Nexon's THE FINALS: 'KingZero' Wins First Cycle of Global Esports APAC League

Source: Nexon

더 파이널스 THE FINALS® — THE FINALS image ©Nexon

Nexon announced on the 1st that the Chinese team 'KingZero' won the first cycle of the Asia-Pacific regional league for the Grand Major Online Series, the global esports tournament for the team-based first-person shooter THE FINALS, developed by its subsidiary Embark Studios.

The Grand Major Online Series is the official esports tournament for THE FINALS, with a total prize pool of $200,000, which was fully reorganized into a global integrated league system last April. It operates across three regions — Asia - Pacific, Americas, and Europe/Middle East/Africa—and uses points earned over four annual cycles to determine which teams qualify for the year-end international tournament, the TGM Grand Finals 2026.

The Top 8 finals for the first Asia-Pacific cycle were broadcast globally on May 30. With commentary by Jang Ji-soo, eight teams competed in a fierce battle: South Korea's Hybu and Ace Skirmisher; China's KingZero, DRG, and 4AM; Japan's Mame; the South Korea-Australia joint team Cotton; and Australia's Weekend at Bernie's.

In the first round, Cotton secured a direct spot in the finals by defeating DRG with stable gameplay centered on the Winch Claw. In the subsequent winner's bracket match, DRG utilized a Heavy - Medium - Light composition to demonstrate superior engagement sustainability on the SYS$HORIZON map, defeating Mame's Heavy-Light-Light setup to join the finals. Following two additional rounds, KingZero and Hybu also secured their spots in the finals.

The first match of the finals took place at Fortune Stadium, featuring Cotton, DRG, KingZero, and Hybu. From the start, DRG and KingZero displayed exceptional gameplay, advancing to the next match with only a $1k difference between them. Later, KingZero's player 'UQI' successfully flanked DRG while playing the Light position, shifting the momentum, while 'Agan' secured the victory with outstanding movement and survivability, leading KingZero to lift the final championship trophy.

As the winner, KingZero earned 100 points toward qualifying for the TGM Grand Finals 2026 at the end of the year, along with a $2000 prize. The runner-up, DRG, received 75 points and $1,000, while Cotton and Hybu were also awarded points and prize money based on their respective rankings. Additionally, a successful 'Drops' event was held, offering Naver Pay vouchers to fans who watched the matches for a certain duration via the official Korean broadcast channels, Chzzk and SOOP.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated with the help of NC AI. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. [Read Original]