Nadeshot hints at 100 Thieves following TSM into Japan with Apex Legends tweet
Twitter, @Nadeshot / JapanFollowing Team SoloMid’s expansion into Japan, Nadeshot has teased a possible 100 Thieves push into the region as well. The games 100T’s founder is most interested in? Apex Legends and Valorant.
On August 9, 2021, TSM announced that they would be expanding into Japan with an official Japanese social account and dedicated content. Given the country’s growing Apex Legends community, it was no surprise that TSM pro Eric ‘Snip3down’ Wrona was enlisted to formally introduce the new channel.
Less than a week later, 100T founder Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag posted a tweet in Japanese asking for quality creators to follow in the country’s Apex and Valorant communities.
Unsurprisingly, fans have begun tying Nade’s tweet to 100T international expansion. The tongue-in-cheek “hoodie org” has been hitting global waters thanks to their esport teams, so official representation feels well within the realm of possibility.
こんにちは日本。私はあなたの国でのエーペックスレジェンドとバロラントの成長にとても魅了されています。私がフォローすることをお勧めするプレーヤーやクリエイターはいますか？
— 100T Nadeshot (@Nadeshot) August 15, 2021
Roughly translated by Google, Nade’s tweet explains that he is “very fascinated by the growth of Apex Legends and [Valorant]” in Japan. He then requested recommendations for players and content creators worth following.
Not only was this tweet similar to TSM’s introduction in that it specified Apex Legends, it also shared the use of Japanese kanji to reach out.
日本の皆さん、お待たせしました！🇯🇵
We're extremely excited to announce the launch of our official Japanese social channel. We've felt the support from the community grow day by day and wanted to create a space dedicated to our Japanese fans.
Welcome to the family: @TSM_JP pic.twitter.com/nMKmULmw1k
— TSM FTX (@TSM) August 10, 2021
While first-person shooters like Call of Duty and CS:GO have traditionally been considered more popular in the West, the genre has grown in popularity in the East in recent years. After the emergence of titles like PUBG and Overwatch, Apex Legends and Valorant have, more recently, experienced accelerated growth as well.
While entirely possible that Nadeshot and 100 Thieves don’t have formal plans to expand into Japan, the tweet’s timing is intriguing. TSM has set up shop, Nade is beginning to do his market research, and an 100T expansion might not be far behind.
