Until last year, it felt like the era of Twisted Minds. But this year, everything has changed. The arrival of a predator capable of devouring every team in its path has reshaped the PUBG Esports landscape. And that predator emerged not from Asia or APAC, but from Europe. Its name is Virtus.Pro (VP), the new dominant force in PUBG Esports.
Of course, VP was not yet the finished product in 2025. The team finished as runners-up at PGS 9 and went on to claim the PGS 10 title. However, when it mattered most at PGC 2025, VP once again had to settle for second place. But the VP of 2026 is a different beast. Starting with a championship victory at PGS 3, VP followed up with a runner-up finish at PEC Spring, third place at PGS 5, and a championship title at the Esports World Cup (EWC). The team then secured back-to-back runner-up finishes at PGS 7 and PGS 8, followed by another second-place finish at PEC Fall. And last week, VP claimed yet another championship at PGS 10. VP now holds a commanding lead in the PGS Points standings and has consistently placed among the top teams at major tournaments throughout the year. So, what exactly has made VP so strong?
VP’s biggest transformation began in mid-2025. After announcing his retirement as a professional player, ibiza transitioned into a coaching role with VP, while curexi joined the roster to fill the vacant position. Having made his professional debut in 2018, ibiza competed until 2025 and established himself as one of Europe’s most experienced veterans. He had served as VP’s in-game leader (IGL), but decided to take on a new challenge as a coach to help the team reach the next level.
To fill the gap, VP brought in curexi, who had previously played for prominent organizations such as Heroic and FaZe Clan, strengthening the team’s overall balance. As a coach, ibiza began applying the experience and strategic knowledge he had accumulated over his long career, providing tailored preparation for each tournament. Meanwhile, curexi quickly adapted to the existing roster, requiring little time to find his place within the team.
So, what makes this team so formidable? VP has many strengths, but three stand out in particular.
The first is VP’s ability to make quick, accurate decisions under pressure. Lukarux, the team’s IGL, excels at identifying which positions to secure and which routes to take. Even when circumstances change in an instant, he remains composed and makes decisive calls. Whether attacking or defending, his decisions consistently demonstrate remarkable precision and stability. But these decisions do not come from Lukarux alone. In today’s competitive environment, every player must be capable of making independent decisions. At the same time, those individual decisions must align with the team’s overall strategy. Lukarux establishes the bigger picture, while the other three players make real-time adjustments and contribute the finer details needed to execute that strategy.
As we will explore further, VP’s confidence in its fighting ability—and its understanding of which engagements it can win—forms the foundation of its decision-making. This is why VP often takes a far more aggressive approach than other teams. Once VP identifies a target, the team commits its full attention to it. Teams that fall behind in championship races sometimes struggle because they consider too many options at once, losing sight of what matters most at critical moments. VP is different. The team knows exactly what to prioritize when it matters, and more importantly, how to execute the actions required to achieve its objective.
The second strength is VP’s exceptional fighting ability and technical skill. And to explain this, we have to talk about NIXZYEE. If I had to choose just one player with the most formidable fighting ability in 2026, I would pick NIXZYEE without hesitation. He possesses an extraordinary range of combat techniques and movement skills, combining devastating firepower with excellent teamwork.
His precision when spraying with magnified scopes is almost mechanical. His peeks are astonishingly fast, and his unpredictable movement constantly disrupts his opponents’ timing. With his overwhelming individual skill, NIXZYEE turns every engagement into a nightmare for his opponents. Among all active players, it would not be an exaggeration to call him one of the most complete players in the game. What makes him even more frightening is his constant pursuit of improvement. He continues to study new techniques, refine them, and incorporate them into his gameplay.
But NIXZYEE is far from VP’s only threat. Beami and curexi also bring tremendous firepower to long-range engagements, consistently delivering strong performances. They are particularly dangerous when using sniper rifles (SRs), often securing the first knock against an opponent and creating new opportunities for their team to push forward. Their headshot accuracy is especially impressive. While many professional players maintain headshot rates of around 20%, VP’s players frequently exceed 30%. These precise headshots allow them to knock opponents out of position and create opportunities to take control of areas held by enemy teams. These strengths were on full display at PGS 10. Throughout the tournament, VP recorded 55 first knocks, averaging 5.5 per match.
VP’s third major strength is its ability to build and execute strategies specifically designed to win championships. Its tactical flexibility goes beyond making adjustments within individual matches. VP also analyzes the overall standings, identifies its closest championship rivals, and develops strategies to directly challenge them when necessary. The final match of PGS 10 on Taego is a perfect example.
At the time, VP was tied on 86 points with tournament leader Team Liquid (TL). Rather than simply following its usual strategy and trying to outscore its rival through conventional play, VP made a bold decision. It chose to directly target TL. This was not a reckless gamble. It was a calculated decision based on VP’s confidence in early-game engagements and its analysis of how TL was likely to respond. And the strategy worked almost immediately. VP eliminated two TL players in an early engagement, gaining a decisive advantage from the start. From there, VP systematically shut down the routes TL could use to move into the playable area, limiting its opportunities to recover and earn additional points. By neutralizing its closest rival, VP took control of the championship race. In the end, the title belonged to VP.
Looking Ahead
There is still much more to explore when it comes to VP’s winning formula. But with even greater challenges waiting ahead, it would be a shame to reveal every aspect of their strategy just yet.
The predator of 2026 has already conquered PGS. Can VP go one step further and finally lift the PGC trophy it has been chasing? We’ll be watching closely as the predator prepares for its next hunt.
- Jisooboy
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