Over 190,000 eager Japanese gamers packed out the Tokyo Game Show at Makuhari Messe over the weekend, a record number of attendees according to the event’s organisers. Total attendance from Friday until Sunday, was 192,411 people, compared with 176,056 from last year.
The busiest day was Saturday, with 84,823 people cramming in and willing to wait for hours in the long queues outside the exhibition centre, and then patiently wait to get a few minutes hands-on time with a demo unit once inside, according to the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association.
The organisers had originally estimated only around 160,000 attendees making the trip this year, which just goes to show the massive appeal to Japanese gamers of finally being able to get a hands on with PlayStation 3.
Games which generated the biggest hype (and longest queues) were the trailers for Blue Dragon (Xbox 360) and Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) with well over two hour waits for each. Unsurprisingly, the new Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) trailer was also a favourite, as were playable versions of next gen Sonic The Hedgehog (PS3/360), Devil May Cry 4 (PS3) and Ridge Racer 7 (PS3).
Next year's Tokyo Game Show will take place from September 21 to 23 - time to start saving up for the airfare.
Finally, the following eleven titles have been voted "best games showing particular promise" from attendees at the show:
Elebits (Konami) for the Wii
Gyakuten Saiban 4 [Phoenix Wright] (Capcom) for the DS
Gran Turismo HD (Sony) for the PS3
The Eye of Judgment (Sony) for the PS3
Seiken Densetsu 4 [Dawn of Mana] (Square Enix) for the PS2
Tales of Destiny (Namco Bandai) for the PS2
Blue Dragon (Microsoft) for the Xbox 360
Heavenly Sword (Sony) for the PS3
Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops (Konami) for the PSP
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd (Capcom) for the PSP
Lost Planet (Capcom) for the Xbox 360
As ever, SPOnG will bring you the latest news and assets on all of the above as and when we get them.
(pic courtesy of DigitalWorldTokyo.com)
The busiest day was Saturday, with 84,823 people cramming in and willing to wait for hours in the long queues outside the exhibition centre, and then patiently wait to get a few minutes hands-on time with a demo unit once inside, according to the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association.
The organisers had originally estimated only around 160,000 attendees making the trip this year, which just goes to show the massive appeal to Japanese gamers of finally being able to get a hands on with PlayStation 3.
Games which generated the biggest hype (and longest queues) were the trailers for Blue Dragon (Xbox 360) and Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) with well over two hour waits for each. Unsurprisingly, the new Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) trailer was also a favourite, as were playable versions of next gen Sonic The Hedgehog (PS3/360), Devil May Cry 4 (PS3) and Ridge Racer 7 (PS3).
Next year's Tokyo Game Show will take place from September 21 to 23 - time to start saving up for the airfare.
Finally, the following eleven titles have been voted "best games showing particular promise" from attendees at the show:
As ever, SPOnG will bring you the latest news and assets on all of the above as and when we get them.
(pic courtesy of DigitalWorldTokyo.com)
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Comments
LUPOS 25 Sep 2006 15:35
1/4
Thank goodness they are actually interested in Blue Dragon. Be nice if MS could at least move more 360's than original xbox's. If this initial push of japanese games falls flat the developers will pull out and then ill have to buy a ps3 sooner rather than later... and i certainly dont have that kind of extra cash right now.
Here's hoping the bundle will move some units this christmas. The shortage of PS3's should help a bit.
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Here's hoping the bundle will move some units this christmas. The shortage of PS3's should help a bit.
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tyrion 25 Sep 2006 15:46
2/4
LUPOS wrote:
Here's hoping the bundle will move some units this christmas. The shortage of PS3's should help a bit.
I don't see how, the utter lack of PS3s over the 360's 41 week lifetime in Japan has not shifted any more units than the DS Lite's weekly average.
The only thing that will encourage Japanese gamers is games. Not the lack of another platform.
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LUPOS 25 Sep 2006 16:41
3/4
tyrion wrote:
The only thing that will encourage Japanese gamers is games. Not the lack of another platform.
I was implying that blue dragon, by itself, would act as a catalyst for 360 sales. However the combined apeal of a great game on a redily available system would be even better for MS.
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questworld 26 Sep 2006 01:50
4/4
Wait, is that right? Who waits in line to watch trailers? Aren't they just displayed on big overhead screens for passersby?