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In 2020, Japan will be the focus of the world through the Olympics and Paralympics, making it a year defined by sports and culture. In addition to advanced technology, Japan is known for its traditional and pop culture, with pop culture such as manga, anime, games, music, and cosplay attracting young people worldwide. eSports is a type of game within the pop culture that Japan excels at, while also being viewed as a sport, and is a new field that has recently been expanding globally. Competitive games are projected onto large screens, and spectators watch the matches. Large-scale eSports events are held in sports stadiums and concert venues, with some tournaments drawing crowds of over 40,000 people. eSports tournaments are being held amidst an excitement akin to a sports World Cup or a live concert.

Amidst this rapid growth, many challenges have been pointed out regarding current eSports, and this article will explain two points that must be overcome. First, current eSports are competitions operated via game controllers. Because they compete on finger speed and accuracy, they are perceived more as games than as sports. The second challenge is the importance of an eSports perspective where anyone can participate as a sport that supports health. Currently, the relationship is one where the general public watches and cheers for matches between skilled players, and it cannot be said that it is a situation where anyone can participate. A perspective of inclusive design that realizes participation for all is required to determine how eSports can evolve into a sport that everyone can participate in and enjoy in the future.

In considering the future of eSports, I would like to introduce research from the Graduate School of Media Design (KMD) aimed at realizing physicality and participation. The Graduate School of Media Design (KMD) collaborates with domestic and international universities and companies to develop new sports using advanced technology, naming this activity "Superhuman Sports." In the Harry Potter novels, a sport called Quidditch appears, where teams compete while flying through the air on magic broomsticks. Like Quidditch, Superhuman Sports proposes sports that use future advanced technologies, showing the future of eSports.

Superhuman Sports are characterized by actually moving the body. While current eSports involve competing with hand and finger movements like most games, Superhuman Sports involve competing by moving the entire body. In starting the research and development, the project team investigated various sports and Paralympic events, as well as new competitions and games, and held "Superhuman Sports Hackathons" to work on developing Superhuman Sports that make full use of advanced technology.

Hackathon participants went beyond research project members; many participants gathered, formed teams, and proposed competitions through a process of experiencing new sports by generating ideas and creating prototypes. Numerous ideas have been born to date, and 22 new sports from among them are introduced as certified competitions.

When viewing Superhuman Sports from the perspective of inclusive design, are they sports that anyone can participate in and enjoy? The Superhuman Sports project participates in related events and receives valuable feedback from event participants. For example, the Graduate School of Media Design (KMD) has co-hosted the "Super-Welfare Expo" held annually in Shibuya since 2014, introducing the research results of Superhuman Sports. For instance, "Slide Rift" is a wheelchair competition that uses electric-assisted omnidirectional wheelchairs to compete using techniques such as drifting. Wheelchair users utilize their entire bodies to operate and express themselves through the wheelchair with great flair.

In the future, if advanced technology can supplement player skills and adjust difficulty levels, beginners and professional players will be able to compete against each other in Superhuman Sports. Currently, competitions are divided into those for the Paralympics and those for the Olympics, but in the future, Paralympians and Olympians might be able to compete in the same event. I hope to see the emergence of participatory sports where anyone can enjoy sports regardless of their skill level.

On the day before this year's Paralympic Opening Ceremony, the Disability Innovation Summit 2020 Tokyo, an international conference co-hosted by the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) led by University College London, the Graduate School of Media Design (KMD), and the British Council, is scheduled to be held in Tokyo.

I hope that these research and practical efforts will contribute to the future of eSports.