KINOTROPE gaming claimed the last Japanese BMIC 2026 slot
Image: Liquipedia · source
KINOTROPE gaming are a Japanese esports organisation launched on 31 May 2022, with Ikuta Masahiro listed by Liquipedia as the owner from that date. Their PUBG Mobile division is much newer, dated to 30 July 2024, so the team reached the top level of the PUBG Mobile Japan League quickly. Two seasons into their league life, they have already turned a PMJL campaign into an international LAN trip to India.
KINOTROPE ended Phase 2 fifth on 296 points, taking the last of the five BMIC 2026 places when the phase closed on 11 October 2026. The cushion below them mattered: REJECT, the best known Japanese side in the field, finished sixth on 253, forty three points back. Liquipedia's prize table pays fifth place two hundred thousand yen. KINOTROPE had also placed fifth in Phase 1, so the final table matched their season long level.
Four players carry the KINOTROPE banner on the Liquipedia lists for the PMJL and for BMIC 2026: Naoto and OZISAN from Japan, plus SPORTA and TAMR4 from South Korea, with KoreaP1ayer as coach. Published names on the player pages give Naoto as Masahiro Ishida, OZISAN as Yu Watanabe, SPORTA as Kim Seong-hyun and TAMR4 as Chae Sung-gyun. The mixed roster played eighteen matches in Mumbai from 30 October 2026, finishing eighth at BMIC 2026.
For KINOTROPE gaming, the verified current lineup is Naoto, OZISAN, SPORTA and TAMR4.
Staff
Achievements
| Date | Place | Tier | Tournament | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 2026 | 8th | A |  | ₹3,75,000 |
Other honours
- Qualified for BMIC 2026 in Mumbai as one of Japan's five teams.
Other results
| Event | Place | Tier | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUBG Mobile Japan League Season 6 Phase 2 | 5th | Fifth place paid two hundred thousand yen and carried the last BMIC 2026 slot (Liquipedia prize table). (296 pts) | ||
| PUBG Mobile Japan League Season 6 Phase 1 | 5th | Placement recorded in Liquipedia's Phase 2 qualification listing. |
Prize money by year (INR prize tables)
- 2026₹375,000
Timeline
- 2022-05-31Organisation launched (Liquipedia).
- 2024-07-30PUBG Mobile division created (Liquipedia).
- 2026-10-11Finished fifth in PMJL Season 6 Phase 2 on 296 points and qualified for BMIC 2026.
- 2025-06Won the PUBG Mobile Japan League Season 5 Phase 1.
- 2025Represented Japan at the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025, finishing 23rd.
- 2026Finished fifth in the PUBG Mobile Japan League Season 6 Phase 1.
FAQ
How did KINOTROPE gaming qualify for BMIC 2026?
KINOTROPE gaming finished fifth in PMJL Season 6 Phase 2 on 296 points, the last of the five places that took Japan's BMIC 2026 slots, forty three points ahead of sixth placed REJECT.
Who plays for KINOTROPE gaming?
Liquipedia lists Naoto, SPORTA, OZISAN and TAMR4, with KoreaP1ayer as coach. That four-man roster is the one named on the BMIC 2026 participant list.
What did KINOTROPE gaming do before PMJL Season 6?
KINOTROPE gaming won the PUBG Mobile Japan League Season 5 Phase 1 and represented Japan at the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025, finishing 23rd.