NTT DOCOMO, INC. (DOCOMO) announced on Thursday, November 5, 2020, that it will enter the e-sports business andbegin operating a new e-sports league in February 2021.
Operating a league featuring popular game titles
DOCOMO announced that it will start operating an e-sports league " PUBG MOBILE JAPAN LEAGUE SEASON 1 " for the globally popular battle royale game " PUBG MOBILE " in February 2021.
The league will be a year-round league with a total prize fund of 300 million yen, in which players who have signed professional contracts will participate.
Currently, corporate team owners are being recruited to participate in the "PUBG MOBILE JAPAN LEAGUE SEASON 1".
For details and to apply, check the team owner recruitment page on the official "PUBG MOBILE JAPAN LEAGUE" website.
| Outline of "PUBG MOBILE JAPAN LEAGUE SEASON 1 | |
| League Management | Organizer: NTT Docomo |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 16 teams (5 or more players per team, up to 7 players can be registered) |
| Match structure | 2-phase system per year
Annual total: 100 matches Match format: SQUAD (16 teams play simultaneously with 4 players per team) |
| Schedule | Phase 1: February 2021 - April 2021
Phase 2: July 2021 - September 2021 |
| Conditions for entry to the World Championships | First half World Championship: Winning team of Phase 1 will participate
World Championships in the second half of the year: The overall winner of the annual season will participate in the World Championships. |
| Prize Money | Total prize money for the season: 300 million yen
Other: In addition to the prize money, all professional players are guaranteed at least 3.5 million yen per year. |
In addition, it was also announced that, in partnership with Riot Games, a tournament for Riot Games' MOBA title "League of Legends " called " League of Legends: Wild Rift " is scheduled to be held.
The event is scheduled to be held in 2021 or later, and will be jointly hosted by DOCOMO and Riot Games.
5G to Boost e-Sports
Due to the recent spread of the new coronavirus, many e-sports events are shifting from offline to online.
DOCOMO will utilize the 5th generation mobile communication system " 5G " to provide a more realistic VR/AR viewing experience and a comfortable playing environment with high-speed, large-capacity communication, thereby boosting the e-sports industry. The company will also provide a comfortable playing environment through high-speed and large-capacity communications.
For more details, please visit NTT DOCOMO's official website.