Today, we bring you a conversation with two individuals who are leveraging their experience as pro gamers to lead the MD* business “AMICIS”！

About Brave group and Game & Co.

First, let us briefly introduce Brave group, Inc. (“Brave group”) and Game & Co., Inc. (“Game & Co.”).
As of February 26, 2025, Brave group operates more than 30 services and projects across 17 group companies. Among them, Game & Co. advances new businesses in esports and adjacent domains under the vision “for esports 100 years from now,” including CR Gaming School, an online school focused on improving game skills co-run with Crazy Raccoon, CR Fortnite CAMP, a pro-esports experience camp for elementary, junior high, and high school students, and the *MD business “AMICIS.”

Today, we spoke with Morisaka and Omachi, who lead the *MD business “AMICIS” within Game & Co., about how they leverage their careers and experiences as gamers in their work and what they hope to challenge next.

※MD: Short for Merchandising, which means product planning and creation.

Leveraging Every Experience in Gaming

―――― Could you start by telling us how you came to know Game & Co. and the story behind you joining the company?

Morisaka：
I was working as a professional gamer, mainly in the FPS game “VALORANT.” A staff member I knew from that time, who is now involved in the esports business at Game & Co., reached out to me, which is how I learned about the company. They asked me, “Why don’t you try working here and putting your pro gamer experience to use?” and I thought, “There’s no way a deal that good is real!” (laughs). While I had built a career as a gamer, I had absolutely no experience that I could write on a typical resume or C.V. for a job hunt. That’s why I was so skeptical that a company would actually hire someone like me who had only ever been immersed in gaming.

―――― So at first, you thought we were a bit suspicious! (laughs). But afterward, you readily accepted the staff’s invitation and joined CR Gaming School as a coach, right?

Morisaka：
Because I was still somewhat skeptical about the company at the time, I first got involved as a contractor with the esports education program “CR Gaming School,” working as a coach and on the service operations side. After working there for a few months, I realized that an environment where I could use my pro gamer experience “actually exists.” That, combined with an invitation from Director Mr. Kubo, led me to go through the selection process to become a full-time employee.

―――― So your doubts cleared up as you got more involved in the work! That’s a relief! During your interviews, you spoke with CEO Mr. Hoshi and Director Mr. Kubo. What did you talk about?

Morisaka：
I told them that while I didn’t have anything to put on a resume, I had a career completely specialized in gaming. I explained that I wanted to apply the strategic thinking and drive I had cultivated through thousands of hours of practice, official tournaments, and scrims*to the business. I emphasized two points in particular.

First, that my perseverance, stamina, and commitment to winning, all forged as a pro gamer, are second to none. Just because you graduate from a vocational school with a pro gaming curriculum doesn’t guarantee you’ll become a pro. And even if you do, there’s no set formula for success at the highest level. To succeed as a pro, you have to spend thousands of hours playing and continuously honing your skills until you can beat opponents stronger than you. I felt that this perseverance and dedication to victory could be applied to my work at the company.

Second, I highlighted my ability to grit through even the “un-fun” parts of solo practice to deliver results when it counts. To turn “can’t do” into “can do”, I poured thousands of hours into gaming, often sacrificing sleep. I went through tough times, sometimes losing constantly in tournaments and scrims*. By overcoming those painful experiences and continuing to put in the effort, I was ultimately able to perform under pressure and defeat stronger opponents.

I felt this experience would be valuable here. My approach to the esports business I was working on at the time was also well-received, and I just had a gut feeling that “I can make it at Game & Co.”, so I decided to join.

*Scrim: Refers to practice matches held exclusively among professional players.

―――― I see. So you felt you could contribute by applying the experience you gained from your grueling efforts as a pro gamer and your gritty determination to win! Thank you for sharing. Now, Mr. Omachi, could you also tell us your story from discovering the company to joining?

Omachi：
Actually, Brave group’s CEO, Mr. Noguchi had invested in the company I was interning at during my university years, which operated food services like corporate cafeterias. As part of providing that service, I had many opportunities to visit the Brave group office. That’s how I became interested in Brave group, and particularly in Game & Co., which runs the esports business.

―――― I remember you delivering lunches to our office back then! What was it about the esports business and our company that interested you in the first place?

Omachi：
Although I was an amateur, I’ve been involved in the esports industry for about 15 years, mainly playing FPS games. During my high school and university years, I was part of a team that won the Japan national championship three times in a row. I was seriously trying to become a pro gamer back then. From that time, I vaguely thought that I wanted to share the fun of esports with the world and turn it into a career. So, when I found out that Brave group, a client of my internship company, was also in the esports business, it felt like fate, and I became very interested.

――――So you encountered us at a very good moment as you considered your career.In your interviews with Representative Director Hoshi and Director Kubo, what did you discuss?

Omachi：
I talked about my experiences as a student and as an amateur gamer. Since I majored in education at university, we also discussed the esports education business. The industry faces a challenge in “education” to cultivate the next generation, and I remember resonating with Game & Co.’s commitment to seriously addressing the educational value of esports through its business.

As an aside, I was very nervous in the final interview. It was my first corporate interview, so I wore a suit to fire myself up, but I still could not shake the anxiety. I worried unnecessarily about whether I could communicate my student activities and passion for esports. Sensing my nerves, Mr. Hoshi chatted with me casually about how much time I had invested in games and about my ranks. He also listened closely to how I could apply my passion for games to my work and what challenges and career paths I hoped to pursue here. After the interview, I felt proud of my student experiences and of my time as an amateur gamer.

After receiving an offer, I joined as an intern in October 2023 until I graduated, and then became a full-time employee after the April 2024 induction.

“Never Compromise” × “Get It Done”

―――― After joining the company, you are now both planning and driving the MD business “AMICIS.” Could you tell us more about the Device Business Team you belong to?

Morisaka：
The MD business “AMICIS”, that we’re a part of, has a mission to “bring together the strengths of IPs, creators, performers*, manufacturers, and factories to create innovative products unlike any before, delivering new discoveries and excitement to everyone.” It’s a brand that creates new value “together with friends.” In Brave group’s business segments, it falls under the “IP Platform” domain.
Game & Co. had already been working on device-related projects like the planning and development of “VSPO! GEAR”, but we officially launched AMICIS as a business in November 2024 with the desire to spread the wonder and fun of esports through products created in collaboration with various stakeholders, not just the IPs our group operates. Mr. Omachi and I were transferred to the Device Business Team during this launch phase.

※Performers: Refers to individuals who engage in activities such as posting song videos or streaming game playthroughs on video-sharing/streaming platforms and social media.

Omachi：
The members of Game & Co. are all gamers who have seriously dedicated themselves to esports, whether pro or amateur, and they have a wealth of knowledge about the games and the industry. On the other hand, a challenge we faced was that many gamers are intuitive, and our ability to verbalize those feelings and turn them into a product wasn’t very high. To maximize our strengths and overcome this challenge, we are leveraging our network as a group company to bring together the power of everyone involved in product creation, including creators, to make products—centered on devices—that make esports feel more accessible. Since this is a brand-new business and there’s no set formula for success, our director, Mr. Kubo, has encouraged us to not be afraid of the results and to keep taking on new planning and development challenges with a sense of speed.

―――― It sounds like he gave you words that embody two of our group’s six Values: “Transcending Limits” and “Blazing Ahead”! Could you tell us about your specific roles and achievements in promoting the “AMICIS” business?

Morisaka：
I’m in charge of planning and designing the specifications for the products and devices handled by “AMICIS”, as well as negotiating with factories. I also provide some technical support for the product planning of “VSPO! GEAR.”
To be honest, until I got involved with product planning at “AMICIS”, I had no interest in devices themselves, and it was my first time negotiating with external partners. I was aware that my own ability to verbalize product details and specifications was lacking, so I made it a point to thoroughly research any specs or features I didn’t understand and to communicate repeatedly with the factories and manufacturers. I feel like I’ve gradually developed the ability to articulate those details and specs now.

Is that so?! But now, despite that initial lack of interest, you’re designing and producing products packed with meticulous details, like the VSPO! GEAR “Mousepad”, right?

Morisaka：
That’s right. At first, I honestly wondered if I could really get all the details right (laughs). But as I got more involved, my passion as a gamer took over. I believe the end result was a mousepad that satisfied the fans because I poured so much of that dedication into it. The most important thing for me as a gamer using various devices was “ease of use.” This doesn’t just mean the usability of the product itself, but also how easy it is to transition from a previously used device.

―――― Ease of transition… is that something like transferring data between iPhones?

Morisaka：
Exactly. I designed the specifications with the goal of creating a feeling where you can just place it next to your old one, have it ready in minutes, and use it smoothly with the same feel and settings as your old device.

―――― I see! So you designed it to reduce that “something feels off” gap when you switch to a new but familiar device. The VSPO! GEAR “Mousepad” was also impressive for its beautiful illustration printing, not just its usability. What did you focus on to achieve both ease of use and print quality?

Morisaka：
The one thing I was careful about was “never compromising.” It’s similar to a gamer’s obsession with winning; I wanted the mousepad to succeed both as a high-performance product and as “VSPO!” merchandise.
For the product side, I leveraged my gamer knowledge and exhaustively analyzed popular mousepad brands and their manufacturers. I gathered as much information as I could: why are these products selling? What are users reviewing? What are the points for improvement? Why is it trending? For the illustration, we collaborated with an apparel maker to ensure a high-quality print.

―――― When I think of character goods, I usually imagine working with a typical merchandise manufacturer that produces items like acrylic stands, tin badges, or tapestries. Why did you collaborate with an apparel maker?

Morisaka：
This also comes back to “never compromising.” With the types of fabric handled by standard merchandise companies, the patterns are limited, and we could only focus on either the mousepad’s performance or the print quality, but not both. So, thinking “fabric means apparel”, we used our internal network to connect with an apparel maker and developed the fabric from scratch together. The fabric development and selection process took several months. By fine-tuning the feel during actual use while ensuring both performance and print quality, we created a mousepad we could be truly satisfied with. I intend to carry this “never compromise” attitude into all future product planning and design.

―――― So Mr. Morisaka’s refusal to compromise resulted in a mousepad that was highly praised by “VSPO!” fans! Now, Mr. Omachi, could you tell us about your role and achievements?

Omachi：
I’m mainly in charge of creative design, production management, and social media/e-commerce operations for the products handled by “AMICIS.” Design, in particular, is an area I had no experience in, even during my university days, so I’m constantly seeking feedback from our in-house designers and others in my network to come up with designs that “resonate with gamers.” I can’t share details since they are unannounced projects, but I am currently managing the creative design and production for over a dozen projects.

―――― Over a dozen projects already! I imagine that as a new graduate, this was your first time handling production management and creative design. What did you focus on most when tackling these tasks?

Omachi：
It’s similar to what Mr. Morisaka said, but it’s about “just trying it”, even if it’s a task I have no knowledge of or experience with. I can’t go into detail on this either, but we received a product creation request for a certain project. For that project, I was entrusted not only with production management and creative work but also with tasks I had never handled before, such as client negotiations, drafting sales budgets and performance reports, and project closing.

―――― So you were responsible for everything from creative to budget planning. How did you manage to get it all done with no prior experience?
Omachi：
I was able to get it done with the help of Director Mr. Kubo and others who had experience with creating sales budgets and managing financial projections. I received some tough feedback along the way, but I persevered. There were moments I felt like giving up because there was so much I didn’t know, but I managed to push through by reminding myself of the feeling I had when I joined the company: “I want to share the fun of esports with the world.” Looking back, I realize I was given an invaluable opportunity to gain experience that I wouldn’t have in a typical production management or creative design role!

ゲGamer Instincts and a Sense of Speed

―――― Being a business in its launch phase must be why you can take on tasks beyond production and creativity and gain so much experience! Both of you have taken on various roles while leading the AMICIS business, valuing a “never compromise” and “just do it” attitude. This seems to connect to your careers as gamers and your commitment to winning. Could you tell us how your gamer values have influenced your work?

Morisaka：
I’m not sure if you’d call it a value, but one thing is not having to worry too much about hierarchical relationships. For example, in communication, you can get work done even if you’re not great with formal language (laughs).

―――― True (laughs). Everyone at Game & Co. is very frank, and they talk casually with our editorial team members too.

Morisaka：
To avoid any misunderstanding, I should clarify that we are careful about etiquette when the situation calls for it! (laughs). But it’s counterproductive if you’re too concerned with hierarchy and communication formalities and fail to convey what you need to say, resulting in a subpar service or product.

To create something great, I believe you have to engage seriously with the person you’re debating with, even if they are in a higher position. Also, thinking back to my pro gamer days in scrims and tournaments, it doesn’t matter what age, rank, or position your teammates have; at that moment, they are your “teammates” and “allies you must cooperate with.” If you’re too worried about being polite to your allies, you’ll lose matches you could have won and won’t be able to give the precise callouts needed to win.

I think being able to communicate without being intimidated, no matter who you’re talking to, is a characteristic of gamers.

Omachi：
I think that kind of rough, intuitive communication is permissible because the vast majority of us at Game & Co. are gamers (laughs). Also, perhaps because so many of us have seriously invested ourselves in esports, we have a lot of members who are good at analyzing situations and can take immediate action.

Morisaka：
That’s true. As a pro gamer in various tournaments and scrims, whether we won or lost, I always made it a point to instantly reflect on and analyze the situation and what happened, form a few hypotheses, and immediately connect it to my next action. That was just the norm for a gamer. Because our team is full of members who share that “gamer norm” and can leverage their individual analytical and action-oriented skills, we’re able to quickly analyze our business situation and roll out new projects and measures one after another. Speaking of “one after another”, the speed of our work is also fast.

Omachi：
This connects to the communication point, but I think the reason we can move so quickly on various projects is because we have an environment where we can communicate casually, almost like using voice chat in a game. While we value speed, a resulting challenge is that tasks can sometimes be missed. However, we feel that a drop in communication and decision-making speed would be even more constraining. We work as a team to prevent things from slipping through the cracks, but our top priority is to keep challenging ourselves with various products and drive the business forward.

Obsessed with “Winning”—in Both Games and Business

―――― Thank you. It’s clear that you have created an environment where gamers can work freely and at high speed, just like gamers! “AMICIS” is still a new business, but could you share what the Device Business Team wants to challenge in the future?

Morisaka：
Currently, our products are mainly for the domestic market, but I want to challenge us to plan and develop products with global expansion in mind. There are many esports players overseas, as well as many fans of Japanese IPs and content. I want to plan products in collaboration with the creators and IPs that are loved by our international audience.

―――― So you’re already thinking about global expansion, not just Japan! Speaking of which, our group also has the “Brave stores” business for overseas merchandise sales.

Morisaka：
Yes. By working with the team that leads Brave stores, we will open sales channels abroad and deliver the joy and wonder of Japanese IP content worldwide through our products. By leveraging our strengths in esports knowledge and experience, we hope to energize the IP content industry.
And we will not stop at making things. To make the business work, we will stick with targets such as units sold and revenue until results are achieved. As with scrims and tournaments, regardless of current results, we will immediately review and analyze the situation, keep asking what it would take to deliver results, and move to the next action quickly.

―――― Your commitment to winning really comes through. It would be wonderful if people unfamiliar with esports became interested through AMICIS products. Mr. Omachi what would you like to challenge with the Device Business Team?

Omachi：
Through the products we create, I want to challenge and dispel the negative stereotypes surrounding gamers and otaku, and spread the image that “gamers and otaku are cool.” I myself was an otaku who was obsessed with games more than studying in my student days and loved IP content. I was proud of being a gamer and an otaku. But at that time, the public perception of otaku was still predominantly negative. Today, gamers and otaku have gained more social acceptance, and the design of merchandise and devices has become more sophisticated. However, I feel we still haven’t completely wiped out all the negative imagery. That’s why I want to research what makes a “supremely cool design that resonates with gamers” more than ever before and continue to reflect that in our products. I would be thrilled if our products help more people develop the mindset that “I’m cool for being a gamer/otaku” and spread the image that “gamers and otaku are cool” to society at large. And to make gamers and otaku even cooler, I’d like to expand beyond just PC peripherals to things like interior goods and apparel.

―――― It would be wonderful if, through AMICIS’s products, all gamers and otaku could feel proud of themselves, just like you do! Finally, do you have a message for the readers of this article?

Morisaka：
“My experience as a gamer doesn’t count as work history.” I hear this often from friends who were former pro gamers and now work in regular companies. Every time I hear it, I’m surprised at how few environments there are that can leverage a gamer’s knowledge and experience. Our company is a gathering of members with a high passion for gaming, and we work every day to “win”—to achieve overwhelming results in our business by making the most of our knowledge and experience as gamers. If you’re confident in your game rank and playtime but feel anxious about finding work, or if you want to work in a place that values your career and traits as a gamer, I urge you to look at our job listings. As a side note, I’d love for you to write your game titles, ranks, and playtime on your resume (laughs).

Omachi：
That’s true, how you’ve dedicated almost your entire life to gaming might be more important to us than a traditional work history (laughs). For those who have put tens of thousands of hours into a single game, who want to work in an environment that deals with their favorite field or business, and who, like me, have a desire to “spread the fun of esports to the world”, I think our company has the perfect environment. As our director, Mr. Kubo, also said in his interview, we aim to create a world where people can enjoy esports together through the common language of “esports”, regardless of generation or status; where those who have worked hard are rewarded; and where the many players involved in esports can lead fulfilling lives. If you have a desire to “change the status quo or realize a new vision in the esports field”, let’s talk!