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JeSU Details Plans to Unite Japan's e-Sports Industry
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
The Japan esports Union (JeSU) was unveiled at a press conference at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo on Thursday. Sega Holdings president and Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) president Hideki Okamura appeared at the event as representative director. Okamura said that the e-sports audience is expected to grow to 500 million by 2020, and JeSU will be a "big step contributing to the development of the new industry."
CESA and Japan Online Game Association (JOGA) first revealed the union with the e-sports organizations Japan eSports Association (JeSPA), eSports Promotion Organization, and Japan eSports Federation (JeSF) in September. The group of five affiliated organizations then announced in December that the three e-sports organizations would be "completely integrated" by early this spring. (Spring is traditionally considered in Japan to begin with the Setsubun holiday on February 3.)
In addition to CESA and JOGA, JeSU is receiving support from Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association (JAMMA) and Association of Media in Digital (AMD). The new organization will hold e-sports tournaments with monetary prizes and issue licenses for professional gamers in Japan. JeSU aims to develop and spread the industry and elevate the social standing of professional gamers.
Specifically, the organization outlined several goals: to conduct research related to the rise of e-sports, to spread e-sports tournaments, to issue professional licenses and authorize tournaments, to support gamers' training and elevate their social status, and to coordinate between related offices.
The newly established organization will issue licenses to "high-level players meeting the skill requirements," and they will confer titles that will be valid for a period of two years. Gamers who have participated in past competitions may also be eligible to receive licenses with the recommendation and approval of game publishers. Junior professional licenses will be available for players between the ages of 13 and 15 years, but junior pro gamers will not be able to receive monetary prizes.
JeSU is collaborating with Dwango Co., Ltd. and Gz Brain Inc to co-host the Tokaigi 2018 gaming event, which will be held jointly with Japan Amusement Expo (JAEPO) at Chiba's Makuhari Messe convention center on February 10-11. The event will mark the first issuance of professional licenses for gamers in Japan. The licenses will be issued for the Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 (Winning Eleven 2018), Call of Duty: WWII, Street Fighter 5 Arcade Edition, Tekken 7, Puzzle & Dragons, and Monster Strike games.
The license system is a way for the professional gaming industry to comply with existing Japanese laws that limit awarding large amounts of prize money. The same laws also regulate the gambling industry in Japan.
Some professional gamers previously criticized the new collective organization. Professional gamer and Shinobism co-founder Yūsuke "Momochi" Momochi believes the system is potentially unfair and unilaterally defines what it means to be a professional gamer. He thinks the new system creates a disconnect between gamers with first-hand involvement in the world of professional gaming and people in positions of power who can potentially dictate important decisions affecting those players.
Source: ITmedia (Masumi Murakami)
