GCEXPO 2026 in Nagoya Connects Gamer Job Seekers With Companies on October 4
The event uses the 2026 Asian Games esports buzz in Aichi to address regional hiring challenges, connecting local firms with gamers who might otherwise leave the area.
Key Facts
- GCEXPO 2026 in Nagoya will be held on October 4, 2026, at Nagono Campus in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.
- The event is co-hosted by Chubu Telecommunications (ctc), JeSU Aichi, and FENNEL.
- The target attendees are students from the graduating classes of 2027 to 2029, with no restrictions on faculty or department.
- Participation is free, but advance registration is required.
- FENNEL previously held GCEXPO events in Sapporo and Okayama.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, ASCII.jp.
Chubu Telecommunications (ctc), JeSU Aichi, and FENNEL announced on August 27, 2026, that they will co-host the joint corporate briefing session "GCEXPO 2026 in Nagoya" on October 4 at Nagono Campus in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. The event targets students actively seeking employment from the graduating classes of 2027 to 2029, regardless of faculty or department. Participation is free, but advance registration is required. In addition to corporate briefing booths, the event will feature esports exhibition matches, seminars related to esports, and game and stage booths. The initiative aims to connect the experience and skills cultivated through games to job hunting, allowing students to present their teamwork, goal achievement efforts, and quick decision-making ability as strengths. For companies, it creates a recruitment channel different from conventional job sites and briefing sessions, particularly connecting them with young people in the Chubu area to expand career options for staying or returning to the region. GCEXPO is a career event FENNEL previously held in Sapporo and Okayama, and this time ctc and JeSU Aichi join as local partners.
- Venue: Nagono Campus, 2-14-1 Nagono, Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. The event runs Sunday, October 4, 2026.
- Co-hosts: FENNEL is the organizer; ctc and JeSU Aichi join as co-creation partners. The Chunichi Shimbun Media Business Bureau provides support.
- Prior editions: FENNEL held GCEXPO in Sapporo and Okayama. The Nagoya edition expands the game and stage booths that proved popular last time.
- Company pitch: The event targets firms struggling to build applicant pools through conventional job boards, BtoB companies with low youth visibility, and employers seeking new recruiting channels.
- Student pitch: It suits students who want employers to accept their hobbies, those who want gaming experience counted as a strength, and those seeking work in the Chubu area.
- Regional context: Youth outmigration and hiring difficulty are severe in the Chubu region. The event ties into the 2026 Asian Games, where esports is an official event, to expand local career options.
- FENNEL background: Founded in 2019, the organization runs esports divisions across 10 titles. Its VALORANT team has won four domestic titles, and its Pokemon UNITE team won the world championship in summer 2024.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.