SEGA names kid pros in Puyo esports
SEGA announced two elementary schoolers—ゆうき and きーくん—as the first kid pros in Puyo Puyo esports after changing licensing rules, a development that was posted and shared widely on social media. (x.com) The move was presented as a formal step into youth pro representation within the competitive scene. (x.com)
SEGA said Friday that two 10-year-old Puyo Puyo players, ゆうき and きーくん, have received the first Japan esports pro licenses issued to elementary school students. (sega.co.jp) The company said both players had already earned the right to be recommended for a pro license through strong results in official tournaments, but SEGA had held those recommendations because of its own age limit. SEGA changed that rule after the Japan esports Union, or JESU, revised its pro-license system on February 26, 2026. (sega.co.jp, jesu.or.jp) SEGA said the new setup lets it recommend players in sixth grade or below? No — the company drew the line at elementary school and up, saying it will not recommend children younger than elementary school age. It also said parents must consent, contracts and money will be handled with guardian oversight, and tournaments for minors will avoid late-night hours. (sega.co.jp, jesu.or.jp) Puyo Puyo is a head-to-head puzzle game where players stack and clear matching blobs to send garbage pieces to an opponent. SEGA has run it as a formal esport since 2018 under JESU recognition, alongside official championships and national events that include elementary school divisions. (sega.co.jp) The two new license holders were not fringe picks. SEGA said ゆうき, from Tokyo, won the elementary school division at the national prefectural esports championship in both 2023 and 2024, then won the open division in 2025 and a final qualifier for Japan’s candidate roster for the 2026 Asian Games. (sega.co.jp) SEGA said きーくん, from Saitama, won the Puyo Puyo GiGO Cup SEASON3 Grand Championship in 2025 and reached the top four in the 2026 Puyo Puyo ranking tournament for pro selection. Both players are listed as 10 years old in the company announcement. (sega.co.jp) JESU’s current license rules say players under 18 can receive a pro license with prior parental consent, and that the license is valid for three years. The rules also say licensed pros can enter JESU-sanctioned prize events and collect prize money as professionals. (jesu.or.jp) SEGA framed the move as part of a wider Puyo Puyo scene that now spans children through seniors, with school programs and community tournaments in Japan and overseas. In the same announcement, the company said its Puyo Puyo Programming teaching material has been used in classes at more than 1,000 schools nationwide. (sega.co.jp) For now, the immediate change is narrow and concrete: two children who had already posted qualifying results can now compete with pro status under the revised rules. SEGA said both wanted to use that status to keep playing and help spread Puyo Puyo further. (sega.co.jp)
