How to Enjoy Tokyo Game Show?

How to Enjoy Tokyo Game Show?
Photos are for illustrative purposes only

Much like E3 in the US and Gamescom in Germany, Tokyo Game Show is Japan’s main gaming event and is held every September at the famous Makuhari Messe! Welcoming big names such as Sony, CAPCOM, and hundreds of upcoming developers, it’s one of the year’s biggest events that you shouldn’t miss!

About Tokyo Game Show

Presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications Inc., Tokyo Game Show (TGS) is held annually over in Chiba prefecture at Makuhari Messe.

The first Tokyo Game Show was held in 1996 and it was originally held twice a year from 1996 until 2001. In 2002, it changed to an annual schedule held for 4 days towards the latter half of September.

The first 2 days are reserved for game industry staff and experts, while the last 2 days are open to the general public, making it a very popular event to get up close to the latest news on awaited releases and chances to meet your favorite producers and game makers!

Tokyo Game Show: Sony Exhibit

One of the major exhibitions that you can expect every year at Tokyo Game Show is Sony. They are known for their lavish and high-tech booths with a wide variety of recently released games that you can play, as well as demos and trailers of upcoming releases.

To top that off, they also have various events at their booth which includes talks from developers and special guests, so make sure to make some time during your visit to Tokyo Game Show and stop by their booth!

Third-party Game Developers

Third-party Game Developers
Photos are for illustrative purposes only

Many third-party game developers like Capcom, Konami, Square-Enix and Atlus have the latest games for you to try before they go out to the public! So, explore the booths to find the latest information on your favorite games!

The Robots

If you thought that games were the only things you could check out at the Tokyo Game Show, Robots will definitely surprise you! In 2017, the French firm Quantic Dream, who made the game “Detroit: Become Human”, promoted their Tokyo Game Show Android AP700 model that appeared in the game.

Although the video took the internet by storm, the model perfectly mimicked the actions of an android and there were many debates online on whether the model was truly a human or a robot.

Gaming Development Schools

One of the best parts of the Tokyo Game Show is the ability to meet and greet with one of the many gaming development schools in Japan. Over 50 schools visit Tokyo Game Show with students to showcase their works and to recruit potential students.

Although presented primarily in Japanese, many of these schools accept overseas students, so if you are a budding game developer and want to learn more about the industry, make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity.

Information of Tokyo Game Show

Information of Tokyo Game Show

Show Schedule

Tokyo Game Show usually falls on the 3rd weekend of September every year and runs for 4 days. The first two days are strictly open to gaming industry members, media, and VIPs, while the last two days are open to the general public.

Starting from 10:00AM until 5:00PM every day, people usually begin to line up as early as 8:00AM in order to be the first ones that enter Makuhari Messe. If coming from Tokyo, make sure to leave earlier, as it takes around 45 minutes to get to Kaihimmakuhari station.

Admission Tickets

Tickets for the Tokyo Game Show usually go on sale starting mid-July and are around ¥1,000 depending on whether you purchase in advanced or buy tickets on the day of the event.

If you cannot purchase tickets in advance from their website, then you can head to Makuhari Messe on Public Days and purchase them on location. So, there is no need to worry about missing out! Just make sure to get there early, because the lines for tickets and to get in can get long!

Spot information

  • Spot name: Tokyo Game Show at Makuhari Messe
  • Street address:2-1, Nakase, Mihama, Chiba city, Chiba 261-0023
  • Access: 
    • About 30 minutes from Tokyo Station or 12 minutes from Soga Station to Kaihim Makuhari Station on the JR Keiyo Line. 5 minutes walk to Makuhari Messe. 
    • About 40 minutes from Akihabara Station to Makuhari Hongo Station on the JR Sobu Line. 15 minutes by bus to Makuhari Messe.

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