to a lower-ranked side can drag a team down. The system also places heavier importance on recent results, international events like Masters and Champions, and playoff matches compared to regular season games.

Other tweaks include factoring in round score (a 13-0 stomp is worth more than a close 13-11), attack vs defence performance, and eco/buy round outcomes. Still, match results remain the single biggest influence.

The model is updated daily, so expect shifts throughout Champions 2025 as upsets play out. Riot has also hinted at future upgrades in 2026, including deeper eco-round tracking, player-specific rankings, and dynamic scoring based on a team’s tournament stakes.

The Top 10 Teams Going Into Champions

Here’s how the GPR top 10 looks heading into Paris:

1. G2 Esports (VCT Americas) – 1521
2. Paper Rex (VCT Pacific) – 1514
3. RRQ (VCT Pacific) – 1486
4. Bilibili Gaming (VCT China) – 1467
5. NRG (VCT Americas) – 1437
6. Team Liquid (VCT EMEA) – 1436
7. FNATIC (VCT EMEA) – 1427
8. T1 (VCT Pacific) – 1421
9. Dragon Ranger Gaming (VCT China) – 1416
10. Sentinels (VCT Americas) – 1412

You can check out the full Global Power Rankings here.

At the other end of the spectrum, Brazil’s MIBR sit 27th out of the teams heading to Champions, while fellow Brazilian side FURIA rank dead last overall at 48th with a score of 1172.

Why It Matters

For fans, the Global Power Rankings add another layer of hype to Champions. Think of it as a snapshot of form heading into the biggest event of the year. If the GPR is accurate, we’ll see a tournament go as expected. But if it starts breaking down, that means upsets are happening, which is exactly what makes VALORANT so unpredictable.

Whether G2 can maintain their number one spot on stage is the big question. With the field stacked and the rankings updating daily, the storylines in Paris are set to be even spicier.

The post VALORANT Release Global Power Rankings with G2 Esports on Top appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Paper Rex has done it again, securing the VCT Pacific Stage 2 trophy after a hard-fought 3-1 victory against Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) in the Grand Finals. The Singapore-based squad reclaimed its place at the top of the Pacific region, locking in a direct ticket to VALORANT Champions 2025 in Paris later this month.

They’ve held it before. They lost it.

Now, PAPER REX ARE YOUR 2025 VCT PACIFIC CHAMPIONS! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/D3V09hma96

— VCT Pacific (@vctpacific) August 31, 2025

Paper Rex vs RRQ, The Grand Finals Recap

The final showdown was packed with storylines. RRQ had the chance to become the first back-to-back Pacific champions, while Paper Rex were hungry to lift their first regional trophy in over a year. Coming from the upper bracket, PRX used its veto advantage to ban Corrode and Icebox, maps RRQ had shown strength on just a day earlier.

The series played out on Bind, Ascent, Lotus, and Haven, ending before a deciding fifth map was even needed.

Bind (13-8 PRX) PRX kicked off strong with its trademark double-Duelist comp, something on Yoru and Jinggg on Raze. Despite RRQ showing resilience in the second half, PRX held firm and closed out the map.

Ascent (13-7 PRX) With Ascent being a bit of a wildcard for both teams, Paper Rex surprised by dominating early, racing to a massive 10-0 lead. RRQ sparked a short comeback streak, but PRX tightened up to secure another win.

Lotus (13-6 RRQ) RRQ finally hit their stride here, taking their first pistol round of the series and riding that momentum to victory. Monyet led the charge, shutting down PRX’s attempts to sweep the series.

Haven (13-7 PRX) Haven has been one of Paper Rex’s comfort picks, and it showed. Their aggressive defensive setups with Waylay and Yoru caught RRQ off guard. Although RRQ tried to mount another comeback, a timeout steadied PRX to finish the job.

With a 3-1 scoreline, Paper Rex lifted the trophy and officially ended RRQ’s dream of back-to-back titles.

Standout Performances

Something was named MVP of the finals, posting a 1.28 rating and 250 ACS across the series. His Yoru play was central to PRX’s gameplan, spearheading attacks and consistently winning first duels.

our VCT Pacific MVP 🗣️@smthlikeyou11 pic.twitter.com/aTluFvbROD

— Paper Rex (@pprxteam) August 31, 2025

ForsakeN wasn’t far behind, once again proving why PRX’s core remains one of the most feared duos in VALORANT.

Head coach Alecks credited part of PRX’s success to adapting ideas from Fnatic, particularly the double-Duelist comp that paid off heavily on Bind. The team’s ability to quickly adjust strategies while still playing its trademark high-octane style has kept them ahead of the curve.

A Year of Success for Paper Rex

This win caps off what’s already been a huge year for Paper Rex. Earlier in 2025, they claimed first place at Masters Toronto after beating Fnatic 3-1 in the finals, and followed it up with a top-four finish at the Esports World Cup. Add this Pacific Stage 2 title, and PRX has cemented itself as one of the favourites heading into VALORANT Champions Paris.

PAPER REX ARE YOUR #VALORANTMASTERS TORONTO CHAMPIONS 🏆 pic.twitter.com/9pKD8FPkW2

— Valorant News (@ValorINTEL) June 22, 2025

Looking Ahead to Champions 2025

With Pacific Stage 2 wrapped, the focus now shifts to Paris. Four Pacific squads have punched their tickets:

• Paper Rex (Pacific Stage 2 champions)
• Rex Regum Qeon (runner-up)
• T1 (Pacific points leader)
• DRX (Pacific points #2)

The LAN event will run from September 12 to October 5, 2025, featuring 16 of the best teams in the world competing for a $2.25 million prize pool. Paper Rex will likely face off against the likes of Team Liquid, winners of VCT EMEA, and Bilibili Gaming, champions of China.

After reclaiming their throne in the Pacific, Paper Rex now have their sights set on the biggest stage in VALORANT. Paris is calling, and the boys in pink look more than ready to answer.

The post Paper Rex Crowned VCT Pacific Stage 2 Champions After 3-1 Win Over RRQ appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

RRQ’s in-game leader Ngô “crazyguy” Công Anh has won plenty of fans for his performances in the VCT Pacific: Stage 2, but his latest move might just be his most inspiring yet.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, the Vietnamese pro player announced that he’ll be donating all of his personal prize money from Stage 2 to charity.

Here’s his original message translated:

“I’ve been pushing myself for this for a long time. There were moments when I felt like I couldn’t keep going.

Honestly, I’ve received so much support from everyone throughout this season. I didn’t dare to say anything yesterday since we hadn’t achieved what we wanted yet.

I’d like to donate my entire personal share of the Stage 2 prize money (currently $25,000 for the team, with more to come if we go further) to charity.

I hope we can go even deeper in the tournament so I can contribute more.”

Not His First Time Giving Back

This isn’t the first time crazyguy has turned his winnings into something meaningful for others. Back in 2023, he donated his Ascension prize money to charity, using it to buy food and supplies for a hospital in Vietnam.

Image Credit: RRQ crazyguy on Facebook

Fans have been quick to praise his generosity, flooding his post with supportive comments. Many called it a reminder that esports can have a real-world impact far beyond the server.

RRQ’s Journey So Far

RRQ have been fighting their way through the lower bracket after a tough group stage. They’ve already taken down heavy hitters like Gen.G, DRX, and T1 to keep their Stage 2 run alive. With at least US$25,000 secured, that number could rise significantly depending on how far they go.

If RRQ manage to push past Talon Esports in the Lower Bracket Final on August 30, they’ll book a spot in the Grand Final against Paper Rex,  a series that could bump the team’s prize pool up to US$100,000.

From twelve down to three. Paper Rex, TALON, and RRQ stand as our final Stage 2 teams in Tokyo.

These 3 SEA squads will battle to earn the 2025 VCT Pacific Champion title. pic.twitter.com/9qWQqPbwwt

— VCT Pacific (@vctpacific) August 17, 2025

Regardless of the result, crazyguy’s decision to donate his share has already made this Stage 2 campaign unforgettable for fans.

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