It’s been a Monkey on Our Back: Paper Rex make Top 8 at Champions 2023 with clean run through Groups

To the surprise of very few, Paper Rex have emerged from their Group unscathed, and ready to take on their first Playoffs series of Champions 2023. After their first matchup against KRU went by cleanly, Paper Rex faced off against EDward Gaming in a highly anticipated matchup between the two wild card teams from Asia. Paper Rex ended up winning that series, securing their first Groups qualification to Playoffs in their organization’s history at an international event.

“I think for most of us, we’re feeling really great and mostly relieved. Because I think it’s been a monkey on our back, and getting rid of it is a good feeling.” -alecks

Will They Be The Ones?

Paper Rex have long been dubbed one of the strongest Valorant rosters in the world. Ever since their debut in 2022, they have captured the hearts and imaginations of so many fans with their whimsical and freestyle Valorant, taking duels and inciting chaos on the server like we have never seen before. Fans who came over from other tactical FPSs or saw earlier dominant teams, such as 100 Thieves, Sentinels, OpTic, DRX, and FPX, were used to the rigid structure of play that often accompanied the top teams. There was order, there was logic and reason behind why these teams dominated their matchups.

However, when Paper Rex entered the scene in explosive fashion, they bent all the rules with wild calculated aggression that shattered the most well-made of plans from their opponents. You can never know what to expect from them, except that they were coming. Be it attack or defense, it mattered little, as you had to brace for the storm. Over time, PRX has managed to hone their playstyle into a far keener blade. Now with the backing of experience and even more explosive firepower, they look to be the likeliest team to challenge Fnatic’s rule.

“For Istanbul, I think we dropped the ball. I think we put too much pressure on ourselves.”

Alexandre “alecks” Sallé spoke on his team’s growth over time. ‘I think it’s a learning process for us. Last year for example, after every tournament, we had reviews and we tried different things. And unfortunately, for Istanbul, I think we dropped the ball. I think we put too much pressure on ourselves. That itself was a learning moment,’ he said.

He also addressed their experience playing in the Pacific League. ‘Our first time in the Pacific League as well, it’s actually really stressful. If you take some losses in the league system, it can really wear you down. So, the only thing you could try and do is try and be as positive as you can. And just knowing that those little steps end up meaning more in the long run. So, just try and keep it positive, and improve every day. That’s our goal,’ he concluded.

Facing their Past Selves

Having gone up against EDG multiple times now, many recognize the similarities between the two teams. From their playstyle to their meteoric rise to fame, to their players and tendencies swiftly entering everyday Valorant vocabulary, EDG seem very much like a PRX from their past.

‘I think they’re improving,’ “alecks” said. ‘I think this tournament, they’re playing, sort of like us in Istanbul. They’re playing with a bit of pressure on their backs. Suddenly, they have the whole of China pushing them on, they have the whole world pushing them on. And it gets overwhelming sometimes,’ he commented. He concluded by saying: ‘You have to learn to deal with it. They’ve definitely improved, every time we play them, they’re getting better and better. But we’re also working very hard, so, games are very tight. So yeah, I think they played well.’

Paper Rex take on FUT in the second Playoffs match of Champions 2023. Their series will begin at 2300 BST, 16th August. For more updates on Valorant Champions 2023, follow Valorant Champions Tour Twitter. Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest coverage on Valorant Champions 2023 and all other esports related news.

Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)