The Pacific region finally reigns supreme as Gen.G Esports became the first team from the region to win an international VCT tournament.
Gen.G defeated Team Heretics in a thrilling Masters Shanghai grand final showdown, which the South Korean squad won 3-2.
The win earned Gen.G US$350,000, the lion’s share of the US$1 million tournament prize pool. The team also earned 3 Valorant Champions points, moving them closer to qualifying for Valorant Champions 2024.
Leading up to the grand final, the highly anticipated match between Gen.G’s Kim “t3xture” Na-ra and Team Heretics’ Mert “Wo0t” Alkan was a must-watch, as both players were posting the best statistics in the tournament so far.
After a hard-fought grand final, t3xture came out on top. He secured a total KDA of 85/67/15, an ACS of 256, and an impressive 24 first-bloods across all five maps.
Gen.G Esports puts the Pacific region at the top with Masters Shanghai victory
Gen.G takes a 1-0 lead on Breeze
The South Korean squad had a strong start on the opening map, Breeze, winning six consecutive rounds as defenders.
Gen.G’s strategy paid off in the bonus round, where their heavy investment in purchasing an Operator for t3xture made all the difference.
Gen.G had a commanding 10-2 lead at halftime. Team Heretics strung together a few round wins after the half, but Gen.G’s lead was insurmountable. They took the first map 13-6.
Heretics even the series 1-1 with Icebox win
It was another hot start for Gen.G, winning the first rounds on defense.
However, Team Heretics managed to fight back, finishing the half with a closer score of 7-5.
Heretics’ substitute player, Patryk “paTiTek” Fabrowski, excelled on KAY/O, finishing with a KDA of 20/15/15. He secured crucial kills and provided pivotal flashes that set up his team for additional kills.
Team Heretics made effective adjustments, preventing Gen.G from securing opening kills with improved defensive plays.
Heretics won the map 13-9, stringing together seven consecutive rounds to finish strong.
Team Heretics take the 2-1 lead with Ascent win
Ascent started similarly to the first two maps, with Gen.G winning the first four rounds.
However, Heretics adapted and ended the half with an even 6-6 score.
Wo0t was the hero for Heretics on Ascent, finishing with a 23/13/2 KDA and outperforming t3xture. After switching sides, Heretics continued to thrive and won the map 13-9.
Gen.G even the series, picking up momentum on Lotus
It initially seemed that Lotus would be Heretics’ map, as they finally won an opening pistol round and quickly took a 3-0 lead.
However, Gen.G’s successful defense of the C site allowed them to regain the upper hand.
The South Korean squad dominated, winning 12 straight rounds and dismantling Heretics. Gen.G quickly secured a 13-4 victory on Lotus, pushing the series to the final map.
Gen.G are crowned Masters Shanghai champions with a convincing win on Split
The South Korean team maintained dominance on the final map, winning five consecutive rounds as attackers.
Gen.G shifted their playstyle to one that’s fast and aggressive, catching Heretics off guard.
With t3xture playing as Raze, he secured early map control by creating space and clearing the way for his team. This forced Heretics into disadvantageous retake situations on the sites.
After a 9-3 half, Gen.G won the next four rounds, securing their victory and lifting the Masters Shanghai trophy.
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