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Mid East Info
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mid East Info
Sony INZONE and Fnatic Team Up for an Immersive Fan Experience at the 2025 Esports World Cup - Middle East Business News and Information
Saudi Arabia's gaming market surpassed 7.88 billion SAR in 2024, highlighting the region's status as one of the world's fastest-growing gaming hubs Fnatic Meet & Greet events were held at the Esports World Cup and in-store at Sony World, Granada Mall, Riyadh Fans can experience INZONE x Fnatic co-branded gear first-hand, including the INZONE H5/H9 wireless headset, and INZONE M10S gaming monitor (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 24 July 2025) – Sony Middle East and Africa collaborated with Fnatic, one of the world's leading esports organisations, to deliver an immersive, fan-first experience at the 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh. With Saudi Arabia's gaming market surpassing 7.88 billion SAR 1 in 2024 and esports alone generating over SAR 83.28 million 2 , this event further elevated the region's gaming boom. 3 From 8–13 July 2025, fans visited the INZONE x Fnatic booth at the Content Creator Park to meet their players including Jake 'Boaster' Howlett, Austin 'Crashies' Roberts, Kajetan ' Haremski, Timofey 'Chronicle' Khromov, and Emir Ali 'Alfajer' Beder. Visitors also tried cutting-edge gaming gear while being part of this rapidly expanding global phenomenon. The Sony INZONE booth offered fans an exclusive meet-and-greet opportunity with Fnatic's team, alongside exciting giveaways and interactive gaming zones. Beyond this, gaming enthusiasts had the chance to experience the INZONE range, including the newly launched INZONE M10S gaming monitor along with the INZONE H5 and INZONE H9 wireless headset, all developed in close collaboration with Fnatic's pro players. These products are built for competitive performance, designed to deliver next-level audio and visual fidelity for both casual and elite gamers. The Fnatic team currently uses these peripherals in training and competition. Product Highlights INZONE M10S gaming monitor – tailored for low-latency, fast refresh gameplay, enhanced picture settings preferred by pros. INZONE H5/H9 wireless headsets – feature immersive 360° spatial audio and up to 32‑hour battery life, ideal for long competitive sessions. The activation showcases Fnatic and Sony INZONE's ongoing commitment to delivering premium experiences for the gaming community across the region. Following the announcement of a multi-year global partnership in June 2023 4 , combining Fnatic's elite esports heritage with Sony's innovation in high-performance gaming technology. Jobin Joejoe, Managing Director, Sony Middle East and Africa said: 'With more than 33 million gamers across the GCC, and nearly 62% of the total gaming population in Saudi Arabia. This experience taps into a deeply passionate and fast‑growing audience, creating this memorable experience allows fans to engage with the Fnatic Team in a real gaming environment' Sam Mathews, Founder & CEO, Fnatic added: 'We've always believed in being right where our fans are, and this partnership with Sony INZONE is all about creating special moments that bring us closer together. We're proud to be here in Riyadh, connecting with our fans in t .' In addition to the booth at the Esports World Cup, fans in Riyadh also had the chance for an exclusive meet and greet with the Fnatic Valorant Team at Sony World, Granada Mall, Riyadh, on July 10 th. This in-store experience allowed fans to test the Inzone range and meet their favourite players all while exchanging tips and tricks with their fellow players. The collaboration took place alongside Fnatic's participation in the Valorant tournament, part of the Esports World Cup's debut of Riot Games' flagship tactical shooter, where 16 top teams battled live on a Local Area Network (LAN) in front of fans for a SAR 4.69 million prize pool. -ENDS- About Sony Middle East and Africa: Sony Middle East and Africa FZE is a 100% subsidiary of Sony Corporation and is the regional headquarters for the Middle East and Africa regions. The company is engaged in the business of Sony Consumer Electronics, Mobile Electronics (Car Audio), broadcasting and professional products and Computer Entertainment (PlayStation) products in more than 40 countries in the region. Apart from stock operations in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Establishment in Dubai, Sony Middle East and Africa leads execution of various logistics, sales, marketing, advertising and customer services activities through its business partners. 353 accredited third-party service centres reinforce Sony's presence in key markets in the region. About Sony Corporation Sony Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and is responsible for the Entertainment, Technology & Services (ET&S) business. With the mission to 'create the future of entertainment through the power of technology together with creators,' we aim to continue to deliver Kando* to people around the world. For more information, visit: *Kando is a Japanese word that roughly translates to the sense of awe and emotion you feel when experiencing something beautiful and amazing for the first time. For media enquiries, please contact:
New Straits Times
12-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Paper Rex's Valorant World Cup hopes end in semi-final defeat
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian star Ahmad Khalish Rusyaidee "d4v41" Nordin saw his hopes of reaching a second straight international final with Paper Rex (PRX) dashed after a 2-1 defeat to Fnatic in the Valorant semi-finals at the eSports World Cup in Riyadh on Saturday. The highly anticipated clash at the Esports Arena, Boulevard Riyadh City, featured two unbeaten teams reigniting their fierce rivalry following PRX's triumph over Fnatic in last month's Masters Grand Final in Toronto — a historic first international title for the team. This time, however, it was Fnatic's turn to take revenge. PRX started strong, claiming their map pick Sunset 13-10. But Fnatic bounced back in emphatic fashion on Ascent, crushing PRX 13-3 to level the series. With momentum firmly on their side, Fnatic raced to a 9-3 halftime lead in the decider, Split. Though PRX rallied late to close the gap to 10-8, Fnatic held their nerve to finish the match 13-8 and seal their place in the final. Despite the loss, Khalish and his teammates still have a chance to finish on the podium. PRX will take on either Gen.G (South Korea) or Team Heretics (Spain) in the third-place playoff on Sunday.
The Star
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
E-sports team Paper Rex's triumph at Valorant Masters a major win for Singapore, South-East Asia
(From left) Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza, Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaide, Wang "Jinggg" Jing Jie and Ilia 'something' Petrov celebrating with the VCT Masters trophy. - RIOT GAMES SINGAPORE: After a series of near-misses, Singapore-based e-sports team Paper Rex finally ended their wait for a major international trophy. The team of mostly South-East Asian (SEA) players emerged victorious in the grand final of Valorant Masters Toronto, beating the formidable Fnatic 3-1 at the Enercare Centre on June 22 to claim the US$350,000 top prize. London-based team Fnatic, the 2023 Masters winners, had fought their way through the losers' bracket and put up a formidable challenge in the best-of-five final, before losing the tense 4½-hour battle in the popular first-person shooter video game. Wang 'Jinggg' Jing Jie, the only Singaporean player on the Paper Rex roster, could barely contain his delight after securing the long-awaited victory to make up for the disappointment of losing in the grand final of the 2023 Valorant Champions. The Champions tournament is a higher tier than Masters competitions. Said the 21-year-old: 'It's surreal. The feeling is just setting in. I'm proud of myself and my team. I'm happy to be able to represent not just my country but also fly all the flags of our home SEA region.' While Paper Rex are based in Singapore, their players come mainly from around the region. Besides Russian Ilia 'something' Petrov, the other members are Indonesians Aaron 'mindfreak' Leonhart and Jason 'f0rsakeN' Susanto; Malaysian Khalish 'd4v41' Rusyaidee; and Patrick 'PatMen' Mendoza from the Philippines. In the first-round group stage, Paper Rex beat Team Heretics of Spain 2-0 but lost 2-0 to North American side Gen.G Esports. With their campaign on the line, they mustered a 2-1 victory over Team Liquid of the Netherlands to seal one of the four spots in the next round. Pitted against winners from the four international leagues – North and South America; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; the Pacific (Japan, South Korea, and India); and China – in the eight-team, double-elimination play-offs, Paper Rex went unbeaten into the grand final. The won all their best-of-three matches 2-0 – beating North America's G2 Esports, Sentinels of the United States before overcoming Wolves Esports, the e-sports team of English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers. Paper Rex coach Alexandre 'alecks' Salle was filled with 'a sense of relief, mostly'. 'I don't think I could stomach (another) loss,' said Salle, referring to their near misses, including finishing fifth/sixth at the 2024 Valorant Masters Shanghai and third at the Valorant Masters Tokyo in 2023. 'I'm sure it will dawn on me eventually that we've achieved one of our goals.' The 35-year-old Frenchman and Singapore permanent resident paid tribute to the immense support from their fans in the region 'which drives us forward'. Besides the support, he also attributed their victory to 'a holistic approach to player training and development'. Salle said: 'We have a performance coach and watch what we eat. I think we found a balance that worked for us. I think this is a sign that perhaps e-sports is maturing into a professional athletic sport.' Paper Rex chief creative officer Gad Tan added: 'E-sports players by nature sleep late, wake up late, have irregular eating habits (and) don't get fresh air much. The performance coach helps (them) develop a sense of mindfulness about themselves and approach a work day with better energy.' With the trophy in hand, Paper Rex are looking forward to their next assignment – Stage 2 of the Valorant Pacific League in Seoul from July 15 to Aug 31. Their ultimate goal will be to qualify and making a deep run at the Sept 12-Oct 5 Valorant Champions in Paris. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Paper Rex's triumph at Valorant Masters a major win for Singapore & South-east Asia
(from left) Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza, Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaide, Wang "Jinggg" Jing Jie and Ilia 'something' Petrov celebrating with the VCT Masters trophy. PHOTO: RIOT GAMES SINGAPORE – After a series of near-misses, Singapore-based e-sports team Paper Rex finally ended their wait for a major international trophy. The team of mostly South-east Asian (SEA) players emerged victorious in the grand final of Valorant Masters Toronto, beating formidable Fnatic 3-1 at the Enercare Centre on June 23 to claim the US$350,000 (S$448,000) top prize. London-based team Fnatic, the 2023 champions, had fought their way through the losers' bracket and put up a formidable challenge in the best-of-five final before losing the tense 4½-hour battle in the popular first-person shooter video game. Wang 'Jinggg' Jing Jie, th e only Singaporean player on the Paper Rex roster, could barely contain his delight after securing the long-awaited victory to make up for the disappointment of losing in the grand final of the Valorant Champions in 2023. Said the 21-year-old: 'It's surreal. The feeling is just setting in. I'm proud of myself and my team. I'm happy to be able to represent not just my country but also fly all the flags of our home SEA region.' While Paper Rex are based in Singapore, their players come mainly from around the region. Besides Russian Ilia 'something' Petrov, the other members are Indonesians Aaron 'Mindfreak' Leonhart and Jason 'f0rsakeN' Susanto; Malaysian Khalish 'd4v41' Rusyaide; and Patrick 'PatMen' Mendoza from the Philippines. Wang 'Jinggg' Jing Jie (second from left) is the only Singaporean player on Paper Rex's roster. PHOTO: RIOT GAMES In the first-round group stage, Paper Rex beat Team Heretics of Spain 2-0 but lost 2-0 to North American side Gen.G Esports. With their campaign on the line, they mustered a 2-1 victory over Team Liquid of the Netherlands to seal one of the four spots in the next round. Pitted against winners from the four international leagues – North and South America; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; the Pacific (Japan, Korea, and India); and China – in the eight-team, double-elimination play-offs, Paper Rex went unbeaten into the grand final. The won all their best-of-three matches 2-0 – beating North America's G2 Esports, Sentinels of the United States before overcoming Wolves Esports, the e-sports team of English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers. Paper Rex coach Alexandre 'Alecks' Salle was filled with 'a sense of relief mostly'. 'I don't think I could stomach (another) loss,' said Salle, referring to their near misses, including finishing fifth/sixth at the 2 024 Valorant Masters Shanghai and third at the Valorant Masters Tokyo in 2023. 'I'm sure it will dawn on me eventually that we've achieved one of our goals.' The 35-year-old Singapore permanent resident paid tribute to the immense support from their fans in the region, 'which drives us forward'. Besides the support, he also attributed their victory to 'a holistic approach to player training and development'. Salle said: 'We have a performance coach and watch what we eat. I think we found a balance that worked for us. I think this is a sign that perhaps e-sports is maturing into a professional athletic sport.' Paper Rex chief creative officer Gad Tan added, saying: 'E-sports players by nature sleep late, wake up late, have irregular eating habits (and) don't get fresh air much. 'The performance coach helps (them) develop a sense of mindfulness about themselves and approach a work day with better energy.' With the trophy in hand, Paper Rex are looking forward to their next assignment – Stage 2 of the Valorant Pacific League in Seoul from July 15 to Aug 31 . Their ultimate goal will be to qualify and making a deep run at the Sept 12-Oct 5 Valo rant Champions in Paris . Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Geek Culture
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Geek Culture
Valorant Masters Toronto: Singapore-Based Paper Rex Makes History With Republic's First Win
Third time's the charm for Paper Rex. The Singapore-based esports team has walked away as the champions of Valorant Masters Toronto, clinching not only their first international title but also the Republic's first-ever win at the event. For Copenhagen and Los Angeles. Third time's the charm. #VALORANTMasters — Paper Rex (@pprxteam) June 22, 2025 The latest victory follows two previous unsuccessful attempts at the Masters Copenhagen and Champions Los Angeles tournaments held in 2022 and 2023, respectively, which saw Paper Rex come in as the first runner-up. It wasn't all smooth sailing, however, as the third seed from the Pacific region almost didn't make it to this year's Masters with back-to-back defeats in the group stages, only finding their stride in the play-ins and play-offs. Once there, the newly minted champions eliminated tournament favourites G2 Esports, another top-seed from the American region, Sentiels, and dark horse Wolves Esports to secure a face-off against Fnatic in the grand finals on 23 June. The latter team, meanwhile, entered Masters Toronto as the top seed from the EMEA region, losing 1-2 to Gen.G Esports before staging a comeback against Rex Regum Qeon, Sentinels, G2 Esports, and Wolves Esports. Alas, the crown would go to Paper Rex, who bested their opponents 3-1 and took home US$350,000. The team also scored seven VCT points, bringing their current total to 11 points — and to the top of the Pacific Championship, ahead of South Korean teams T1 (10 points) and Gen.G (nine points). As for Fnatic, its players earned US$200,000 as consolation but remain the leader of their region. Rounding out the celebration is the announcement of Jason 'f0rsakeN' Susanto as MVP of the tournament, with the full Paper Rex roster as follows: Jason 'f0rsakeN' Susanto (Indonesia) Jing Jie 'Jinggg' Wang (Singapore) Ahmad Khalish Rusyaidee 'd4v41' Bin Nordin (Malaysia) Ilya 'Something' Petrov (Russia) Patrick 'PatMen' Mendoza (Philippines) Aaron 'mindfreak.' Leonhart (Indonesia) Paper Rex's victory marks the third consecutive title won by a Pacific team after Gen.G Esports and T1, who emerged as the respective champions in 2024's Masters Shanghai and Masters Bangkok held earlier this year. Next on the list is Stage 2 of the International League, kicking off on 3 July, and culminating in the biggest event for Valorant : Champions, taking place in Paris, France, from 12 September to 5 October. A hearty congratulations to Paper Rex! Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. Paper Rex Riot Games Singapore Valorant Valorant Masters Toronto
