Paper Rex Roster Overhaul: Future Plans Centered on f0rsakeN and something

Paper Rex, one of the top teams in the VALORANT Pacific region, is reportedly planning a major roster overhaul at the end of the current season. According to Vietnamese esports media and a report by Sheep Esports, the Singapore-based organization intends to retain long-tenured quarterback f0rsakeN and duelist something as the cornerstones of a new roster for the 2027 season. However, none of this information has been officially confirmed and remains at the stage of rumor and sourced reporting. Paper Rex's 2026 season was highly volatile. They finished third at the VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific Kickoff, earning a spot at Masters Santiago. They then won Stage 1 and qualified directly for Masters London as the number one seed. They reached the grand final at both international Masters events but lost both. They fell to Nongshim RedForce in Santiago and to Leviatan in London. At Champions Shanghai, they exited in seventh-eighth place. These results clearly show that the team's ceiling is at the level of international title contention, but its floor is quite unstable. Analysts suggest the main cause of this fluctuation is likely opponents having fully figured out the team's style of play. Paper Rex is historically known for aggressive, fast-paced, individual-mechanics-driven play. When they settle into a stable, studyable system, top rivals develop effective counter-strategies. Two grand final losses in 2026 and an early exit at Champions support this theory. On the roster change front, retaining f0rsakeN and something would keep the team's aggressive core intact. f0rsakeN has been with the team since 2026 and regularly plays at international tournaments. something joined in 2026 and quickly established himself as the team's primary firepower. The synergy between these two will preserve the team's aggressive identity. But the question remains who will be the new support players and in-game leader around them. According to the report, veteran players d4v41 and Jinggg may leave the team. d4v41 has been with Paper Rex since 2026 and played an important role in the team's success. His departure would be a major loss of institutional memory and experience. Jinggg's future is also uncertain. Sources say these two players are waiting for clearer information about the organization's personnel plans. On the other hand, a player named invy is reportedly locked in until the end of 2027. This provides stability for the team. However, detailed information about his performance is not available. The Pacific region's partner system has been confirmed through the 2027 and 2028 seasons. This means Paper Rex faces no relegation risk. As a result, the team can plan for the long term. But the flip side is that this security pushes them toward a partial rebuild rather than building an entirely new roster. Retaining star players while rotating support players is common in partner systems. Paper Rex's current plan appears to be heading down that path. From a tournament format perspective, the 2026 season can also be explained. International playoffs are held in a double-elimination format, which rewards teams with deep map pools and adaptability. Paper Rex reached the grand final at both Masters events but could not win the title. In a double-elimination format, opposing teams get a second chance and time to analyze Paper Rex's style of play. Additionally, the Pacific region's qualification system is forgiving for teams strong in Stage 1. Paper Rex won Stage 1 to earn a Champions spot, even though their Stage 2 performance was limited to fifth-sixth place. This system allows a team to perform poorly for half a season and still compete at the biggest events, which can reduce the urgency to fix problems. On the coaching and preparation side, Paper Rex also needs reassessment. Losing two international grand finals in one season typically draws an organization's attention toward team strategy, map selection, and best-of-five adaptation rather than individual player performance. The report only mentions player changes; any coaching staff changes would not have been captured in this report. Paper Rex's identity is tied to fast, aggressive play. This style can survive various VALORANT meta shifts because it is built on player mechanics and tempo rather than on specific agents or maps. Therefore, players like f0rsakeN and something remain valuable through meta changes. However, there are challenges with new players. If two players change, the new members must learn both the team's system and the new act's meta simultaneously. This compounding learning load has historically caused slow starts in the first regional stage. Overall, Paper Rex's roster overhaul is a performance-based decision, not a survival crisis. The security of the partner system and consistent presence on the international stage give the team the opportunity to plan with a long-term perspective. Building a new roster around f0rsakeN and something would keep the team's aggressive identity intact. But success will depend on the integration of new support players, the competence of the coaching staff, and the creation of new strategies that have not been fully figured out by opponents. How Paper Rex will look in the 2027 season has generated widespread curiosity in the esports world.