Entercare Lab and One More Employment Transition Support Facility Hold Puyo Puyo eSports Inter-Facility Competition

Entercare Lab Co., Ltd. (Nakano-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director Kei Takamaru; hereinafter "Entercare Lab"), which operates a nursing care and welfare entertainment business, jointly held an inter-facility competition event utilizing "Puyo Puyo eSports" at employment transition support facilities operated by NPO Japan Learning Association One More (Osaka Prefecture; Representative Daisuke Haga; hereinafter "One More"). One More operates employment transition support services that assist individuals facing challenges in employment or returning to work due to mental illness or disabilities, providing support for job preparation and social participation. This initiative aimed to foster interaction and a sense of achievement among users through eSports, while also verifying its potential as a new method for recreation and communication in the disability welfare sector. ■ Overview of Implementation: In this event, users from multiple One More facilities participated in an inter-facility competition using the popular puzzle game "Puyo Puyo eSports" across three facilities in Osaka Prefecture. Participants competed as representatives of their respective facilities, and the venues were greatly enlivened with cheers and shouts of encouragement. Natural communication emerged through the game, leading to enhanced interaction and shared sense of accomplishment among participants. Another characteristic of this initiative was that by making it a competitive event, it went beyond mere recreation, offering participants the experience of "participating as a team" and "challenging themselves competitively." Entercare Lab has been selected as a supported project for PoC Ground Tokyo, an incubation program organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and this initiative was conducted as part of its research and demonstration. ■ Comment from Daisuke Haga, Representative of One More (Certified Public Psychologist / Occupational Therapist): "This initiative was extremely meaningful, and I evaluate it as containing many elements that can be utilized for employment and work. Specifically, the series of processes—being mindful of deadlines, preparing and discussing to reach consensus, and selecting representatives—served as practical learning opportunities for all residents. While the tournament operation was very exciting, various emotions were observed, such as those who wished to participate but held back, those who felt nervous, and those who felt burdened by the responsibility of representing their team. However, these experiences are also effective as training to develop adaptability to stress in employment situations, and I believe they will lead to future growth. Furthermore, beyond merely improving attention and proficiency, the preparation process for the tournament fostered a sense of unity, including overall skill improvement among participants, mutual support, and research into game strategies, contributing to the revitalization of communication. Additionally, social behaviors such as spectator etiquette and appropriate cheering were practiced effectively, confirming positive outcomes. Moreover, it is a noteworthy achievement that individuals who usually participate remotely came to the venue for this event, and interest in other facilities increased. The gacha project provided by Entercare Lab also served as an extrinsic motivator, and participants were observed enjoying themselves proactively. Based on the above, I express my deep gratitude for this initiative." Entercare Lab operates with the philosophy of "making nursing care and welfare settings more enjoyable and dignified through the power of games and entertainment." Moving forward, led by "Puyo Puyo eSports," we will promote the spread and awareness of eSports for individuals in nursing care and welfare, thoroughly adhere to laws and integrity regarding content licenses, and continue to develop activities that further enhance the dignity and sense of purpose of these individuals through the sense of achievement and interaction experiences born from games. The "Puyo Puyo" series is an action puzzle game loved worldwide for over 30 years. The original "Puyo Puyo," born in 1991, became a huge hit with its simple and fun rule of connecting four or more Puyo of the same color to clear them, and its unique characters. Since then, it has been released on various platforms, including home consoles and smartphones, and continues to be played across generations. Furthermore, as a title officially recognized by JeSU (Japan eSports Union), it has gained attention in the eSports scene with professional players competing in fierce battles both domestically and internationally. In 2026, celebrating its 35th anniversary, "Puyo Puyo" will continue to deliver the fun of "dairensa" (big chains) to everyone! The "Puyo Puyo" series has implemented features such as "speed adjustment" during matches and "handicap settings" to allow players to set the game difficulty individually, enabling seniors and people with disabilities to play together enjoyably. Additionally, it has actively supported activities aimed at promoting health among seniors and tournaments at facilities for people with disabilities, supported intergenerational exchange events between seniors and younger generations, and involved "Puyo Puyo" professional players as instructors, contributing to local communities through eSports. Following its adoption as a pre-event for "Nenrin-Pick Ehime 2023," the implementation of events for seniors has spread nationwide. ■ Entercare Lab Co., Ltd. Entercare Lab Co., Ltd. is a startup established in 2024. It aims to provide games and entertainment for recreation and training in the nursing care and welfare sector, thereby enabling recipients to lead more enjoyable and dignified lives, and simultaneously reducing the burden on healthcare professionals to improve productivity. Company Name: Entercare Lab Co., Ltd. Location: 1-24-4 Arai, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Representative: Kei Takamaru, Representative Director URL: https://entercare-lab.co.jp/ Business Activities: Research and development, business development support, and recreation sales in the nursing care, medical, and welfare fields. Contact: Entercare Lab Co., Ltd. (Public Relations) E-mail: contact@entercare-lab.co.jp