VCT Ascension Pacific 2024: Comebacks, close calls, and a whole lot of Valorant!
VCT Ascension Pacific 2024 took place from September 20, 2024, to September 29, 2024, and I descended onto the bright city of Jakarta to catch the final leg of the Playoffs. My goal was simple - to soak in the atmosphere as hundreds of Valorant Pacific fans gathered to watch some of the best action this region's Ascension circuit had seen this season.
By the time I boarded my flight, Boom Esports (the Indonesian team) had been knocked to the Lower Bracket. I was a bit apprehensive about how the home crowd would respond if the local favorites didn't make it to the Grand Final. But their LB run continued to the very end where they fought tooth and nail and came up short only by the slightest margin.
But more on that later.
VCT Ascension Pacific 2024 (Jakarta) was the place to be for Valorant fans in the region
With a Media Pass secured around my neck, I quickly stepped into the Britama Arena on September 27, 2024, to catch the Upper Bracket Final between Sin Prisa Gaming and Full Sense. The former was already heavily tipped as the tournament favorite and had earlier dispatched Boom Esports to the LB.
Although it was my first visit to a VCT event, I already liked how Riot had set up the stage. The Pacific's cyan theme stood out in the lighting and design while the large hanging screens displayed the matches clearly to everyone in the area irrespective of where they were sitting. Coming back to the UB Final, SPG was utterly dominant, with 13-6 and 13-0 scores to wrap up their Grand Final spot.
While the crowd wasn't too vociferous during this engagement, I soon realized that they were merely getting warmed up. The match that followed was between Boom Esports and Riddle in the Lower Bracket Semis. Drums resonated around the stadium as the local team took to the stage and chants of "Boom Esports" ringed about. Boom took the match 2-0.
A Fan Fest was held on the same day later in the evening at Sarinah Mall in central Jakarta. By the time I reached there, there was a large turnout. Music performances, fan engagement, and pop-up photobooths entertained the audience.
SPG takes the crown as Boom Esports fights to the last breath
The Lower Bracket Final saw Boom Esports stake their spot in the Grand Final with a 3-1 win over Full Sense. Post-match, I got to have a quick chat with Ewok, who mentioned that it was SPG's final to lose, and Boom Esports's coach meow, who promised a different game altogether.
The Grand Final took place on September 30, 2024. It was preceded by a showcase match where we saw Team f0rsakeN go up against Team xccurate. With all that wrapped up, the stage was finally set for the battle for the qualification spot to VCT Pacific 2025. The atmosphere was electric as the Britama Arena was filled to the brim with Boom Esports fans.
SPG showed their dominance in the first two maps, taking a 2-0 lead with 13-6 and 13-10. With a possible clean sweep looming ahead, Boom Esports dug deep into Lotus to win 14-12. They followed this by picking up Haven too, with a 13-10 score. Each successful round from the local team was met with a huge uproar as the crowd chanted "Amazing" and "Boom Esports".
The final map, Bind, went for a nailbiting finish. For a while in overtime, it felt like neither team was able to get the better of the other to clinch the victory. The final blow came in the form of SPG's Brimstone securing the round after getting a last-second kill and setting his ult on the Boom Esports player defusing the bomb.
A hush fell around once everyone realized what had happened. It was still heartwarming to see the crowd stick around cheering and clapping for SPG as they lifted the VCT Ascension Pacific 2024 trophy.
Talking about the result, Valorant Esports APAC's Head at Riot Games, Jake Sin mentioned:
"This year's Ascension Pacific has been nothing short of spectacular. From thrilling matches to the incredible home crowd energy, I could not be happier with how the event turned out. I want to extend sincere congratulations to Sin Prisa Gaming who fought so hard for this well deserved victory. We have already seen such passionate support from our fans in Korea, and I am more than delighted to welcome another team from Korea into VCT Pacific.”
With the results set in place and the qualifying team revealed, VCT Ascension Pacific 2024 was a wrap. The event was organized with great aplomb and the home crowd's fervor further added to the experience. I will be eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to attend one of these VCT events. Till then, I do urge the readers to join one if any take place near them.
Also Read: "It's not just a challenge for us but also is a big role": Sukamal Pegu talks about Valorant Mobile, Premier, and Global Esports (Exclusive)