TIER One Entertainment, the gaming and esports entertainment pioneer in Southeast Asia, announced its first foray outside the region by expanding its footprint to Japan.

The expansion is part of its strategic move when it signed an investment deal with its investors KAYAC, a Japan-based internet firm, and Warner Music Group, a global media company that has a strong market presence in the East Asian country.

Along with its plans to discover the hottest up-and-coming local talents to sign and develop, Tier One Entertainment is debuting its first idol group in Japan to delight Japanese and global fans.

These four multi-talented individuals are set to redefine what it means to be an influencer and content creator who challenge the status quo.

The first member was announced by the company, with details shared by its Chief Executive Officer, Tryke Gutierrez, during the official launch livestream on Oct. 8.

Model and cosplayer Harry “har_fie” Field will be the first member of “Project 4,” the unofficial name of the idol group. The rest of the members will be revealed in a series of promotions that Tier One Entertainment will launch in the next couple of months.

With the company strategically positioned at the intersection of content creation, media properties, and esports, the launch of the new idol group comes along with its vision of bringing gaming to the mainstream.

“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,” said Mr. Gutierrez.

“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,” he added.

Tier One Entertainment was founded in 2017 and is a Singapore-registered entity with operations in the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan.