The show in general
The first thing I noticed is that the show floor is a much different beast to some of the others I’ve visited, like Gamescom in Cologne. Rather than being split over multiple floors and annexes, TGS covers several main halls that you move between, which makes it feel very open and expansive. Compared to the labyrinthine halls of Koelnmesse it’s simplicity itself to find your way around.
You also can’t quite get the same experience until you go there and hear all the noise for yourself. Whether that’s cheering, general crowd murmur or some of the more explosive and colourful displays, even on the business days (which are usually much quieter) it was overwhelming. That’s not to say it was a bad thing, however, and I’m very glad to have attended on the business days before the enormous snaking queues appeared on the weekend.
The presence of mobile
It really shouldn’t surprise you that some major Japanese gacha titles were showcased at the Tokyo Game Show. Goddess of Victory: Nikke had its “real-life gacha” and the presence of cosplayers for Arknights, Duet Night Abyss and more. In fact, by sheer number, I’d say mobile outnumbered some of the larger titles, especially when you consider games like Sonic Rumble were part of the publisher booths.
But one thing that really surprised me was the other mobile games that appeared. Hillclimb Racing 2 was there, thanks to its new Bomberman R collab, while Warframe has been trying to break into the Japanese market in a big way. Finally, Century Games’ Whiteout Survival had probably one of the more complex booths, with cosplayers and a scale model of their Frostpunk-inspired heating generator.
What I thought
It’s hard to break down my views on the Tokyo Game Show, especially given how enormous the event was. But as you can probably tell I was pleasantly surprised to see mobile, console and PC presented on such an even footing. I also noticed that there was an enormous space for indies to be showcased with small, simple demo stations showing them off.
Compared to the more ‘glamorous’ expos I’ve been to in my fairly brief career, Tokyo Game Show feels as if it’s genuinely built from the ground up to appeal to the average gamer in Japan. And the fact that you can walk a mere five minutes from a booth dedicated to mega-publishers like Sega and Konami and instead see something published by a one-man studio is also worthy of praise.
Games on display
- Warframe Mobile’s “Jetstream Sam” display: I joked with the developers that Warframe: 1999’s principal character Arthur bore quite the resemblance to another famed cyber-ninja. However, what I can say was definitely distinct was the display consisting of a life-size statue, bike and impressive blade-spin mechanism that was the centrepiece of Digital Extremes’ Japanese expedition.
- Goddess of Victory: Nikke’s “real-life gacha”: This display, which encouraged attendees to head up and press a big red button for a “real-life” gacha pull of cosplayers is probably going to attract a mixed reaction. But I think the sheer size and complexity of the display is at the very least undeniably impressive. You certainly couldn’t pay me enough to clamber up a four-tier rickety scaffolding to pose for however many hours this was open.
- Whiteout Survival’s “mini-booth”: I think the most distinctive thing I saw at TGS was how many Western studios have tried to lean into the Japanese audience’s love of cosplayers and enormous displays. So while Whiteout Survival’s booth was miniscule compared to some of the others, it was undeniably impressive to see them make an appearance, especially given the competition.
- The Google Play “castle”: Despite iOS having such a major competitive edge in many markets, I noticed Google Play was far more forward with their presence at TGS. An enormous castle-like display offered attendees a chance to play a bespoke platformer in return for a free infusion of Google Play Points depending on their performance. An enormous screen meant you could follow what other players were doing as you queued, or merely passed by, and it was definitely an eye-catching sight.
