Paper Rex
Paper Rex is a Singapore-based esports organization founded in 2020 by Matt Djojonegoro, Nikhil Hathiramani, Harley Örwall, and Gad Tan, focusing on competitive gaming, entertainment, and merchandise in the Southeast Asian region.[1] As a partnered organization in the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific league with Riot Games, it fields professional teams primarily in Valorant, alongside squads in Teamfight Tactics (TFT) and other titles.[1] The organization's Valorant roster has achieved significant international success, including winning the VCT Pacific league in 2023 and 2025—marking their third regional title—and claiming the 2025 VCT Masters Toronto championship as the first Southeast Asian FPS team to secure an international trophy.[1][2] They also finished fourth at the 2025 Valorant Champions and have attended 11 international VCT events, amassing over US$1.8 million in prize winnings.[1][3] Beyond competition, Paper Rex emphasizes community engagement through initiatives like the WGAMING Club, music collaborations, and fan merchandise to build a dedicated following.[4]History
Founding and Early Years
Paper Rex was founded in January 2020 in Singapore by co-founders Harley "dsn" Örwall, Nikhil "nikH" Hathiramani, Matthew Djojonegoro, and Gad Tan.[1][5] Örwall served as Chief Gaming Officer (CGO), Hathiramani as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Djojonegoro as President, and Tan as Chief Creative Officer (CCO).[1] The organization was established under IMPLS Entertainment Pte Ltd, with an initial purpose centered at the intersection of entertainment, competitive esports, and merchandise.[1][4] This foundation emphasized building a multifaceted gaming brand beyond just competition, aiming to engage fans through diverse avenues in the evolving esports landscape.[1] In its formative phase through mid-2020, Paper Rex prioritized non-competitive initiatives, including the launch of a dedicated merchandise line and content creation efforts to cultivate community interest.[1] These activities helped establish the organization's identity in the regional scene prior to formal esports involvement. Headquartered in Singapore, Paper Rex quickly forged ties with the broader Southeast Asian gaming community, leveraging the region's growing enthusiasm for interactive entertainment.[1]Expansion into Esports
Paper Rex entered the competitive esports landscape in early 2020 by assembling a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) team focused on Southeast Asian (SEA) qualifiers during the online era prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization, founded in January 2020, quickly built its initial CS:GO roster in February, including players d4v41 (Khalish Rusyaidee), mindfreak (Aaron Leonhart), subbey (Shamir Zaman), Bobosaur (Leslie Soen), and alecks (Alexandre Sallé), with Aequitas (Prashant Prabhakar) serving as coach. This team participated in various regional online qualifiers, achieving moderate success in a nascent SEA scene but without advancing to major international events.[6][7][8] Recognizing the rising popularity of Valorant, Paper Rex shifted focus by launching its Valorant division on July 20, 2020, acquiring the roster from the Singaporean team Vindicta, which consisted of brxndon, Egoist, Retla (Jorell Teo), JdFaker (Joshua Fok), and pndmonia. However, the team encountered challenges, including struggles in early Ignition Series events and a suspension in November 2020 due to an integrity breach. In response, Paper Rex reformed the squad on February 8, 2021, by transitioning key members from its CS:GO lineup, featuring mindfreak, f0rsakeN (Jason Susanto), Benkai (Benedict Tan), d4v41, and Tommy (Kumeresan Ramani), with alecks (Alexandre Sallé) joining as coach. This revamped roster marked a pivotal consolidation of talent across disciplines.[6][8] The new Valorant team rapidly gained traction through participation in SEA tournaments and qualifiers, such as the VCT 2021 SEA Stage 1 and Stage 2 Challengers, where consistent performances elevated their profile and drew international attention to the organization's aggressive, entertaining playstyle. These regional efforts helped establish Paper Rex as a rising force in Southeast Asian esports, blending local talent with strategic depth.[3][6] During 2020-2021, Paper Rex's organizational growth accelerated to support its esports ambitions, with co-founders Nikhil "nikH" Hathiramani and Harley "dsn" Örwall overseeing initial hires for operational roles, including content creation and team management. The organization invested in basic esports infrastructure, such as training facilities in Singapore and remote support systems, enabling sustained regional competition despite the challenges of the pandemic era. This foundational expansion laid the groundwork for broader operations.[6]Key Milestones and Growth
In September 2022, Riot Games announced Paper Rex as one of the 30 partner teams for the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) 2023, securing a franchise spot in the VCT Pacific League on a four-year contract.[9] This marked a pivotal step in the organization's professionalization, transitioning from open qualifiers to a stable position in the international circuit.[10] The franchise status contributed to substantial financial growth, with Paper Rex achieving $645,000 in total winnings from Valorant tournaments in 2023, tying for second place globally and establishing it as the highest-earning Southeast Asian organization that year, culminating in their victory in the VCT Pacific League.[11][12] This peak reflected broader viewership expansion, as Paper Rex matches consistently drew high audiences, including over 1 million peak viewers for key 2023 events, boosting regional interest in Pacific esports.[13] The organization continued its competitive ascent, winning the VCT Pacific Stage 1 in 2024 and Stage 2 in 2025—marking their third regional title overall—and claiming the 2025 VCT Masters Toronto championship as the first Southeast Asian FPS team to win an international trophy.[14][2][15] Diversification efforts accelerated in 2024 with the launch of a Pokémon Unite division, acquired through the integration of the Singapore-Malaysia squad Team MYS ahead of the 2025 Asia Champions League season.[16] In March 2025, Paper Rex further expanded by entering the Teamfight Tactics competitive scene, signing player Keefe "Kjaos" Joseph Arokiasamy to represent the organization at international events like the Into the Arcane Tactician's Crown.[17] Marking its evolution from a Southeast Asian underdog to a global contender, Paper Rex celebrated its 5-year anniversary in 2025 with limited-edition merchandise releases, including a commemorative jersey reimagining the original 2020 design and a special sticker pack, highlighting sustained organizational growth amid rising competitive success.[18]Organization
Ownership and Leadership
Paper Rex is an esports brand and team owned by IMPLS Entertainment Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based company focused on bridging esports with broader entertainment ecosystems, founded and managed by former professional gamers, team managers, and digital marketing experts.[19] The organization was co-founded in January 2020 by Nikhil "nikH" Hathiramani, who serves as CEO and leads overall strategy and operations; Harley "dsn" Örwall, co-founder and Chief Gaming Officer, contributing expertise from his background as a legendary Counter-Strike player; Matthew Djojonegoro, co-founder and President, overseeing executive decisions; and Gad Tan, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, directing branding and content creation.[1][20][21] Key executives in the leadership team include specialized roles supporting the esports divisions, such as Yin Shanyang as Chief Technology Officer; Andi Bangsawan as Regional Manager; Kumaresan "Tommy" Ramani as Team Manager for the Valorant squad since January 2025; and Laijhun "Panda" Cheng as Performance Coach, joining in April 2025 to enhance player development and mental preparation.[1][11][22] Governance at Paper Rex prioritizes Southeast Asian representation, with leadership and talent pipelines centered in Singapore and drawing from regional countries like Indonesia and the Philippines to foster local esports growth, while cultivating international partnerships through competitive circuits like the Valorant Champions Tour for global expansion.[23][24]Operations and Global Presence
Paper Rex maintains its primary headquarters in Singapore at the Dreamcore Dreamcentre, a 10,000-square-foot facility located at 55 Kim Chuan Drive, Level 9, Suite 09-01. This state-of-the-art setup, developed in partnership with performance PC provider Dreamcore, serves as the organization's central hub for training and operations across multiple esports titles, including VALORANT, Pokémon Unite, and Teamfight Tactics. The facility is equipped with high-performance computing resources tailored for professional gaming, enabling comprehensive bootcamps and scrimming sessions to support the organization's competitive divisions.[19][25] To bolster its presence in the Pacific region, Paper Rex operates a branch office in Seoul, South Korea, at 16F, Gangnam Bldg, 396 Seocho-daero, Seocho-gu. This location facilitates targeted support for international training and logistics, particularly for VALORANT events, with dedicated high-performance PCs provided by partners like Dreamcore and ASUS. The organization's global footprint extends through its status as a VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) partner team with Riot Games, enabling participation in major international tournaments across Europe and the Americas, such as VCT Masters Toronto in Canada and VCT Champions in Paris, France. These engagements underscore Paper Rex's logistical capabilities in coordinating cross-continental travel and event preparation.[19][26][1] Complementing its competitive focus, Paper Rex invests in robust support infrastructure, including in-house content creation led by Content Lead Clara Tan, which produces vlogs, event coverage, and behind-the-scenes media via its official YouTube channel to engage fans regionally and globally. The organization also handles merchandise production through its dedicated online shop, offering items like official jerseys, apparel, and team-branded accessories to foster community ties. As of 2025, Paper Rex emphasizes sustainability through dedicated investments in player welfare, supported by Performance Coach Laijhun Cheng and Team Manager Kumaresan Ramani, who focus on holistic development including mental and physical conditioning for its rosters. These efforts align with the organization's commitment to nurturing regional talent in Southeast Asia via structured coaching and competitive pathways.[1][27][28]Valorant Division
Current Roster and Staff
As of November 2025, Paper Rex's Valorant roster features a blend of Southeast Asian talents and international players, reflecting the organization's focus on regional dominance with global versatility. The team consists of five active players, each bringing specialized skills to their positions, such as f0rsakeN's aggressive duelist playstyle that emphasizes entry fragging and high-impact engagements.[11][3] The current players are:- d4v41 (Ahmad Khalish Rusyaidee bin Nordin, Malaysia), who joined in February 2021 and typically plays as a flex or sentinel, providing utility and defensive stability.[11]
- f0rsakeN (Jason Susanto, Indonesia), a founding member since February 2021, serving as the primary duelist known for his mechanical prowess and bold decision-making.[11]
- something (Ilia Petrov, Russia), who joined in March 2023 and operates as the controller, controlling map space with smokes and strategic information gathering.[11]
- Jinggg (Wang Jing Jie, Singapore), returning to the active roster in March 2024, functioning as an initiator to disrupt enemy setups and enable team advances.[11]
- PatMen (Patrick Mendoza, Philippines), signed in March 2025 as a versatile addition capable of filling duelist or initiator roles, enhancing the team's aggressive playstyle with his dynamic aggression from prior VCT Challengers experience.[11][29]