You Can Now Officially Play Esports for Money in Japan
- New licences put gamers on same footing as pro ball players
- Industry holds first big-money tournament this weekend
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A skinny chain smoker with pale skin, Yota Kachi doesn’t look much like a professional athlete. But this weekend, the 31-year-old will get a chance to become one by playing video games.
Japan will begin the process of legalizing paid esports with a tournament near Tokyo that kicks off Saturday. Hundreds of players, including Kachi, will face off in a two-day competition for more than $300,000 in prizes from game makers including Sony Corp. and Mixi Inc. But the true stakes are even higher: The top few dozen players will get licenses to play in paid video-game competitions in the future.