Nongshim RedForce have claimed the VCT Masters Santiago 2026 title after dismantling Paper Rex in a dominant 3–0 grand final. The Pacific showdown ended with Nongshim taking Corrode 13–11, Split 13–4, and Abyss 13–3, securing the organisation’s first international trophy in VALORANT.

HISTORY MADE BY @nsr_valorant!!!

FROM PREMIER TO A #VALORANTMASTERS TROPHY! pic.twitter.com/jzQ1WDAMEe

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) March 15, 2026

What makes the victory even more remarkable is where the team came from. Nongshim RedForce entered the season as an Ascension squad, yet in Santiago they completed a Cinderella run from regional promotion all the way to the top of the international VALORANT Champions Tour.

Nongshim RedForce Complete Historic Masters Santiago Victory

The grand final marked the first meeting between Nongshim RedForce and Paper Rex, with both teams fighting not only for the Masters trophy but also bragging rights as the best team in the Pacific region.

Paper Rex arrived as favourites, largely due to their previous Masters success and established reputation on the international stage. Nongshim, meanwhile, were competing in their first international event after earning promotion through Ascension.

Despite that experience gap, Nongshim’s firepower quickly flipped expectations. They swept the best-of-five series 3–0, becoming the first Ascension team ever to win an international VALORANT trophy.

The Korean roster also maintained an extraordinary streak, finishing Masters Santiago without losing a single series in 2026.

Corrode Opens The Series With A Tight Comeback

The series began on Corrode, where Paper Rex initially controlled the pace. Their defensive setup helped them reach an 8–4 halftime lead after early clutch plays, including a three-kill round from d4v41 that stabilised their economy.

The second half told a completely different story.

Nongshim tightened their defence and clawed the map back round by round. Xross delivered one of the turning points of the map with four clean kills to tie the score at 9–9.

From there the momentum swung heavily toward Nongshim. Strong late-round decision making allowed them to edge ahead at 11–11 before closing out the map 13–11 to take the series lead.

Split Turns Into A One-Sided Rout

Split quickly turned into the most lopsided map of the series.

Nongshim exploded out of the gate with a six-round streak thanks to aggressive mid control and sharp mechanical play. Ivy played a crucial role during the early momentum, snapping onto multiple targets to secure a bonus round conversion.

Paper Rex eventually broke through with a clutch 1v2 from Jinggg, but by halftime Nongshim had already built a commanding 9–3 advantage.

The second half ended any hopes of a comeback. Ivy delivered an ace that pushed Nongshim to map point at 12–3, and the Korean squad closed out Split 13–4 to move within one map of the championship.

Abyss Seals The Sweep

Abyss presented an uncomfortable situation for Paper Rex. The map had not appeared in their pool during the tournament, while Nongshim had already shown solid performances on it earlier in the event.

The grand final reflected that difference immediately.

Nongshim secured another pistol round and quickly surged to a 7–1 lead. Their coordinated mid flanks repeatedly caught Paper Rex off guard, while Xross continued his strong form by consistently shutting down something in opening duels.

The first half ended 10–2 after a ninja defuse from Rb extended Nongshim’s control of the map.

Paper Rex briefly kept their tournament hopes alive by winning the second-half pistol, but the momentum disappeared almost instantly when they lost the following anti-eco round. With the economy advantage secured, Nongshim closed the map 13–3 to complete the 3–0 sweep.

Xross Dominates The Grand Final

Several players stepped up throughout the series, but Xross delivered the most eye-catching performance across the three maps.

He finished the grand final with a 1.57 match rating, 60 kills, 280 ACS, and 183 ADR, repeatedly opening rounds and shutting down Paper Rex’s attempts to regain momentum.

His consistency helped stabilise Nongshim during the comeback on Corrode and continued throughout Split and Abyss.

Dambi Named Tournament MVP

While Xross dominated the grand final itself, the Masters Santiago MVP award went to Dambi.

PURELY UNSTOPPABLE!

YOUR #VALORANTMASTERS SANTIAGO MVP, @Dambi_vlrt pic.twitter.com/ymg5HdPz6u

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) March 15, 2026

The player made his international debut at the event and quickly became one of the most exciting figures in the tournament thanks to his aggressive Neon play. Across the entire Masters run, his entries and mechanical confidence consistently created space for Nongshim’s executes.

The MVP honour capped off a remarkable first appearance on the global stage.

Ascension Team Writes Early VCT 2026 History

Nongshim RedForce’s victory stands out not just because of the scoreline, but because of the team’s rapid rise.

Only months ago the roster was competing through the Ascension system. Now they have defeated one of the Pacific region’s most established organisations to claim an international Masters trophy.

With the VCT 2026 season still early, Nongshim’s undefeated run suggests the competitive landscape could be shifting faster than many expected.

If their form continues, the team that arrived in Santiago as a promising newcomer may now be the squad everyone else has to chase.

The post Nongshim RedForce Win VCT Masters Santiago After 3 – 0 Sweep Of Paper Rex appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Riot Games has officially revealed Miks, a brand-new Controller agent coming to VALORANT, bringing a unique mix of sonic abilities, team buffs, and even healing. The agent will launch on March 18, 2026, as part of Season 2026 // Act 2, and was first unveiled during the grand finals broadcast of VCT Masters Santiago 2026.

Miks immediately stands out thanks to a toolkit built around sound energy and team coordination. While Controllers are usually focused purely on map control, Miks introduces something rarely seen in the role, the ability to heal allies mid-round.

Who Miks Is In VALORANT

Miks originates from Croatia and uses sonic energy to manipulate the flow of the battlefield. Like other Controllers, the character’s role is to manage space and help teammates execute plays by controlling map tempo.

However, Riot appears to be experimenting with the role’s boundaries. Instead of focusing only on smokes and area denial, Miks also provides direct support through buffs and healing, making the agent far more team-focused than many existing Controllers.

Game designer Kevin Meier, who worked on the character, described Miks as a teamplay-driven agent. According to Meier, players using Miks will often make decisions based on what their teammates need most in the moment, whether that means providing smokes, boosting combat effectiveness, or healing allies before the next engagement.

Miks Abilities In VALORANT

Miks’ kit revolves around sound waves, battlefield support, and tempo control. Here is a full breakdown of every ability.

Harmonize (Q)

Harmonize allows Miks to apply a Combat Stim to both himself and a targeted ally.

When activated, the buff increases combat effectiveness, and it refreshes each time the player scores a kill. Players can also use an alternate activation to apply the Combat Stim only to themselves.

The ability is designed to support coordinated pushes or help a teammate win critical duels during a round.

M-Pulse (C)

M-Pulse is arguably the most interesting part of Miks’ toolkit.

The ability functions like a grenade that can be switched between two different modes before being thrown. One mode releases sonic waves that concuss enemies, while the other mode emits waves that heal teammates standing inside the area of effect.

This dual-purpose utility means the same ability can disrupt enemy pushes or stabilise allies after a fight, depending on the situation.

Waveform (E)

Waveform acts as Miks’ primary smoke ability.

Using a map targeter, players can place smoke locations before deploying them onto the battlefield. While the mechanic itself follows the familiar smoke systems seen on other Controllers, it remains a core part of controlling sightlines and enabling safe site entries.

Bassquake (Ultimate)

Miks’ ultimate ability, Bassquake, unleashes a powerful sonic wave across the battlefield.

When activated, it sends out a shockwave that knocks back enemies, deafens them, and slows their movement. The wide area-of-effect makes it particularly effective during site pushes or defensive retakes, where disrupting multiple opponents at once can swing a round.

A Controller With Healing

One of the most notable aspects of Miks is the inclusion of a healing mechanic.

Traditionally, healing has been limited to agents like Sage and Skye. With Miks’ M-Pulse healing mode, the new Controller becomes only the third agent in VALORANT capable of restoring teammates’ health.

This addition could significantly influence team compositions, especially in situations where squads want healing without dedicating a full support agent slot.

At the same time, parts of the kit resemble abilities from other agents. The Combat Stim buff is reminiscent of Brimstone’s team utility, while the concussion effects and crowd control aspects draw comparisons to Breach.

Whether this blend of mechanics makes Miks extremely versatile or spreads the agent too thin across multiple roles will likely depend on how the competitive meta evolves.

Miks Release Date And First Impressions

Miks will officially join the VALORANT roster on March 18, 2026, launching alongside Season 2026 // Act 2.

Fans attending VCT Masters Santiago were able to see the agent in action during a showmatch demonstration, where early reactions from the crowd appeared positive. With a toolkit that combines smokes, buffs, healing, and disruptive crowd control, Miks could quickly become a popular pick once players get hands-on time with the new agent.

How the character ultimately fits into the competitive ecosystem, especially in ranked play and professional tournaments, will likely become clearer in the weeks following release.

The post VALORANT New Agent Miks Revealed: Abilities, Kit, And Release Date Explained appeared first on Shane the Gamer.