Paper Rex Prepares 2027 Roster Retool Around f0rsakeN and something

Paper Rex has long been one of the most exciting and aggressive teams in the VALORANT circuit. The 2026 season was memorable in many ways—a regional title, two international grand finals, and a stage where they consistently proved themselves. But alongside the shine of trophies was the pain of two final losses. Now reports suggest the organization is preparing for a partial roster change for 2027, with their two most trusted stars—Jason 'f0rsakeN' Susanto and Ilia 'something' Petrov—remaining as the new foundation. This information is based on a report by Sheep Esports, which the organization has not officially confirmed. That means it is reported news, not an official announcement. But the signals are serious and VCT Pacific fans need to understand the reasoning behind Paper Rex's move. First, the two players said to be staying are truly the spine of the team. f0rsakeN has been with Paper Rex since 2026 and has become part of the team's identity. something joined in 2026 and quickly emerged as a key entry duelist. Both played important roles in the Stage 1 regional title, which is why the organization is making them the center of the 2027 plan. Keeping them is a strategic decision, not an obligation—Paper Rex already has VCT Pacific partnership secured for 2027 and 2028, meaning no fear of relegation. They can comfortably work on a two-year project. But the real question is: what happens to the other three slots? Reports suggest Adrian 'invy' Reyes' contract runs to the end of 2027, so he will stay. However, this is a contract-based decision, not a performance-based one. This is a detail that cannot be ignored—if the team is changing elsewhere, a contract-locked player can limit flexibility. On the other hand, the futures of two veterans—Khalish 'd4v41' Rusyaidee and Wang 'Jinggg' Jing Jie—are uncertain. d4v41 has been with the team since 2026 and has publicly begun looking for new opportunities. His contract expires in days, making his departure almost certain. Jinggg's contract ends in 2026 and he is exploring options; his staying or leaving is a 50-50 situation. This is the decision that will determine whether 2027 is a 'retool' or a 'rebuild'. If Jinggg stays, the team will have four of five players and need to fill only one slot. If he leaves, the team will need two new starters and must integrate them into Paper Rex's aggressive, high-tempo style. There is also concern that both veterans are waiting for clearer information about the organization's future plans, while d4v41 has already publicly entered the market. This means the organization's decision cycle is lagging behind the market—and in a fast free agency window, this is how teams lose players they intended to keep. Looking at 2026 performance, Paper Rex's story was spectacular but incomplete. They finished third at Kickoff, reached the Masters Santiago grand final where they lost to Nongshim RedForce. Then won the Stage 1 title and reached the Masters London final, where Leviatán stopped them. In Stage 2 they finished fifth-sixth, and at Champions Shanghai their run ended in 7th-8th—after beating Team Liquid and G2 in groups, they lost the upper bracket quarterfinal to LOUD and the first lower bracket round to T1. This is a pattern of immediate playoff collapse for a high-seed team. The season arc clearly trended downward: third, second, champion, second, fifth-sixth, seventh-eighth. This is why the 'stability' argument weakens. If the team keeps three of five and loses two long-tenured veterans, it is a partial rebuild, not stability. The stability claim in the article does not match the facts. f0rsakeN's role also needs consideration. He is the longest-tenured player, co-leader of the title campaign and now the center of the 2027 plan. A team whose identity, shot-calling and face all rest on one player has no alternative plan for injury or poor form. This is both an asset and a risk. In the regional landscape, Paper Rex is the pillar of VCT Pacific. They broke the doubt over Asia-Pacific's international potential by winning Masters Toronto 2026. But in 2026 the Americas region won both major titles—LOUD took Champions and Leviatán took Masters London. Paper Rex lost in Santiago to their own region's Nongshim RedForce and in London to Americas' Leviatán. Their Champions collapse also raised questions about regional depth—even though the team had performed brilliantly in the group stage. This means Pacific's strength is concentrated at the top, and Paper Rex's instability directly affects the region's international prospects. The biggest concern is that if both d4v41 and Jinggg leave, the team will lose over five years of institutional experience and in-game leadership at once. This loss does not show in any statistic but manifests as reduced decision-making ability mid-match. If Jinggg stays, the team needs only one change—that is manageable. If he leaves, two new players must be integrated simultaneously, which is a major challenge in terms of roster lock and preparation. There is no concrete information about the organization's financial situation. It can be assumed that keeping two big stars and one contract-locked player may increase salary expenses, but this is only an estimate. No transfer fees, buyouts or salary figures are public. What is clear is that the contract structure is staggered—one long contract, two imminent expiries—which is normal risk management but has created a free agency situation in a single window. The conclusion is that what Paper Rex is about to do in 2027 is a bold rebuild, not a natural extension of stability. Keeping f0rsakeN and something at the center is sensible, but success will depend on how the team fills the two empty slots and whether it can bring new energy while maintaining its identity. The declining graph of six 2026 tournaments shows that playing well is not enough—winning finals is also necessary. And if the team must lose two long-time companions, it will be not just a roster change but the end of an era.