It’s a sad day for fans of both Paper Rex and VALORANT, as the first and reigning VCT Pacific champions, and also the Champions 2023 grand finalists, officially moved their beloved duelist star Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie to the bench today.
The young star from Singapore steps down from the starting roster in order to fulfill his mandatory military service, as all qualified men from the country are required to do so for a two year duration. Paper Rex noted in the announcement that he will remain part of the team.
“There is no question that [Jinggg] is a valuable member of Paper Rex. He is still part of the Paper Rex VALORANT team and plays an active role in this off-season,” wrote Chief Gaming Officer Harley “dsn” Örwall. “Jing is filled with positive energy, fearless aggression, and continues to personify our identity of WGAMING.”
With Jinggg appearing to stay with Paper Rex despite likely missing the next two seasons, many fans are hopeful that one of the most exciting players in VALORANT will eventually return. The official announcement post on X is flooded with replies and reposts of fans who are insistent that he will eventually come back.
Given how long mandatory military service in Singapore is, the most conservative timetable for a possible return would be for the 2026 season at the earliest. However, Jinggg will still only be 22 years old by the time the 2026 season would start, meaning plenty more years for him to be able to compete.
In the meantime, Paper Rex has gone out and grabbed Cahya “Monyet” Nugraha away from Global Esports to complete with their roster for 2024. With the rest of the roster, including VCT Pacific MVP something, returning for next year, the team is expected to be a global contender once again even with Jinggg absent.
