Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie, one of the best VALORANT players in the world over the past two seasons, is returning from mandatory military service to pro play quicker than anyone expected. The Paper Rex star is being instantly inserted into the starting lineup.
Paper Rex announced today that Jinggg will be returning as soon as split one of the current VCT Pacific season, which begins in just over a week. With his return, Paper Rex is restoring the original starting roster that won VCT Pacific and reached the Champions grand final last year, meaning new addition Cahya “Monyet” Nugraha will be moved to the reserve role for the time being. Jinggg has also signed a new contract extension that will keep him on Paper Rex until the end of 2026.
According to the team, while Jinggg was registering for his mandatory National Service with Singapore, it was discovered that he has “a life-long medical condition that is managed with ongoing treatment,” and he was declared “medically unfit for military service.” Jinggg and Paper Rex are keeping the diagnosis private, but the team has “determined that his medical condition does not affect his ability to compete” in VALORANT.
Paper Rex chief gaming officer Harley “dsn” Örvall said the team was “always prepared” for Jinggg’s eventual military service, but they’re “ecstatic” he’s able to return and compete so early. Even without Jinggg, Paper Rex has remained highly competitive, reaching the grand finals of Masters Madrid this past weekend.
By the end of 2023, Jinggg was one of the most beloved and respected players globally, which explains why players, teams, and fans from across all the major regions are excited about his return. He was also one of the most prolific Raze players in the world and one of the most dynamic duelists whose fearless playstyle helped shape the “W gaming” methodology of Paper Rex.
If his paperwork can be sorted out in time, Jinggg could make his return very soon against T1 on April 7.
