Japanese company TFOA is starting a project to convert vacant buildings into gaming houses. According to ITMedia, this is one of many measures to combat the increase in empty buildings due to Japan’s population decline. This project targets e-sports players since the houses will be equipped with high-performance PCs and speakers. A TFOA manager said, “The sense of immersion will be on another level. We hope it will be a catalyst for the revitalization of all regions of Japan.”
An ITMedia reporter has visited one of these gaming houses in Japan. It’s located on the eighth floor of an apartment building in Tokyo. The entrance features white sliding doors, while the interior is similar to the cockpit of a spaceship.
Numerous LED lights cover the entire room, which is around 16.5 square meters. Already installed in that house is a gaming PC meant for e-sports, which offers higher performance than many people’s regular devices. It has two monitors and high-quality speakers on the table. The whole room is completely designed for playing games.
TFOA is a company in Tokyo that focuses on training e-sports players and managing streamers in Japan. The idea of this project first appeared five years ago, but its details were only recently announced in December 2024.
TFOA CEO Hidekazu Shimazu said that his company wanted to increase awareness of e-sports in Japan since it was much smaller than in other countries. Their goal was to improve professional athletes’ treatment and make the Japanese public see e-sports as a ‘professional sport.’
The company has partnered with Broad Enterprise, which handles real estate renovations and sells high-speed Internet equipment. TFOA claims they can complete renovations in as little as three months after receiving an order. Unlike regular houses, gaming houses use a system called “debt securitization,” which reduces the initial cost to zero for new renters. However, interested people should know that rent will likely be higher than the market rate.
Since there are only around 5,000 professional e-sports players in Japan, gaming houses intend to support residents by giving them special privileges. For professional e-sports players, this includes individual marketing through social media advertising. For amateurs, the company aims to help them join professional teams.
They will even help the renters with their diet to ensure they stay healthy. No qualifications are required to move in, and working adults and other “enthusiasts” who do not aspire to become professionals are also welcome to move in.
