Do you know the potential of e-sports? We'll tell you everything about the e-sports world that has the world in a frenzy! (Part 2)

"eSports" is short for electronic sports. It refers to competitive computer gaming played individually or in teams. Overseas, fans enthusiastically watch top players compete, much like spectating soccer or baseball. In recent years, tournaments with prize pools exceeding 2.2 billion yen have been held, broadcast on TV, and become popular. This wave is now reaching Japan. This Design Talk features: - Professor Akira Baba, former professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate School and a leading authority on digital game studies - Nobuyuki Umesaki, Representative of the professional gaming team "Detonation Gaming" - Gousuke Yakushijin, a lawyer specializing in the e-sports field - Daichi Nakayama, world champion of the popular fighting game "Tekken" and professional gamer The discussion will be moderated by Seiichiro Kakei of the Japan e-Sports Association. This is the second part of the panel discussion delivering the current state and future vision of esports, which has begun to occupy a corner of global sports marketing.

 

The skill level of professional eSports players is high

Kakei: Next, I'd like to hear about the reality of professional esports players. The professional esports team "Detonation Gaming" has sponsors, right?

Umezaki: Yes, currently 12 companies. In 2014, we had 8 sponsors, but the sponsorship fees from those 8 companies totaled only about 1 million yen per year. However, in 2015, due to increased media exposure, we raised a total of 60 million yen annually, and this year, we have confirmed revenue of around 100 million yen.
We receive requests from sponsors for commercials and video production, but since we lack production expertise, we outsource it. The production companies we hire also haven't worked with professional e-sports players before, so we discuss the production approach each time as we move forward.

Kakei: What about you, Mr. Nakayama?

Nakayama: I have a sponsorship contract with slot machine manufacturer Yamasato. As with the company I was previously contracted with, I wear T-shirts with their company name during matches to promote them.

Kakei: Mr. Nakayama, you won the world championship at the 2015 EVOLUTION fighting game tournament. This is a major event held in Las Vegas, USA, attracting 15,000 participants. How do you feel about being seen as a professional gamer by those around you?

Nakayama: I've won three world championships. When I first won at age 20, even after returning to Japan, no one paid attention. I didn't feel proud of becoming world champion. However, when I won last year, my whole family celebrated, people around me reached out, and I felt the increased attention changed how people view professional gamers.

Kakei: What do you think is necessary to win a major tournament?

Nakayama: I believe the most important thing is not to put pressure on yourself. This is because, once at a world championship, I felt the pressure of "I absolutely have to win" from the support of my family and friends. I only got about 30 minutes of sleep the night before and ended up losing the match. Since then, I've experimented with different ways of thinking to figure out how I can give 100% and win.

And what I arrived at was "just focus solely on the prize money" (laughs). From when I started gaming at 15 until now, I've invested a significant amount of money into gaming. So I tell myself, "I absolutely have to win the prize money to recoup my investment," or "If I win here, I get 3 million yen," and I focus solely on that. That really calms my nerves down (laughs).

Kakei: That's interesting (laughs).
Next, I'd like to ask Professor Baba: What kind of effects do young people experience when they engage in e-sports?

Baba: We're learning that young people's motivation to engage with games is inherently very high. We conducted research incorporating games into high school history classes. We divided classes into three groups: "traditional teacher-led lessons," "lessons where students solved teacher-assigned problems through games," and "lessons solely using history games." Afterward, we investigated how much interest and understanding of history increased, and whether grades improved.

The results showed that interest in history increased the most in the "class that only played history games." However, we also found that while interest increased with games alone, it didn't translate into problem-solving skills. The class that achieved the best academic results was the one where "students solved teacher-assigned problems through games." Unfortunately, the "traditional teacher-led class" actually decreased interest in history.

Kakei: So learning through games is highly effective, isn't it?

Baba: There's also research comparing the physical abilities of "e-sports players" and "ordinary people who rarely play games." The average age of the general public surveyed was a young 22, and while they had high physical abilities, e-sports players still outperformed them in every single category: achievement ability, the power to overcome obstacles and accomplish goals, thinking skills, concentration, and more. So, everyone should play e-sports (laughs).

However, these results don't clarify whether esports players possess these abilities innately or acquired them through training. Unraveling this could lead to significant breakthroughs in player development.
In any case, the abilities of professional e-sports players are incredibly high.

 

What is necessary to establish esports in Japan

Kakei: What kind of future do you envision for eSports, Mr. Yakushijin?

Yakushijin: While I'm not a gamer myself, I've been involved with the eSports world and met several fascinating individuals. Especially the top fighting game players approach their competitions with an attitude that rivals the professional soccer and tennis players I usually interact with. Also, as a lawyer, the process of a new industry and market emerging is incredibly thrilling and interesting. I hope to see a competitive scene emerge that is deeply integrated into society and naturally accepted by everyone, through various challenges while navigating the legal framework.

Kakei: What kind of Japanese e-sports is Mr. Umezaki aiming for?

Umezaki: First, I believe we must aim to become world champions in the most popular titles globally. In that process, we need to create an environment that inspires young people to aspire to become professional esports gamers. I want to see Japan continuously produce players who can earn tens of millions of yen.

Kakei: Indeed, Las Vegas hosts world championships almost every month. Japan should strive to create such an environment quickly. Professor Baba advocates for Japan becoming an "esports powerhouse." What are your thoughts?

Baba: To put it simply, we want to establish eSports as an official sport rooted in society. As Mr. Umezaki mentioned, to produce players who can compete globally, we need to broaden the player base—for instance, by getting children familiar with eSports from a young age.

To achieve that, we need tournaments that players can aspire to compete in. This year, the Japan eSports Association held the Japan Championship, and I hope we can develop this into a tournament that serves as that kind of goal. While various tournaments are held across the country now, many don't last long, partly because game titles quickly go in and out of fashion. Therefore, we also need to establish long-lasting events by defining the disciplines, divisions, and unified rules.

Another issue is the second careers of professional players. We also need to consider what kind of second careers can be designed for them after they retire.

Kakei: Without second careers for players, parents of children would be worried, right? Mr. Umezaki, what kinds of second careers are possible?

Umezaki: After retiring as professional players, some become instructors at vocational schools or work as coaches or managers for the Japanese national team. In Korea, some have started businesses with their prize money, while others work as commentators providing live commentary or analysis during tournaments. I believe the possibilities for second careers will continue to expand in the future.

Nakayama: That's right. I think my playing career will likely end around age 30. Thinking about the future, I'm challenging myself with commentary and analysis work now to hone those skills.

Kakei: Thank you for your time today. The Japan e-Sports Association will continue supporting efforts to ensure esports isn't just a passing trend, but becomes a sustainable sport.

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You can also read the interview here on AdTie!
Planning & Production: Aki Kanahara, Dentsu Inc. Event & Space Design Bureau