Vietnam's Team Flash reaches PUBG Global Series 11 finals amid fallout from controversial Himass, TanVuu bans

Team Flash is the only Vietnamese representative to reach the grand finals of the prestigious tournament organized by South Korean game publisher Krafton.

Team Flash narrowly secures finals berth

Team Flash finished eighth among 16 teams in the Survival Stage, collecting 27 points across five matches to claim the final qualifying spot.

The Vietnamese squad edged out Thailand's Made in Thailand by just one point, while two other Vietnamese teams, Anyone's Legend and Alpha Gaming, were eliminated after finishing 11th and 12th with 25 and 23 points, respectively.

A crucial victory came in the second match on the Miramar map, where Team Flash secured seven kills and earned 17 points, giving the squad a decisive boost in its bid to qualify.

Several established teams, including 17Gaming, TYLOO, and Twisted Minds, failed to advance.

Team Flash's unlikely path to PGS 11

Team Flash had initially failed to qualify for PGS Circuit 4, a series of three tournaments – PGS 10, PGS 11, and PGS 12 – taking place in China from October 14 to November 1.

However, its fortunes changed following a controversy that rocked Vietnam's PUBG esports community in September.

On September 23, South Korean game publisher Krafton imposed lifetime bans on Vietnamese players La Phuong Tien Dat, known as Himass, and Tran Tan Vu, known as TanVuu, over allegations of using outside information during the PUBG Asia Stars 2026 exhibition tournament.

The case stemmed from accusations by South Korean streamer Soopi that the two players had watched a live stream to gain information about their opponents.

Krafton concluded that both players had used information from outside the game for tactical purposes and permanently barred them from official PUBG competitions.

The decision sparked widespread criticism among esports fans and players in Vietnam, Thailand, and China, many of whom considered the penalties excessively harsh.

The backlash intensified after Krafton acknowledged shortcomings in how the tournament had been organized and its rules communicated.

Following the ruling, Himass announced his retirement, while GAM The Expendables, whose roster included TanVuu, announced on September 25 that it would cease PUBG operations.

The team's withdrawal was particularly significant as it had won PUBG Global Championship 2024, the game's most prestigious international tournament.

Its departure left a vacant spot in PGS Circuit 4.

On October 12, Krafton selected Team Flash to fill the vacancy based on its performance at PUBG Vietnam Series 2026 Phase 1.

The team therefore secured its place through the tournament's replacement selection process rather than receiving a special invitation because of the bans.

Since then, Team Flash has reached the grand finals of both PGS 10 and PGS 11, making the most of an opportunity it had not originally expected.

PGS 11 brings together leading PUBG teams from around the world and offers a total prize pool of US$100,000.

The tournament also awards qualifying points toward PUBG Global Championship 2026, the game's premier international competition.

The PGS 11 grand finals, featuring 16 teams, will conclude on Sunday after two days of competition.

Against the backdrop of controversy and upheaval in Vietnamese PUBG esports, Team Flash's journey from replacement entrant to back-to-back finalist has emerged as a notable achievement for the country's competitive gaming scene.