16 eSports Titles! Famous eSports titles with their genres, prize money, and competitions!

eSports" is a video game competition that has been gaining recognition since the 2010's. In 2018, "eSports" won the New Word of the Year award, and it is said that this was the first year of eSports in Japan. It is expected to become an official event of the Olympic Games in 2024. So, what kind of sport is e-sports? What kind of games can be considered e-sports? In this issue, we will explain the answer, and introduce popular genres of e-sports and famous tournaments for each game! Let's take a look at this and try to understand more about e-sports! As of January 2023

Table of Contents
What kind of sport is e-sports?
What is the population of e-sports?
eSports governing bodies and leagues
What are the requirements for e-sports titles?
Main game genres chosen for e-sports
How to become an e-sports professional
Famous players in Japan and around the world!
Introduction of e-sports titles by genre!

e-sports competition management organizations and leagues


As of 2022, there are a number of e-sports organizations and leagues in Japan, each of which is promoting the e-sports industry in various ways, such as organizing tournaments and events, public service, and education.
Let us introduce some of the major organizations.

Japan e-Sports Union (JeSU)

This organization contributes to social and economic development through the promotion of e-sports in Japan. Members include major video game companies, TV stations, and various other companies. It operates events such as official tournaments of game companies for "Street Fighter V Champion Edition," "Puyopuyo," "TEPPEN," etc. and conducts activities aimed at fostering e-sports players and expanding the number of competitors.

Japan esports promotion association

An organization that aims to promote e-sports in Japan by utilizing the educational know-how of e-sports human resource development cultivated overseas over many years, and at the same time, to connect overseas e-sports organizations with Japanese routes.

In addition to serving as the official contact point in Japan for the "CHINAJOY CUP" e-sports tournament held at "China Joy," one of Asia's largest offline events, the organization promotes the activities of international professional team clubs and supports collaboration, education and activities with club teams around the world.

Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)

The e-sports division of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), which oversees professional baseball. The NPB organizes the "NBA eSports Series" in cooperation with 12 professional baseball teams, aiming at the development of sports culture as a whole, not limited to baseball, so that a wide range of people can enjoy the series with ease.


The 12 professional baseball teams draft professional gamers, and pennant races are held in the Central League and Pacific League, just like in actual professional baseball. The program is unique.

Japan High School eSports Federation (JHSEF)

This organization aims to raise awareness of the educational value of e-sports and contribute to the growth of high school students through e-sports. Its main activities include supporting the establishment and activities of e-sports clubs and organizing championships and regional tournaments.


The National High School eSports Championships are held under the auspices of the organization, with three titles selected: "Rocket League," "League of Legends," and "Fortnite. To date, more than 5,000 high school students have participated in the tournament.

NTTe-Sports

A group company of the Japanese telecommunications company NTT, NTTe-Sports is engaged in community revitalization projects using e-sports, and is more closely tied to the community than other organizations.


In addition to organizing and managing one of the largest arcade game tournaments in Japan, "Toushin Matsuri," and serving as an organizer of the "CAPCOM Pro Tour" organized by Capcom in Japan, NTTe-Sports also conducts educational and nursing care activities utilizing e-sports in various regions of Japan, including the establishment of "e-Sports High School," a school specializing in e-sports One of his activities is to support the establishment and operation of "eSports High School", a school specializing in eSports.


All Japan eSports Association for Youth/Gameic

This organization was established to promote e-sports activities in Japan, starting with the younger generation, and to create new entertainment, employment, and opportunities in Japan.


It provides "EventPark," a service that can handle everything from holding community tournaments to monetization, and promotes the excellence of e-sports through community development on its platform and by hosting and sponsoring charity tournaments.


For JeSU-approved conditions

  • 1,Game content must include competitive elements (competitive nature)
  • 2,The game must have been operated and sold for at least three months (operational performance)
  • 3,There must be a plan to continue to operate the tournament as an e-sport (continuation of the tournament)
  • 4,The tournament must be recognized as an entertainment event as an e-sport (entertainment value).

As long as the above conditions are met in compliance with the laws and regulations, major tournaments are allowed to be held in Japan as official games of JeSU.


For organizations and leagues other than JeSU, each organization has different competition titles, prize money, and participation conditions. There are also leagues and tournaments organized by corporations. For details, please refer to each organization's website.

Main game genres selected for e-sports


The following is a list of game genres that are currently being played as e-sports events.

MOBA

MOBA is an acronym for "Multiplayer Online Battle Arena," a game genre in which players are divided into two teams and control unique characters with their own abilities to destroy the enemy's base. In the early stages of the game, players individually defeat enemies, collect money and experience, and purchase equipment to strengthen themselves. In the latter half of the game, the main focus is on team play, and the main flow of the game is to clash violently with the opposing team. The group battle at the end of the game is the most exciting part of the tournament.

FPS

Abbreviated name for "first-person shooter. A shooting game that is played from the perspective of the player's character. There are many variations of the game, including those that reproduce combat with extreme realism and those that develop with sporty movements. In recent years, those with more emphasis on team play have become more popular, and coordinated play within teams is a major highlight of the competition.

Battle Royale Games

A general term for a type of game that starts with a large group of 50~100 players and decides a single winner who survives to the end. There are many FPS-style and TPS-style (third-person shooter) games, and many of them are free to play, so they are recommended for those who want to start shooting games easily. It is recommended for those who want to start playing shooting games casually. In competitions, the point is not only to defeat the enemy but also to survive for a long time. Unlike normal play, where the number of players gradually decreases as time passes, at the end of the game, the remaining teams start fighting at once, and the venue is filled with excitement!

Fighting Games

Action games in which players fight one-on-one, such as "Street Fighter" and "Tekken". Because of their long history as a game genre, they are often said to be difficult for beginners due to their complex controls and large number of commands, but in recent years, there have been new titles with systems that have been adjusted to make them easier for beginners to play, and new titles that are easy to play. The genre is also known for producing many Japanese players who are active on the world stage.

RTS

RTS is an abbreviation for "real-time strategy," a genre of strategy games. A type of strategy game in which time always progresses in real time, unlike games in which the battle situation changes in turns. In professional tournaments, you can enjoy washed-up play and games that develop at a fast pace.

Card Match-up Games

Trading card games such as "Yu-Gi-Oh!" and "Duel Masters" that can be played digitally. They are mainly referred to as "digital card games. In recent years, these games have been attracting more attention than real card games, and some titles have come out with flashy presentations and interesting battles that can only be played digitally. At tournaments, there are not a few scenes of great excitement with unexpected developments.

Famous players active in Japan and around the world!


Let us introduce you to some of the most famous players who are active in the world of e-sports, both in Japan and abroad!

Domestic Players

Tokido

Tokido is a "Street Fighter V Champion Edition" player who graduated from the University of Tokyo. He has been active in world tournaments, including the world's largest fighting game tournament "EVO2017," where he won the "Street Fighter V" division with over 2,000 participants. In recent years, he has not only participated in tournaments as a professional gamer, but has also been active in raising the profile of professional gamers among the public through TV and other media appearances.


Evi

Evi is a "League of Legends" player who is a member of the "DetonatioN Focus Me" professional gaming team. He is one of the best players in Korea, the home of League of Legends, and has reached the highest rank on the Korean servers. In addition to his success in the domestic league, he has participated in the world championships three times. His excellent play and his often mischievous appearance are so popular that he has been featured overseas as well.


Fugu Players

Shadowverse (Shadowverse) player who belongs to Yoshimoto Gaming, a professional gaming team run by Yoshimoto Kogyo. He has been active as a professional gamer since winning the "Famitsu Cup 2017" when he was a university student. As the winner of the world tournament "Shadowverse World Grand Prix 2018", he won the prize money of 1 million dollars (about 110 million yen). Currently, he is active as a distributor and also actively participates in tournaments as a professional gamer.

International Players

Imperial Hal

Apex Legends" player who plays for Team SoloMid (TSM), a leading international e-sports team. As the leader of the team in the game, he is considered to be one of the strongest players in the world, and his popularity is solid, as he is ranked number one in the game's prize money ranking. His calm and brilliant play is captivating to watch.


Faker

Faker is a "League of Legends" player who belongs to the Korean professional gaming team "T1. He has been a member of T1 since 2013, and is a veteran professional gamer who has established a solid position as a representative of T1 and as a professional gamer. He is a veteran professional gamer.

© 2022 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, the EA logo, Respawn, the Respawn logo, and Apex Legends are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc.

A battle royale game by EA, which sells the "Battlefield" series and other titles. The prize money for the "Apex Legends Global Series Year 3" world tournament held in 2022 totaled 5 million dollars. The competitions in Japan are also very exciting, with tournaments such as the "FFL APEX LEGENDS" where players can compete against top professionals from around the world, and amateur tournaments such as the "APEX LEGENDS CHALLENGERS CUP," which is limited to students.

A thorough guide to "Apex Legends," from downloading to strategy!

Fortnite

© 2022, Epic Games, Inc.

Epic Games' popular battle royale TPS is extremely popular with both children and adults, and the competitions are also very exciting: the Fortnite World Cup, the official world tournament held in 2019, has a total prize pool of $30 million, with the first prize of $3 million, making it one of the largest in the Battlow genre. The competition is one of the largest of its kind in the Battrova genre. Competitions are also held in Japan, with the "GameWithCup featuring Fortnite" hosted by Gamewith in 2022, with a prize of 1 million yen for the winner. Many popular YouTubers and influencers have also appeared at the tournament, making it a glamorous affair.

Techniques for long survival in "Fortnite" for game newbies.

PUBG MOBILE

© 2022 KRAFTON, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A smartphone version of "PUBG:BATTLEGROUNDS" operated by KRAFTON. Although it is a smartphone game, it supports a vast field and numerous weapons, and the quality is among the best in smartphone games. The game is also immensely popular in Japan, and the total prize money for the 2022 season of the Japanese professional league "PUBG MOBILE JAPAN LEAGUE" is 300 million yen, one of the highest prize money amounts for a domestic tournament. The winner of the Japan League will be qualified to participate in the world championship "PUBG MOBILE GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP" and will be able to enter the fierce battle for the first prize of 4 million dollars.

KNIVES OUT

Quoted from Google Play Store
© 2017 NetEase, Inc. All rights Reserved

A battle royale TPS operated by China's NetEase, this game is highly popular in Japan as the pioneer of battle royale games on smartphones and has been collaborating with many popular anime such as "One Piece" and "Jujutsu Kaisen". In addition, the official domestic tournament "Wilderness CHAMPIONSHIP" held in 2022 has a total prize money of 100 million yen, but is open to amateurs as well.



MOBA

Dota2

Reference: Official website
Corporation. 2022 Valve Corporation, all rights reserved.

This title is managed by Valve, the creator of the "Steam" gaming platform, and has an overwhelmingly high level of strategy among MOBA titles, always showing a variety of game developments. The game's most distinctive feature is its high tournament prize money. The official world tournament "The International" held in 2021 has the largest prize money in the e-sports market, with a total prize fund of 40 million dollars and a first prize of 18 million dollars.

Legendary Showdown -Arena of Valor-.

Quoted from: My Nintendo Store
© 2016-2017 PROXIMA BETA PTE LIMITED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

A title operated by China's Tencent, currently being developed for smartphones and Nintendo Switch. Despite being a smartphone game, it is a title that has gained popularity with its abundance of over 100 characters. The total prize money for the world tournament "Arena of Valor International Championship 2022" is 2 million dollars.



FPS

Overwatch 2

© 2022 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

A team FPS title by Blizzard Entertainment. A team-oriented game in which players form teams of five characters with abilities called "heroes" and aim for victory. In the 2021 season of the "Overwatch League," an official e-sports event in the previous "Overwatch" title, the team was able to actively support their team in the game by holding a tournament with a total prize pool of $4.25 million and a first prize of $1.5 million. We look forward to seeing what kind of competitions will be held in the new "Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2": An in-depth look at the four elements that make this title so appealing!

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Reference: Steam store page
©2018 Valve Corporation

A popular FPS title from Valve, the developer of "Dota2", which has been loved for more than 10 years since its release in 2012, and is still at the forefront of the e-sports scene. 2 million dollars, one of the highest prize money among games that have been in operation for many years.

Rainbow Six Siege

©2022 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Tom Clancy's, Rainbow Six, The Soldier Icon, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are Tom Clancy's, Rainbow Six, The Soldier Icon, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries.

A tactical FPS from Ubisoft ("Assassin's Creed" and "Watch Dogs"), this title has a more hardcore impression than other FPS titles, but its tactical nature has made it a big hit at tournaments. In the official tournament "Six Invitational 2019," hotly contested battles were fought for a total prize pool of 2 million dollars and a first prize of 800,000 dollars.



■Competitive Fighting

Street Fighter V Champion Edition

©CAPCOM CO., LTD. 2016, 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The latest title in Capcom's popular "Street Fighter" fighting game series. The series is very popular all over the world, and many tournaments are held both in Japan and abroad. In Japan, the most famous tournament is the "Street Fighter League," where in the 2022 season, popular gaming players such as Tokido and Umehara will battle it out for the 5 million yen prize money. In addition, the "Street Fighter V Champion Edition Japan Open," a JeSU-approved tournament, is open to both professional and amateur players. The event actively assists players who want to become professional gamers by issuing professional licenses to those who perform well.

Guilty Gear: Strive

© ARC SYSTEM WORKS

The latest title in the "Guilty Gear" series by Arc System Works. This popular fighting game has been made easier for beginners to get into with major changes to the formerly complex battle system and the addition of attractive characters. The world tournament "ARC WORLD TOUR 2022" offers a total prize money of $200,000, which is quite large for a fighting game tournament. In 2022, the official online tournament "ARCREVO" will be held with a prize money of 1 million yen and a professional license, and amateurs can also participate.



RTS

Clash Royale

A smartphone RTS game operated by the Finnish game company Supercell, in which players summon units and destroy their opponent's towers while defending their own towers, the game is popular in Japan because of its simplicity. In 2021, a Japanese player, Mugi, defeated professional gamers from various countries to win the "Claroix League World Championship," winning a prize of $200,000, which became a major topic of conversation. Another attraction of the "KURAROWA League" is that even amateurs can easily participate.

Starcraft 2

Reference: Official website
©2022 BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This is an RTS game managed by Blizzard Entertainment, the company behind "Overwatch" and a veteran title that has been hosting large-scale tournaments since the dawn of e-sports. It is a hardcore one that depicts the battle between humans and aliens, and has been played by many players since its launch in 2010, finally becoming free-to-play in 2017.The "World Championship Series" started in 2012, and the total prize money amounted to 2 million dollars in 2019.

■ Card games

Hearthstone.

Quoted from Google Play Store
©2022 BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

One of the first digital card games set in the world of Blizzard Entertainment's popular "Warcraft" series. The game's humorous characters and high strategic quality are of the highest quality among digital card games. glory, a Japanese player, won the "2020 Hearthstone World Championship" in 2020, winning the first prize of $200,000. The following year, Japanese player Posesi won the 2021 Hearthstone World Championship. In Japan, an official tournament called "Hearthstone JAPAN CUP" is held every season, and anyone with Japanese citizenship can participate.

Shadowverse

Reference: Official website © Cygames, Inc.

A card game by Cygames, the company behind "Granblue Fantasy". The game, with its high visual quality and easy-to-play, yet gripping battles, is one of the most popular digital card games in Japan, and has even been made into an animated TV series. The Shadowverse World Grand Prix 2021, an official world tournament held in Japan, has become one of the largest card game tournaments in Japan, with a total prize money of 280 million yen and a first prize of 150 million yen.

Magic: The Gathering Arena

Quoted from Google Play Store
© 1995-2021 WIZARDS OF THE COAST LLC, A SUBSIDIARY OF HASBRO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A digital card game version of "Magic: The Gathering," the original trading card game. While the game can be played on a smartphone, the playing experience is almost the same as a real card game. In recent years, the game has attracted a great deal of attention in Japan through collaborations with the "Godzilla" movie series. In recent years, many tournaments using the "MTG Arena" have been held in place of real card game tournaments. In Japan, a tournament called "Magic: The Gathering Japan Open," in which even amateurs can participate, was held in the 2022 season, with a prize money of 500,000 yen for the winner. In the invitation-only tournament, a world tournament with a prize money of $30,000 and a total prize money of $200,000 will be held in September 2022, and will be held regularly in the future.

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