Break Down the Barriers of eSports! Aiming for Content That Inspires All Generations

This series introduces the efforts of employees challenging new frontiers at Dentsu Inc.'s Content Business Design Center (CBDC), which handles the company's content business. In the third installment, Genki Kanahara introduces the center's approach to the "eSports" business.

"STAGE:0" – Discovering New Young Talent

Hello, I'm Genki Kanahara from CBDC. The term "eSports" has become increasingly common lately. Rather than simply riding the trend, we're seeing a rapid increase in opportunities where various clients consult us about eSports as a new business stage requiring a medium-to-long-term perspective. We've been focusing on the potential of eSports for about two years now and have undertaken various initiatives.
 
Esports, as a competitive activity accessible regardless of gender or national borders, is estimated to have approximately 380 million spectators and fans worldwide (2018 ※1). Meanwhile, despite Japan being a gaming powerhouse, its market size accounts for only about 2% of the global total, and very few Japanese players compete at the world level. Similar to figure skating or table tennis, an environment is needed where new star athletes emerge continuously from the younger generation and can take flight onto the world stage.

※1
newzoo 2018 GLOBAL ESPORTS MARKET REPORT

( https://asociacionempresarialesports.es/wp-content/uploads/newzoo_2018_global_esports_market_report_excerpt.pdf)

Thus, "STAGE:0" was launched with the slogan "You still don't know your true brain power." Its goal is to become Japan's largest esports "Koshien" (national championship), discovering talented high school students nationwide and nurturing them into professional gamers who can compete at the world level.

Starting last June, regional tournaments were held across seven blocks (Hokkaido/Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku/Shikoku, Kyushu/Okinawa). The finals took place at Maihama Amphitheater on August 14th and 15th. In total, 1,475 schools, 1,780 teams, and 4,716 high school students participated nationwide. The finals were also live-streamed, recording a total of 1.36 million video viewers over the two days (※2).

※2
Total viewers on Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube during the finals, as of August 15, 2019.

The sight of high school students working together with their teammates to aim for victory was truly inspiring. The sense of unity, where the venue erupted in cheers whenever a spectacular play occurred, made us feel the birth of a new sports culture.

We received numerous positive comments from the participating high school students' families and school teachers, such as: "We were surprised it was such a large-scale tournament," "We were moved seeing the children seriously aiming for the top with their teammates," "We want to honor them at school," and "We want to continue supporting them."

A few days after the tournament, TV Tokyo aired a nearly two-hour special during prime time—the first ever for an esports event. On social media, viewers shared reactions like "I discovered the appeal of esports" and "I want to try it myself" after watching the program.

Furthermore, an image posted on social media by a high school student who placed second in the Fortnite division—showing a banner celebrating their runner-up finish displayed at their school—became a hot topic.

These individual movements are catching the attention of not just middle and high school students, but also adults. They are changing perceptions of esports and growing it into content that resonates with a wider audience. STAGE:0, which clearly identified these budding trends, was undoubtedly a highly significant tournament.

The Reason We Could Create a One-of-a-Kind Tournament at Breakneck Speed

The key factor in realizing this large-scale tournament in less than a year from conception was forming the "ultimate organizing committee."

Within Dentsu Inc., we brought together members from various specialized departments across the company, gathering specialists in their respective fields.

As external partners who shared the vision, we formed an executive committee with TV Tokyo, who co-launched the first-ever prime-time eSports program on terrestrial TV, "Ariyoshi eeeee! ~Hey! Wanna Play a Game at Your Place Right Now?" We also secured local broadcasters and newspapers in each region as partners to host the regional tournaments.

Beyond this, we were fortunate to connect with top-tier professionals from production companies, operational firms, and various other fields. After organizing this unprecedented executive committee, the actual activities we built upon were all extremely painstaking work.

Centered around our media partners, we conducted grassroots outreach—calling and visiting high schools directly, requesting support and sponsorship from boards of education and local governments—gradually building awareness for the tournament and recruiting participants.

Furthermore, we sustained momentum right up to the event by continuously implementing initiatives: securing promotional support from game publishers who endorsed us, producing special programs on local stations, securing newspaper coverage, and creating content involving influencers.

It was a total war effort, with everyone racing toward their respective missions and goals. Sharing the vision of a packed venue where high school students fiercely competed at its center, we pushed through and ultimately succeeded in holding the tournament despite the short preparation period.

Our next challenge: Creating heroes who shine on the global stage

In the summer of 2018, Dentsu Inc. was appointed as the dedicated marketing agency for the Japan e-Sports Union (JeSU), becoming a partner.

Leveraging Dentsu Inc.'s extensive resources, including its cultivated sports business expertise and media networks, we are building the framework for the promotion and development of Japanese eSports from the ground up. This includes creating JeSU's sponsorship program, handling sponsor sales, and launching eSports programming.

In August 2019, we launched a joint venture with Singapore's ONE Championship, a mixed martial arts organization immensely popular among Asia's youth, initiating a project to build an esports network across all of Asia. We are promoting esports as a cross-regional initiative spanning the Dentsu Group's global locations.

Our next goal is to create a platform that more powerfully embodies the concept of "creating heroes who shine on the global stage." Simultaneously, we aim to gradually broaden the audience for esports, elevate its social standing, and establish it as a cultural phenomenon.

Moving forward, we will certainly challenge ourselves with the second "STAGE:0," but we also plan to pursue new esports ventures both domestically and internationally. We will do this by leveraging our strength in engaging numerous partners.