Nongshim RedForce (NS) has secured the opportunity to defend its VALORANT Champions Tour slot at the 2025 Ascension tournament by advancing to the VCT Pacific Stage 2 Playoffs.
The 2024 Ascension team locked in Playoffs by defeating Gen.G Esports 2-0 in today’s Group Stage series.
Nongshim RedForce was known as Sin Prisa Gaming when it won last year’s Ascension Grand Final against BOOM Esports to earn a one-year contract in VCT Pacific. The Korean esports organisation later acquired the roster ahead of its 2025 VCT run.
Given Riot Games’ updated relegation rules, Ascension teams must qualify for VALORANT Champions to keep their VCT slot for another year. Teams that reach the regional Stage 2 Playoffs may also defend their contract at the yearly Ascension tournament.
However, teams that cannot reach any of these milestones are directly relegated to the organisation’s respective tier-two Challengers circuits. While both EMEA Ascension rosters have already suffered this fate, Nongshim RedForce’s future is still open.
Can Nongshim Auto-Qualify for VCT Pacific 2026?
Following today’s decisive victory over Gen.G, the team has at the very least secured its right to attend Ascension 2025. Moreover, Nongshim RedForce can still qualify for Champions and lock in its VCT 2026 contract by finishing in the top two at VCT Pacific Stage 2.
Today’s result has also opened up the Group Alpha bracket as Gen.G loses out on its guaranteed lead within the group. As of now, DRX leads the group with a 3-1 match score, followed by NS (3-2), Gen.G (3-2) and Rex Regum Qeon (2-2).
Therefore, the remaining Group Stage matches could result in unexpected outcomes and multi-way ties. For instance, Gen.G, as one of the strongest teams within the region, might end up in fourth place and would have to kick off the Playoffs in the lower bracket.
Even Team Secret, currently ranked fifth with a 1-3 match score, can still qualify for Playoffs.
Interestingly, VCT Pacific’s Group Omega sees a similar trend as the top three teams (TALON, Paper Rex, DetonatioN FocusMe) share a 3-1 match score so far. However, Nongshim’s fellow Ascension team, BOOM Esports, has already missed out on its shot at the Playoffs.
The Indonesian organisation has lost all of its four Group Stage matches so far and can only attend Ascension 2025 based on the final regional VCT Points standings.
Thanks to its second-place finish at Ascension last year, BOOM was given the opportunity to compete in VCT Pacific as a Replacement Invite for 2023 Ascension winner Bleed Esports.
