After they upset Korea’s DRX by successful within the VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific League grand finals, Paper Rex has begun their run at Masters Tokyo—but when it appears like one thing is lacking for the VALORANT workforce, that’s as a result of he’s.
Ilya “one thing” Petrov, the workforce’s star duelist participant who received the VCT Pacific grand finals MVP title after an innovative performance with Reyna, has had points together with his visa which have prevented him from attending the Japanese match.
Sadly, with the problems nonetheless not sorted by the point of Paper Rex’s first match within the match in opposition to DRX on June 17, one thing was left with no choice however to stream the match on his YouTube channel whereas offering a stay response to his workforce.
One thing’s absence from Tokyo is a big blow not just for him and Paper Rex but in addition for followers in Japan who’ve been trying ahead to his doable homecoming since he joined the Pacific League.
Earlier than becoming a member of Paper Rex, the Russian participant performed VALORANT in Japan for Sengoku Gaming over the previous 12 months. With the rising reputation of the sport as a complete in Japan, one thing performed in a number of tier-two tournaments earlier than being scouted and bought by Paper Rex after VCT LOCK//IN. He started the Pacific League season with the workforce in March.
Because of his 12 months of play in Japan, he has constructed up a following of Japanese followers that had been excited to see him return for Masters Tokyo. Sadly, one thing’s visa points imply he could not get an opportunity to fly to Tokyo in any respect.
In considerably of a troll submit, one thing posted an image earlier this week of a Japanese enviornment with the Loopy Raccoons workforce brand painted on the wall.
A number of followers had been fast to imagine that this meant the participant was in Japan, however Paper Rex’s administration shortly confirmed that the image was outdated and that one thing was with employees in Singapore.
With one thing out of the image not less than for now, Paper Rex has substituted in sixth participant Patiphan “cgrs” Posri, who has seen little or no playtime thus far this 12 months. The workforce’s predominant sixth participant was Benedict “Benkai” Tan, however he has transitioned to the inactive roster for the rest of the season and is ineligible for use instead.
Hopefully, one thing will be capable to enter Japan earlier than Masters Tokyo is over—assuming Paper Rex makes a deep run within the playoff bracket. The extra doubtless situation is that he’ll subsequent play with the workforce internationally at VCT Champions in Los Angeles in August.
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