Report on the press conference for "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena," one of the largest e-sports facilities in Tokyo, which will open this weekend, April 15!

A press conference and preview of "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena," one of the largest e-sports facilities in Tokyo, which will officially open this weekend, April 15 (Sun.), was held today, April 12 (Thu.).

LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena" is an e-Sports facility opened by Third Wave Corporation, which operates PC parts store "dospara", with the concept of "anyone can casually enjoy PC games". The facility has up to 100 booths equipped with high-end PCs and gaming monitors, as well as live-streaming and distribution facilities. The facility can be used by individuals as well as for large-scale tournaments and events.

At the press conference held today, Thursday, April 12, Ichiro Enomoto, Managing Director of Third Wave Co.

Mr. Enomoto raised the trend of the e-sports industry in Japan, and said, "There are many different industries participating in e-sports in Japan today, but we do not see them as competitors, but rather as friends who will work together to find ways to promote e-sports. With this in mind, we have named this facility LFS, "Looking For Squad" (Let's do it together!). (Let's do it together!). We will listen to our users and think about what we can do together with them to create a large cultural business and market," he said.

Following Mr. Enomoto on stage was Minoru Naganawa, President of E5 esports Works, which operates the LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena.

Mr. Naganawa, who is well versed in PC games and event management, including having participated as a player in the Japanese preliminary round of the WCG 2001 UNREAL TOURNAMENT and organizing Japan's first sponsored LAN party "BIGLAN" in 2005, said, "The origin of e-sports is a 'LAN party' where people bring their own PCs and monitors and enjoy multiplayer games. In the world, a pyramid structure has been established from the bottom up by people who enjoy casual gaming. The number of e-sports players is gradually increasing in Japan, but the denominator is still small. We believe that such places are necessary to expand the e-sports population, just as there are batting centers and baseball fields as places for baseball players to practice," he said. I hope LFS will play a role in expanding the enjoyment of e-sports," he said.


He then went on to explain the facilities of the "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena. The large PC installation area in the center of the facility can accommodate up to 100 high-performance gaming PCs, and the number of PCs and layout can be flexibly changed during events. Each booth is equipped with a high-performance gaming keyboard/mouse and high-end gaming chairs to provide a comfortable playing environment.

A stage with a large screen is permanently set up in the back center of the facility. Sound, lighting, and distribution equipment are also available, making it easy to hold and distribute gaming events without bringing in equipment. In addition, soundproofed "box-type player seats" are available on either side of the stage for use during events and competitions, making it suitable for full-scale e-sports tournaments.

Finally, Mr. Naganawa mentioned business hours and fees. He announced that the hours of operation would be from 14:00 to 22:00, and the fees would be 1,000 yen (including tax) for 3 hours and 2,000 yen (including tax) for 7 hours.


Next to take the stage after Mr. Naganawa's introduction was Akihito Furusawa, Representative Director of RIZeST Corporation, which operates the "e-sports SQUARE" e-sports facility in Akihabara, Tokyo, as well as planning and managing gaming events.

Mr. Furusawa picked up three points as the attraction of "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena": location, infrastructure, and staff.

First, he mentioned the Ikebukuro location, saying, "This is an area in Tokyo that is easily accessible and attracts many people. I think it is the right place to introduce a new e-sports culture," he commented.

Next, he mentioned the power supply and Internet connection. When you gather several hundred high-spec PCs, power supply is very important. We have used various facilities in Tokyo for events, and they usually require power supply work (laughs). (laughs) But the power supply at LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena is perfect. Furthermore, there are multiple Internet lines provided by different providers, so even if there is a problem with one of the lines, the tournament can be held without a hitch. Furthermore, the ancillary facilities are also well-equipped, and the ability to pull power and cables needed for the tournament from anywhere is a big attraction," he said, praising the extensive facilities from his perspective as an operator of gaming events.

As a third attraction, he pointed out that many of the staff members involved with the "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena" are genuine gamers. They have a strong desire to improve the industry, and they are very good at connecting with the community. At the LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena, you can do whatever you want to do with games, and as e-sports is gaining momentum, we would like to actively utilize the LFS as a playground to promote e-sports," he said.


The talk session that followed featured Mr. Mizuiro, editor-in-chief of esports media "GAMESTAR," Mr. ShoboSuke, an official partner of the PC game "PUBG" and a play-by-play commentator for Japan's largest community tournament "DONCUP," and Mr. ShoboSuke, a member of the pro-gaming team "CYCLOPS athlete gaming. ShoboSuke, an official partner of the PC game "PUBG" and a play-by-play commentator for Japan's largest community tournament "DONCUP," ShoboSuke, an official partner of the PC game "PUBG," and Reelbert, head coach of the "League of Legends" division of the pro-gaming team "Rascal Jester," took the stage.


When asked about his impression of the "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena," Mizuiro replied, "It is wonderful to be able to play in this large venue. ShoboSuke added, "The 100 computers, devices, and chairs are amazing. The caster seats also make it easy for us to provide the audience with entertaining play-by-play commentary without giving the players too much information.


Mr. nazomen added, "As a player, I have a longing for a soundproof booth, so I personally think the most valuable thing about LFS is that you can play games in a soundproof booth. So Mr. Riehlert, who actually entered the soundproof booth, seemed satisfied, saying, "I feel that the facilities are well equipped to help me concentrate.


When asked how he would like to use the "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena" in the future, Mr. nazomen, the director of the Osaka-based professional gaming team "CYCLOPS athlete gaming," replied, "Offline tournaments are often held in Tokyo, and when I arrive the day before, where to practice becomes a problem. It's a problem where to practice when we arrive the day before. We are very grateful to have an easy-to-use place to practice," he said, adding that he hopes to use it as a practice site for his expeditions. Mr. Lilleveld concluded the talk session by stating that he would like to use the facility not only as a training site but also as a place for communication, saying, "By having practice matches in the same environment as your opponents and communicating with them as well, I think it will be easier to improve your level.


The "LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena" will officially open this weekend, April 15 (Sun.). If you are interested in playing PC games in the best environment, why not come and visit?

Facility Information
LFS Ikebukuro esports Arena
Open: April 15 (Sun.), 2018 from 14:00
Opening hours: 14:00-22:00 (for the time being), scheduled to shift to 24 hours.
Fee: 1000 yen (tax included) for 3 hours, 2000 yen (tax included) for 7 hours *350 yen (tax included) for each additional hour
Capacity: 100 people
・Address: D-BOX Building, B1F, 1-43-6 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Food and Beverage: Vending machines for drinks are available in the facility (for a fee), but you are not allowed to bring your own food and beverages.
　Catering service is available for events.

＜Equipment Features
Up to 100 high-performance gaming PCs GALLERIA GAMEMASTER are available.
When the room is reserved for a private event, as many PCs can be installed as needed.
Permanent stage
Four 70-inch projectors and a 140-inch projector are set up behind the stage.
Box-type seats for players, which are required for full-scale e-sports tournaments
Soundproofed player booths to reduce noise and cheers from the audience and to prevent opposing teams from hearing the team's tactics.
A fully equipped network environment for e-sports competitions, as well as sound and lighting equipment.
Live commentary booth for real-time online streaming of the event