ERNC 2026: Esports Research Network Conference
Conference Overview
The Esports Research Network Conference 2026 (ERNC26) took place from 15 to 17 September 2026 at the University of Tsukuba, in the University’s 30th Anniversary Hall (Daigaku Kaikan). After the fully online edition of 2025, ERNC26 brought the network back into one room, and it did so in a country that shaped the history of games like few others. Japan is a gaming powerhouse with an unparalleled heritage in console and arcade gaming; its esports ecosystem, however, has only recently started to grow, helped by the relaxation of prize money regulations in 2018 and the rise of professional leagues. Consequently, Tsukuba was a fitting place to ask what gaming heritage means for the future of esports.
The conference was hosted by the University of Tsukuba, funded by the KDDI Foundation and the Tsukuba Tourism and Convention Association, and co-organised by GAKU.
Theme and Contributions
ERNC26 was organised under the theme “Bridging Gaming Heritage and Esports Futures: Transformations, Traditions, and Tomorrow”, with a particular focus on intercultural perspectives and on the relationship between Asia and other regions. The programme reflected the breadth of the field. Health and performance science was strongly represented, from physical conditioning and cardiovascular reactivity to exercise adherence and the menstrual cycle in training and competition. Governance and integrity formed a second cluster, with work on legal frameworks, e-doping, AI ethics and the role of the state. Further sessions examined fandom across borders, collegiate esports, inclusion, older adults as players, and esports tourism.
Three keynotes framed the programme: Hideki Okamura (SEGA, JESU and GAKU) on the esports journey in Japan, Brian McCauley (Jönköping International Business School) on gaming heritage as infrastructure for esports and the digital society, and Michael Murray (Bandai Namco Entertainment) on keeping community at the heart of esports. An opening panel with SEGA, KONAMI Esports Academy and the Japan Esports Union discussed how publishers and public authorities shape Japan’s esports scene.
Format and Participation
ERNC26 brought together 163 participants from 29 countries and more than 40 institutions. The Book of Abstracts contains 64 peer-reviewed presentations and one panel, held in four parallel session rooms alongside the keynotes and industry panels. In line with ERN practice, the plenary sessions were streamed on the ERN Twitch channel and the recordings are published on the ERN YouTube channel.
Media and Documentation
Recordings of the sessions and the pre-recorded online presentations are available on the ERN YouTube channel.
Conference Chair
Tsubasa Shinohara
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Organising Committee
Academic Team
Tobias M. Scholz (University of Agder, Norway); Tsubasa Shinohara, Hidehiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Kusunoki (University of Tsukuba, Japan); Daisuke Kobayashi (Heisei International University, Japan); Yoshiaki Tsuboyama (Sapporo International University, Japan).
Business Team
Sayo Okamoto and Dawn Beasley (GAKU); Kaoru Kikyodani (Ibaraki Prefectural Government); Yu Nishioka (Pocketalk Corporation); Kaname Tamiya and Joe Setogawa (Elgato).
Scientific Committee
Cem Abanazir (Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom); Nicolas Besombes (University of Paris, France); Tom Brock (Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom); Amanda C. Cote (Michigan State University, United States); Joanne Donoghue (New York Institute of Technology, United States); Seth E. Jenny (Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, United States); Yaewon Jin (Ewha Womans University, South Korea); Oliver Leis (University of Leipzig, Germany); Brian McCauley (Jönköping University, Sweden); Tobias M. Scholz (University of Agder, Norway); Cameron Vanloo (Staffordshire University, United Kingdom).