Konami is building its own esports arena in Tokyo

Renowned Japanese video game publisher Konami is currently in the process of building its own 12-story esports arena — called the Konami Creative Center — in Tokyo, Japan.

Despite Japan’s rich history in video games, the country has only left a small footprint on the esports industry compared to other countries. The Konami Creative Center will be one of the first steps that Konami will take to help the Japanese esports scene grow, as well as to better its position in the global esports industry.

Konami is known for producing classic video game series such as Castlevania, Metal Gear, and Pro Evolution Soccer (PES).

“Compared to esports pioneers America and Europe, Japan has still a long way to go. However, looking from another angle, it means Japan has lots of room for growth,” said Kimihiko Higashio, Konami’s president said in a statement at the brick-laying ceremony for the Konami Creative Center.

Aside from functioning as an esports arena, the Konami Creative Center will also serve as a training ground for players, and somewhere they can go to shop or get information about hardware.

Konami said that the building is set to have high-tech sound, lighting, and video equipment that will help keep productions for esports tournaments in the venue high quality.

“The people who participate in esports will in the future, stand side by side with those participating in real-life sports like soccer, or even surpass them. I want to show the world, from here in Ginza, that the appeal of esports will not lose to that of real-life sports,” Higashio added.

This construction of the Konami Creative Center comes alongside the Japanese Esports Union’s push to help the esports scene in Japan make a big leap. The union has been busy trying to get big video game publishers in Japan, like Konami, Capcom, and Sega, more involved in esports.

The Konami Creative Center is on schedule to be completed in November this year, which means it will be a prime location for teams competing in possible esports competitions in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.