The "VALORANT Challengers Japan 2023 Split 2" ended with a great fanfare as the winning team was decided to be SCARZ. But we can't stay calm! From June 11, 2023 (Sunday), the " VALORANT Champions Tour 2023: Masters Tokyo " will begin, where the best teams from all over the world will compete to become the best in the world. To commemorate the Masters Tokyo event, a video interview with Keisuke Honda, a former professional soccer player who is now active as a business manager and investor, has been released! It is a must-see video in which Keisuke Honda discusses his thoughts and expectations for e-sports, as well as his investment in the VCT Pacific competing team "Gen.
The video interview with Keisuke Honda is now available!
A video interview with Keisuke Honda (@kskgroup2017) was shown during the special Masters Tokyo countdown program on Monday, June 5, 2023. Keisuke Honda, who has competed on the world stage himself, discusses the similarities and differences between e-sports and soccer, as well as his thoughts on e-sports, based on his own experiences. The following are excerpts from the interview.
- What do you feel about the current state of VCT?
I think the direction VCT is going is very good. I think the most important point is that it involves the younger generation, but I think it would be better if it didn't venture into other areas, and I think that by concentrating on the younger generation, the culture of the younger generation could change significantly. I think there is a good possibility that it will become entertainment.
- About the background of the investment in Gen.G
The background of the deal is that I was originally acquainted with the owner of Gen.G, Kevin Chou. The reason why I invested in Gen.G was because Kevin was the owner. But the reason why I invested in e-sports was because I had a sense that it would be too late to bet on e-sports coming, unless it was definitely at the right time.
- Soccer and eSports. Similarities and differences between professional teams.
The first thing that surprised me was the playing time. (e-sports) are by far the longest. Soccer and other high-intensity sports cannot be played for such a long period of time. In fact, the amount of time we can train in a day is about two hours. Compared to sports such as soccer, I had the impression that the average age of the players was lower, with those around 23, 24, and 25 being rather experienced. I was very surprised by that. That's why in the world of e-sports, the world's top players are in their 20s or late teens. G, I was surprised that there were players younger than soccer players in that age group.
- VCT PACIFIC, in which the Japanese national team competes. Based on my own experience with the Japanese national team, too.
The level of attention was totally different before and after I joined the Japan national team and experienced the World Cup in 2009 or 2010. I was happy because that was what I wanted rather than pressure, and the more attention I received, the more power I had. The more attention I received, the more power I felt, and the more I wanted to live up to the expectations. Of course, there are times when I am disappointed when I don't meet expectations, but I think that is what gives me energy and makes me work harder. I think there are probably some e-sports players who originally played for the love of the game, but before they knew it, they were in a position to be watched. They may say, "I didn't want to play in front of all these people" (laughs). (laugh). It may be difficult to manage such pressure.
- About Masters Tokyo being held in Japan
I hope that e-sports will become even more popular among young people in Japan, and that people like us will be able to put more capital into it. I think that would probably require more dramatic ideas and mechanisms. In that sense, I have never played "valorant" before, but I would like to play it if I have a chance at some point, because I love games.
- About the future of the e-sports industry
The fun of games and the diversity of this era. I think the times are changing. The world is becoming more and more accepting of various things, and games have gone from something that says you can't make money in the future to something where you can make a living from games. I think people underestimate e-sports. Especially the older people get, the more they underestimate it. Personally, I would like to see Gen.G make a difference, and that is why I am investing in Gen.G. I also think that there is a difference in management ability, and that is where we are headed. I have experience in soccer, so I understand that there are many good and bad points in soccer. The bad thing about soccer is that it is a major sport, and people are resting on their laurels. Everyone loves it, right? "Everyone likes it." "It's natural to like it. "Everyone likes it." "It's natural to like it. When in fact, they don't. If they are sitting on their laurels, they will be undermined by the entertainment industry, which is working hard to promote and spread e-sports with great vigor. I strongly believe in the future of e-sports. I certainly don't want to live in a world where there are only games. However, I think that people who stubbornly deny the existence of games are poor people, and I hope that such adults will be defeated. So I think that (e-sports) should be more exciting on an equal footing, and I strongly hope that it will grow steadily.
- Message to VCT fans
The more passionate the supporters are, the more e-sports will grow. In other words, I think that extremely passionate fans are what will make e-sports grow. I hope that they will continue to support e-sports strongly, and I also hope that I can be involved in e-sports from a different angle to make it more exciting for them.