Is it popular not only with elementary, middle, and high school students but also with their parents? The reasons why the esports pro gamer experience camp 'CR Fortnite CAMP' is a hit

The 'CR Fortnite CAMP' is an esports pro gamer experience camp for elementary to high school students, operated as a joint venture between Game & Co., Inc. and the popular professional gaming team 'Crazy Raccoon.' The third session, held in August 2024, reached capacity just one week after registration opened, and it is gaining popularity through social media and word of mouth.

This time, we interviewed the operating producer, Masui, to explore the appeal of 'CR Fortnite CAMP,' which has maintained a 100% satisfaction rate from the first to the third session and is well-received not only by children but also by their parents.

── To start, could you tell us the background behind the decision to hold 'CR Fortnite CAMP'?

Recently, we have had more opportunities to hear the terms 'esports' and 'pro gamer,' and we are now in an era where professional gamer has even ranked in the top professions that elementary and middle school students want to be (*1).
As someone who was passionate about games from a young age, I am very happy to see esports gaining attention, but in reality, the actual situation and inner workings of the esports industry are not yet fully known to the general public. Under these circumstances, I felt that many children who say they 'want to be a pro gamer' were aspiring to it based only on a vague image.

Also, I heard that many parents are worried about 'how to face' their children who have such aspirations, so I planned 'CR Fortnite CAMP' with the hope of creating a place where we can answer questions like 'What kind of profession is a pro gamer?' and 'What kind of career paths are there in the gaming industry other than being a pro gamer?' through actual experience.

── What do you think is the reason it has been popular with children since the beginning?

I think the reason for its popularity is that it provides participating children with the opportunity to be taught games individually by coaches they admire. In the actual surveys we conduct after the event, we have received many comments such as, 'I was most happy that I could be taught how to use a game pad directly by pro gamer Ess in a 2-on-1 lesson,' 'I was able to consult directly with Ruri, who used to play professionally, about my own areas for improvement and things I was worried about,' 'I learned my true ability through 2-on-1 lessons and game tournaments,' and 'Ruri watched me play 1v1 directly.'

'CR Fortnite CAMP' invites coaches who are mainly those who are or were at the forefront of esports, such as active pro gamers and former pro gamers, and we have set aside time in the program called '2-on-1 coaching,' where one main coach is dedicated to teaching two participants. Actually, the reason we are continuing the event at its current scale lies right here.

In reality, what participants are looking for in 'CR Fortnite CAMP' varies from person to person, such as wanting to take esports seriously, wanting to improve their game skills, wanting to solve minor gaming problems, or wanting to make friends to play games with. Therefore, we have created an environment where participants can communicate freely with coaches and each other by creating time to talk with coaches individually and setting up seating based on similar skill levels from the start of the event and dividing them into groups. I believe these efforts are also one of the reasons for the high satisfaction.

── What do you feel is the greatest appeal for the participating children?

I think the greatest appeal is the ability to interact offline with people who approach games with various perspectives.
Those who are serious about esports use it as a place to test their skills in an environment similar to actual tournaments that pro gamers experience, and among those who participate simply because they like esports or Fortnite, there have been cases where they participated to research the gaming industry or esports industry as an independent research project for summer vacation.
I think the ability to meet such diverse needs is the appeal of 'CR Fortnite CAMP'.

── Where do you think the point is for parents to feel at ease in deciding to let their children participate?

We often receive inquiries from parents considering registration, such as 'Can my child participate?' or 'Can they participate at this rank?', but we strive to create a program that everyone can enjoy and feel 'I'm glad I participated!', regardless of whether they are advanced, intermediate, or beginners—from skilled players who rank high in tournaments to those who have just started Fortnite and want to 'get stronger more efficiently!' So, please feel free to participate with peace of mind.

Also, we have a section in the 'Player Note' that children bring home on the first day of the event where parents can write questions or consultations, and we interact with parents by writing replies from the management side on the second day.
Some parents only come for drop-off and pick-up, while others watch the event enthusiastically, so we make an effort to talk to those parents and provide a place to answer their anxieties and questions about esports, which I think is also a point that helps them feel at ease in deciding to participate.

── What kind of teaching methods or program content are you particularly conscious of to promote the growth of participants?

Games have the characteristic of allowing you to quickly cycle through 'planning, executing, reflecting, and improving,' and we have prepared a program for participants to practice this cycle themselves and acquire that sense.

At 'CR Fortnite CAMP,' we use an original booklet called 'Player Note' designed so that each participant can set goals by working backward from the future image of 'what they want to be in the future,' grasp 'where they are currently' in relation to those goals, and further self-recognize the parts that are lacking (= challenges). Using this notebook, we proceed with the program by clearly separating the time for playing games and the time for reflection.
As children begin to feel their improvement in games, they understand that playing games by cycling through this process leads to improvement, and they naturally acquire the knack for cycling through it.

I believe that the cycle of 'planning, executing, reflecting, and improving' is the foundation of learning that can be used not only for improving in games but also in various situations such as school studies and sports, so I consciously incorporate it into the program.

── Please tell us about any memorable episodes among the participants so far, or the growth seen after participation.

There are people who have participated every time since the first event, and they tell me with a smile each time that their in-game rank has gone up with every participation and that they feel they are improving themselves.

At 'CR Fortnite CAMP,' we also value providing opportunities for growth, so we are very happy to see participants steadily realizing their progress while applying the tips and knowledge gained during the event to their daily lives.

── What kind of feedback have you received from participants and parents regarding the effectiveness of educational programs that incorporate esports? Also, what do you think is the reason why it is highly rated by parents?

We have received warm comments not only from participants but also from parents, such as, 'Through the first and second events, their circle of friends has expanded, and we as parents are very happy,' and 'The best part was being able to be taught by coaches in person rather than online, and making friends who share the same dreams.'

In games centered on FPS, which are particularly popular in Japan, including 'Fortnite,' communication is often done via the internet, and interaction with friends tends to be completed online. While online interaction has become commonplace now, from a parent's perspective, I think there are still many concerns such as 'they just play games at home on holidays' or 'I'm worried they might become addicted to games.'
At 'CR Fortnite CAMP,' to dispel these concerns from parents, we make sure to convey the importance of face-to-face communication to the participants.

In fact, by utilizing time outside of gameplay to create opportunities for participants to meet and talk face-to-face as much as possible, we see children who were awkward with each other on the first day naturally opening up like friends by the second day, regardless of age or skill level, through their shared hobby of 'Fortnite.'

── Through the experience of 'CR Fortnite CAMP,' what kind of career do you think young people who have become interested in the game industry and esports can build in the future?

This is my personal strong feeling, but for better or worse, esports is an industry that still has many unorganized parts. In such a situation, I believe 'CR Fortnite CAMP' is an unprecedented and challenging initiative as an event aimed at children's career education, so I would be happy if even one more person remembers this event when thinking about their future career and thinks of new services necessary for esports.

Also, I would be happy if they returned to the event as guests in the future, just like the pro gamers, official casters, and pro coaches who are currently cooperating with the event!

── Finally, could you tell us about your plans and goals for further developing 'CR Fortnite CAMP' in the future?

Among the participants, there were some who participated from far away, such as Kyushu and Hokkaido, despite it being held in Shibuya. Looking at the survey results, there are many voices expecting it to be held in regional areas, so the future development will be to expand the venues. We hope you look forward to it!

Registration for the 4th 'CR Fortnite CAMP' has started!

Registration for the 4th 'CR Fortnite CAMP' began on a first-come, first-served basis from 1:00 PM on Friday, November 22, 2024.
We provide opportunities for children of the same generation who are serious about gaming to gather offline at one venue, learn the necessary skills to become pro gamers, and also learn about the diverse professions in the game industry through communication with coaches, casters, and the staff running this event, providing a trigger to think about their future. Please consider participating.

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