Gaming and entertainment company, Tier One is expanding to Japan
By Ivan Jethro Balagtas
November 12, 2021
A pioneer and cornerstone of the local gaming industry, Tier One Entertainment is almost synonymous to Filipino gaming. The company has thrived on the then-budding local video game industry while most shrugged off its potential. Tier One has ushered in game streaming to the local pop culture and Filipinos warmly embraced this new form of entertainment.
As testament to the vitality of the local gaming industry and the increasingly globalized gaming scene, Tier One Entertainment is now expanding its reach to Japan, a country many would refer to as the epicenter of gaming and video game culture.
“Japan is a country with a long history both in gaming and innovation in multimedia. With over
57% of its population being gamers, there’s a big opportunity for us to grow our brand. Tier One is bringing our brand of entertainment to the Japanese gaming industry. Our goal is to gather a core team and build an initial roster of content creators that will elevate esports and video games in Japan in ways the country has never experienced before,” Tier One Entertainment CEO Tryke Gutierrez said.
Tier One’s expansion was done through an investment deal with a Japan-based internet company KAYAC and Warner Music Group. This partnership has enabled Tier One to debut its first idol group in Japan. With model and cosplayer Harry “har_fie” Field being the first member of “Project 4” idol group announced. The rest of the members will be revealed in the coming months.
This expansion solidifies Tier One’s footing on entertainment and influence on pop culture.