Paper Rex Claims the Crown at VALORANT Masters Toronto

TORONTO, ON — The "second-place curse" is broken. In a climactic grand final that sent shockwaves through the global VALORANT community, the Pacific region's Paper Rex (PRX) has been crowned the champions of VALORANT Masters Toronto.¹ Their thrilling 3-1 victory over EMEA powerhouse Fnatic not only marks the organization's first-ever international trophy but also solidifies the Pacific as the dominant force in the 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour.

For years, Paper Rex has been the beloved, high-octane "runner-up" of international VALORANT, consistently dazzling with their aggressive "W Gaming" style but falling just short of the ultimate prize. That narrative came to a definitive end inside a roaring Enercare Centre in Toronto. The squad, led by the newly crowned MVP Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto, delivered a masterful performance, overcoming the formidable Fnatic in a series defined by razor-thin margins and breathtaking plays.

The grand final was a clash of titans, with every map a nail-biting affair. Paper Rex took the first map, Sunset, 13-11, before Fnatic answered back with an overtime victory on Icebox, 17-15. Unfazed, PRX rallied to claim Pearl 13-10 and closed out the series on Lotus with another overtime win, 14-12, finally securing the elusive championship that has slipped through their fingers in previous international finals. The victory is not just a triumph for the Singapore-based organization but for the entire Southeast Asian region, bringing home a much-celebrated first international title.

While the event didn't surpass the peak viewership of Masters Bangkok earlier this year, the Toronto tournament was a resounding success, drawing over 1.1 million peak viewers and cementing its place among the top five most popular VALORANT events of all time. The passionate live audience, though some noted venue capacity limitations, created an electric atmosphere, especially for the fan-favorite Paper Rex.

The tournament also served as a stage for major announcements regarding the future of competitive VALORANT. During the final weekend, Riot Games unveiled "Project Blender," an innovative new tournament for the EMEA region set for the offseason. This event will feature open qualifiers, allowing amateur teams a rare chance to compete against top-tier professional rosters. Furthermore, new details were announced for the VCT Game Changers Championship, the premier tournament for women and marginalized genders, which will take place in Seoul, South Korea, from November 20-30 at the iconic LoL Park.

The victory for Paper Rex marks the third consecutive Masters trophy for the Pacific region in 2025, signaling a significant power shift in the global hierarchy of VALORANT. With the VALORANT Champions, the ultimate world championship, looming later this year, all eyes will be on Paper Rex to see if they can carry this hard-won momentum and transform their Masters' triumph into a legendary era of dominance. For now, they stand as deserved champions, having finally reached the destination they have so thrillingly pursued: the very top of the VALORANT world.