Team Orangutan’s dream run hit a roadblock at the PMGC 2025 Gauntlet stage in Thailand. The Indian squad finished 10th with 65 points across 18 matches, falling short of the top-seven cutoff needed for direct Grand Finals qualification. They’ll now regroup and compete in the Group Stage alongside eight other teams who couldn’t seal the deal at the Gauntlet.
Orangutan to Play PMGC 2025 Group Stage After Missing Grand Finals Qualification Through Gauntlet
Day 1 looked promising. Orangutan sat comfortably in fourth place with 43 points, showing exactly why they dominated the BMSD 2025 and BGMI Showdown back home. AKOP led the charge with eight eliminations, while the rest of the roster contributed to a balanced team performance that had Indian fans believing.
Then Day 2 happened. The wheels came off spectacularly as Orangutan struggled across all six matches, managing just 22 points for the entire day. What started as a nightmare turned into a reality check. This wasn’t the regional circuit anymore. ThunderTalk Gaming, R8 Esports, and Kara Esports pulled away at the top while Orangutan scrambled to stay relevant.
Day 3 brought some fight back into Orangutan’s game, but the damage was already done. The squad put up 31 points, bringing their tournament total to 96 points. AKOP delivered a clutch 1v3 against GS Esports that had Indian fans on their feet. But individual heroics couldn’t overcome the Day 2 collapse. They finished 10th overall. The math was simple. They needed multiple chicken dinners and couldn’t deliver under pressure.
What Went Wrong at The Gauntlet
The Gauntlet format doesn’t forgive mistakes. Sixteen teams battling over three days for seven Grand Finals spots means every match carries massive weight. Orangutan couldn’t maintain their Day 1 momentum, and inconsistent performances across Erangel and Miramar cost them dearly.
R8 Esports topped the final standings with 138 points, followed by ThunderTalk Gaming at 135 and Kara Esports at 112. The gap between seventh place and Orangutan’s 10th-place finish wasn’t insurmountable, but the pressure got to them when it mattered most.
Also read: Indian Teams Can Finally Use Their Flag in PMGC 2025
PMGC 2025 Group Stage: Second Chance at Glory
The journey isn’t over. Orangutan now enters the PMGC 2025 Group Stage scheduled for late November, where 32 teams will fight for six direct Grand Finals slots and 16 Last Chance Qualifier spots. The format splits teams into two groups of 16, with each playing 18 matches.
This is still Aaru and company’s first international PUBG Mobile event. The learning curve is steep, but they’ve got the talent to bounce back. Indian fans showed up big time during PMWC 2025, breaking viewership records. Now Orangutan needs to repay that faith with performances that match the hype.