Why did Riot Games, known for League of Legends and VALORANT, make its debut at Tokyo Game Show? We spoke with CEO Yukihiro Fujimoto [TGS2025]
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/482/G048219/20250926057/
Editorial Department: Musical Instruments | 2025/09/27 04:44 (UTC)
On September 26, 2025, we interviewed Yoshihiko Fujimoto, President and CEO of Rival Games Co., Ltd., at the Tokyo Game Show 2025 (TGS 2025) venue.
The company is Riot Games’ Japanese subsidiary, and this marked its first-ever appearance at TGS. Beyond the company’s own visibility, having both immensely popular titles in the esports scene—“League of Legends” and “VALORANT”—make their debut at TGS was certainly an intriguing development.
Thus, seizing a brief moment from Mr. Fujimoto’s busy schedule, we asked him directly: “Why did Rival Games make its first appearance at TGS?” — and immediately realized, yes, that makes perfect sense.
President and CEO of Rival Games Co., Ltd., Yoshihiko Fujimoto Thumbnail image No.001 / Why did ‘Rival Games’ behind LoL and VALORANT make their debut at Tokyo Game Show? We spoke with CEO Yoshihiko Fujimoto [TGS2025]
Mission of Rival Games
4Gamer:
I was genuinely surprised to learn this is your first TGS appearance. From my perspective, Riot Games has typically had a massive booth at major international gaming events. Given that consistent presence, I’d assumed your participation in TGS would be routine. But realizing it’s actually your debut hit me like a professional insight—this opportunity seemed too good to miss, so we reached out.
Yoshihiko Fujimoto (hereafter, Mr. Fujimoto):
Thank you!
4Gamer:
Straight to the point: why did you decide to exhibit at TGS this year?
Mr. Fujimoto:
For our Japan office team, exhibiting at Tokyo Game Show has long been a dream. After all, we’re doing business in Japan, so we’ve always wanted to one day appear at TGS and give players an authentic, enjoyable experience in person. However, unlike companies that constantly release new games, we primarily focus on live operations. In both League of Legends and VALORANT, the main event is usually a version update—so there’s often a barrier: “We’ll exhibit only if it aligns with a patch launch…”
4Gamer:
Ah yes, exactly. TGS tends to favor clear new releases.
Mr. Fujimoto:
Exactly right. Other developers are likely pushing their new titles in anticipation of year-end sales—“Come try our latest game!” But even when launching patches, the timing has to align with TGS. That alignment hasn’t always been easy, which is why we’ve struggled to commit to exhibiting until now.
4Gamer:
But this time was different.
Mr. Fujimoto:
Yes, absolutely. This year, “2XKO”, a fighting game based on League of Legends, is set to enter early access on October 8th—making the timing perfect. And secondly, VALORANT recently launched its console version last year. TGS naturally attracts broader audiences when there’s a console title present. So we saw this as the ideal opportunity to fully leverage both 2XKO and VALORANT—and that’s how we decided on exhibiting at TGS.
4Gamer:
Looking back, VALORANT launched during a period crowded with high-profile AAA shooters—hardly anyone could predict which would succeed. It was an uncertain time for everyone involved. Honestly, I’m still amazed by how far VALORANT has come, now standing shoulder to shoulder with League of Legends as a flagship title.
Mr. Fujimoto:
We’re deeply grateful. The growth of VALORANT in Japan is entirely due to our players. Thanks to the incredible support from so many people over the years, VALORANT has reached this point. Our constant goal is: how can we best return that gratitude? That’s why we wanted this chance—to meet you all face-to-face and express our deepest thanks. Of course, the entire TGS stage will be streamed online, so anyone watching from home is warmly welcome too.
4Gamer:
The “real” night market inside the booth sold out by around 4:00 PM on opening day (September 25), business day.
Mr. Fujimoto:
For our booth, we wanted to create an experience that makes the game world feel a little more tangible and accessible. So we included interactive displays like punching machines and ball-throwing games—somewhat different from what other booths offer (laughs). We’ve always aimed to give players experiences they can be proud of simply by playing our games. In fact, our annual flagship event, “Riot Games ONE,” held every year at year-end, was born out of this same philosophy.
Punching machine themed around 2XKO’s Q-Skill “Straight Smash” Thumbnail image No.003 / Why did ‘Rival Games’ behind LoL and VALORANT make their debut at Tokyo Game Show? We spoke with CEO Yoshihiko Fujimoto [TGS2025]
Photo spot for VALORANT (featuring the “real” night market too) Thumbnail image No.004 / Why did ‘Rival Games’ behind LoL and VALORANT make their debut at Tokyo Game Show? We spoke with CEO Yoshihiko Fujimoto [TGS2025]
Target-throwing attraction for League of Legends, “Yunara’s Mental Discipline Challenge” Thumbnail image No.005 / Why did ‘Rival Games’ behind LoL and VALORANT make their debut at Tokyo Game Show? We spoke with CEO Yoshihiko Fujimoto [TGS2025]
Photo spot for Teamfight Tactics Thumbnail image No.006 / Why did ‘Rival Games’ behind LoL and VALORANT make their debut at Tokyo Game Show? We spoke with CEO Yoshihiko Fujimoto [TGS2025]
4Gamer:
Was the decision to exhibit at TGS made solely by your Japanese office?
Mr. Fujimoto:
We led the initiative, but we also consulted with our global headquarters and teams from 2XKO and VALORANT—making sure they understood just how powerful a promotional opportunity TGS is for Japan. That said, we didn’t see this as “the Japan branch appearing alone.” Instead, it was more about representing Riot Games globally, bringing the whole company to TGS.
4Gamer:
That approach really conveys the full scope of the company’s enthusiasm—very effective indeed. Moving on: how do you think your titles are currently perceived in the Japanese market? What are your personal insights?
Mr. Fujimoto:
First, if someone asked me “What comes to mind when you hear ‘Rival Games’?” — a few years ago, most would have said League of Legends. But now, more and more people mention VALORANT first—especially in Japan. It feels like VALORANT has become the starting point for many players’ connection with our brand.
4Gamer:
That’s true—I still lean toward the older era myself (laughs).
Mr. Fujimoto:
No, thank you! (laughs) VALORANT is a tactical shooter—a high-difficulty genre by nature. But in terms of esports, its appeal has unexpectedly grown through fan support and community building. Especially since over 70% of our user base consists of young people from Generation Z, their passion helped shape the culture around this game—this was undoubtedly the key factor behind VALORANT’s success today.
4Gamer:
You can definitely see that energy on social media too.
Mr. Fujimoto:
Also, many players first encounter League of Legends through our company name and end up discovering its fun—and this has had a massive ripple effect, boosting all our titles collectively. Additionally, influencers have played a huge role. We invited creators like k4sen and Clutch_Fi to join us for an event called “Gratitude Rolling Thunder” (a streamer event held during TGS), showing how much we value their support. To every player and influencer helping make this event come alive—we’re endlessly grateful.
4Gamer:
Meanwhile, the term “esports” has become a natural part of everyday language. Nowadays, simply pushing that word around doesn’t carry much weight—words themselves are no longer the selling point. So in this era, what kind of new catalysts or ways to amplify excitement is your company exploring?
Mr. Fujimoto:
That’s something we constantly reflect on. And above all else, I believe Japanese fans care deeply about how far our domestic teams can go in competitive scenes.
4Gamer:
It’s a very practical mindset—sports people rarely pay attention unless it’s “Japan wins.” Then suddenly, interest explodes.
Mr. Fujimoto:
Exactly. That’s why we’ve invited the professional team RIDDLE, who won VALORANT Challengers Japan 2025 and are preparing for international competition at VCT Ascension Pacific, to hold a send-off event on September 27th right here in our booth. We wanted to give them as much live audience support as possible before they head into Asia.
4Gamer:
Your support for players is clearly visible from the outside.
Mr. Fujimoto:
But I should clarify: we’re not just hoping Japanese teams win globally—we want people to understand that this is a competitive scene where domestic teams push each other to grow and improve through mutual challenge. Simply celebrating victories without acknowledging each team’s origins, the players’ hard work, or their journey toward success won’t truly convey what makes these stories meaningful. Delivering those real-life dramas to our community—that’s one of our biggest missions.
4Gamer:
I’ve heard from former professional athletes before that just waiting for star players to emerge won’t sustain long-term excitement in a sport—so I really relate to this idea. Your company has clearly been thinking deeply about how to bring fans closer not just to wins and losses, but to the entire journey.
Mr. Fujimoto:
Exactly. We want players watching our games to feel they’re part of that world—to be able to say, “I’m in this community too,” to feel like they’re supporting together and growing with it—“We’re building this scene.” That’s what we aim for: a community where people naturally feel connected.
4Gamer:
Exactly as you said earlier: “We want players to experience something they can be proud of just by playing our games.”
Mr. Fujimoto:
Precisely!
4Gamer:
By the way, how was your impression of TGS overall?
Mr. Fujimoto:
Well… everyone else’s booths are so flashy! I’m starting to think maybe we were a bit too reserved. But honestly, we’ve spent countless hours brainstorming—how can we make this first-time experience enjoyable for visitors? So if many people come and enjoy themselves, that would mean everything.
4Gamer:
Speaking of the future—even though it’s far off—2XKO will be operated by you next year, correct?
Mr. Fujimoto:
Yes, that’s our plan.
4Gamer:
So unless there’s some wild surprise up your sleeve, we can expect a return to more stable operations without new releases. But still—I’d love to hear: will you exhibit at TGS again next year?
Mr. Fujimoto:
We’ll see how this booth is received and what kind of response we get first. Only after that discussion will we decide “What should we do next?”
4Gamer:
Then we’ve got to make it a huge hit!
Mr. Fujimoto:
We’ll definitely give it our all!