A Windows branded contest — one that actually dates back to March of last year(!) — tells us that we'll be seeing Alan Wake in Tokyo, at least in trailer form. It's entirely possible that we'll see the title as Games Convention, PAX or some other big gaming get together. But for now, pencil in a date with Mr. Wake for October. That's pencil, not pen.

"WOW" Be A Face In The Game [Microsoft - thanks, SS!]

TGS tickets go on sale starting July 16th.

前売入場券は2008年7月16日より販売 [Famitsu] [Pic]

Saa, ikou! GAME no jikan desu. (Let's go! It's GAME time.)

So profound. Makes "Here's a break!" sound like utter drivel. TGS runs October 9th to the 12th with the first two days being business days. Over 170 companies will be participating and organizers expect 180,000 total attendees.

TGS 2008 [CESA]

Theme: "Ready for GAME Time!"

Let both experienced players and first-time users get even more enjoyment from games — the aspiration has led to creation of a variety of new content and driven astonishing growth of the computer entertainment industry.

February 19,2008

Press release

On the holding of Tokyo Game Show 2008

This year's theme has been decided: "Ready for GAME Time!"

Dates: Thursday, October 9 - Sunday, October 12

Venue: Makuhari Messe

Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association

Nikkei Business Publications,Inc.

The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA; Yoichi Wada, Chairman; Nishi Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo) is delighted to announce the holding of the Tokyo Game Show 2008 in cooperation with Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. (Seiichi Oteru, President and CEO; Minato-ku, Tokyo). As previously announced, this year's 4-day event will be held from October 9 to 12, 2008, at Makuhari Messe (Mihama-ku,Chiba City). As last year, the first two days of the event will be Business Days, while the second two will be open to the general public.

Last year's event was extended in the effort to strengthen the trade show function of the event and increase its international character, and the first-ever 4-day Tokyo Game Show set new records for the numbers of both domestic and international exhibitors as well as booth units occupied. Attendance was also at the highest level ever, with 193,040 people visiting the 2007 event. We are pleased to report that TGS2007 enjoyed a reputation for excellence from both Japanese and international visitors.

Based on these successes, the Tokyo Game Show will seek to be the world's largest computer entertainment show once again in 2008, with exhibitors from across Japan and around the world, and to serve not only as a forum for exchanging information about world markets, but to increase in terms of both scale and quality.

Particular features to watch for in TGS2008 will be: 1) new exhibition areas to ensure full coverage of all form of entertainment, 2) improved environment for doing business and international participation, and 3) promotions targeting light users (kids, families) and new users. We hope that these efforts will meet the expectations of our participants from business and the general public and succeed in making this a truly world-class event.

We are also pleased to announce the theme for the TGS2008 event as "Ready for GAME Time!" which we hope will create a sense of just how fun games can be for anyone.

Theme: "Ready for GAME Time!"

Let both experienced players and first-time users get even more enjoyment from games - the aspiration has led to creation of a variety of new content and driven astonishing growth of the computer entertainment industry.

Expanding their territories from home systems to various terminals and media, games have now entered into every aspect of our lives, evolving into entertainment that anyone can enjoy anywhere.

The Tokyo Game Show 2008 aims to bring together makers striving to develop the next generation of games and other entertainment sector businesses in their work to bring fun and excitement of games to the world. This year's theme is an expression of our hope to provide a great four-day "Game Time" full of dreams and excitement.

TOKYO GAME SHOW Official English Website : http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/english/

Factor 5 honcho Julian Eggebrecht must be exhausted from constantly "defending" his company's poorly received PLAYSTATION 3 title Lair and its hit-or-miss SIXAXIS controls. G4 caught up with the Dragon's Lair fanboy at Tokyo Game Show to get one more justification out of Mr. Eggebrecht whose game has been retitled Rise From Lair in Japan. I respect what Factor 5 was trying to do, but trying to target gamers who aren't hardcore with a PS3 game? Simply puzzling.

But who can blame attendees for a lack of interest in the 2007 flavor of TGS? The market leader didn't show up and many games were simply old news or Western focused. Despite the fact that a playable Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Online had a big presence, as did Devil May Cry 4, most attendees seemed to be taken by Wii and Nintendo DS titles—Biohazard: The Umbrella Chronicles, Final Fantasy IV, and the sequel to Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village.

Has Tokyo Game Show peaked? Unless CESA expands the thing to five days or somehow convinces Nintendo show up—or a massive shift in tastes occurs—the show may see even further declines next year.

Granted, last year saw the opportunity for a nation to get their hands on PLAYSTATION 3 and Wii games for the first time, so a drop from last year isn't shocking. But we hope that Nintendo will come to TGS 2008 and make next year's show a more disgusting sea of putrid otaku.

In other news, Maegawa confirmed that the company's other newly announced title, Bangai-O Spirits for the Nintendo DS is not a straight remake of the Dreamcast/Nintendo 64 game. That game will be playable at TGS this week, so expect to read in-depth impressions, hopefully from yours truly.

More details, including a teaser on Radiant Silvergun for the 360, at the 1UP report.

Treasure Talks Ikaruga, Wii Title, and More [1UP]

As a public service, I offer this advice: Be very careful with your Passport. And go make a photocopy of it right now and keep it in a safe place so you can have all the details handy if you need to get a replacement.

Major Nelson grounded [Major Nelson's Blog - Thanks Ben]

Square-Enix Tokyo Game Show Theaters [Square-Enix]

Don't count on a European or North American release just yet, but we'll hopefully get our hands on it in Tokyo next week.

Bumpy Trot 2 [Irem via NeoGAF]

• 
  
• Devil May Cry 4 (Xbox 360, PS3)
  
• We Love Golf! (Wii)
  
• Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii)
  
• Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Wii)
  
• Sengoku Basara 2 HEROES (PS2)
  
• Mega Man Star Force 2 (DS)
  
• Wantame Music Channel Doko Demo Style (DS)
  

Capcom TGS2007

Sony Prez To Headline TGS [IGN]

Every year the Tokyo Game Show has a theme, a slogan if you will. This year's catch phrase has been decided:

Connect, widen, to the World. ("Tsunagatte, hirogatte, sekai he.")

Wow, it's like they actually set out to write a typically trite slogan you'd find in a DoCoMo ad. Good for them! This year's TGS has been expanded to four days (traditionally, it was three), and a gazillion people are going to show-up. Why didn't they go with more accurate slogans? Ones like "TGS: Four days With Sweaty Nerds" or "TGS: Have Strangers Press Up Close To You."

For those *thinking* of attending: Remember the E3 circus of previous years? Now imagine all that in Japanese, and you'll get a vague idea of what TGS 2007 is going to be. Brian Ashcraft

TGS Theme [Famitsu]

That's just a couple days after the Tokyo Game Show goes down in Japan, a move which could be seen as an effort to downplay announcements from Microsoft's competitors.

I'm off to the Halo 3 Hollywood premiere event, kicking off within the hour, so keep your eyes peeled for news. Michael McWhertor

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Ed's note: Whoops we had an error in the script. It's fixed now, sorry for the screw-up.

Since we went into the presser knowing just about everything Microsoft would be showing, there wasn't much that blew us away. Even folks who hadn't been following the Xbox 360's progress since E3 wouldn't have been too surprised. That said, the company had a solid, if not spectacular, showing.

While the XNA platform and the success of Xbox Live, including Xbox Live Arcade and Xbox Live Marketplace are exciting from a developer/publisher standpoint, it doesn't make for a very exciting press conference. What does get us all hot and bothered are the games.

While there weren't many announcements that personally blew me away, footage of Blue Dragon certainly did. I'm not what you'd call a fan of Toriyama's artwork, but seeing his character designs in action was enough to get me excited about a by-the-numbers JRPG. The hair metal soundtrack alone seems worth the sixty bucks.

Lost Odyssey, however, was the day's tease. After having my brain numbed by the intense carnage, booming soundtrack and thunderous machines of war, we were presented with the most excitement draining menu based combat, pitting our protaganist against a flamethrowing cleaver tank, then quickly reminded us with another beautifully rendered cinematic just how uninteresting the gameplay was. Maybe turn based RPG's just aren't for me, but it's already on my list of things to not pay attention to.

Trusty Bell and Infinite Undiscovery looked like the typical JRPG fare, but look like solid efforts. Blue Dragon cleaned my brain of any fond memories of either of these two titles.

Lost Planet is a must buy, but Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 just gives me a feeling of intense creepiness. And seriously, has anyone on Team Ninja ever touched a breast? Those sloppy gelatinous globs made me queasy.

Xbox Live Arcade announcements were a mixed bag. While the idea of a Pac-Man World Championship sounds cool, it just isn't my thing. Yie Ar Kung Fu is. Unfortunately, it's Japan exclusive, which is a hell of a bummer. I'll be snagging myself some Contra and Super Contra, though, so it's all good. Those two will numb the pain of loss.

All in all, it was a decent showing, but lacked the thrill of major announcements. It's clear that MS isn't going to make a huge dent in the Japanese market, yet there will still be some content for Japanese gamers. They're showing dedication, persistance, and better understanding of the foreign market. Hopefully, for Microsoft, they've got much more to pull out at X06.

Let us know your well absorbed thoughts in the comments. Michael McWhertor

According to my friendly neighborhood Shibuya sources, Microsoft will announce tomorrow (late tonight for those of you in saner time zones) that the Xbox 360 HD DVD player attachment will ship to its wee Japanese fanbase just in time for the holidays. Priced at a very reasonable 19800 yen (20790 yen with tax), my source was eager to mention its 1080p capabilities and Windows XP Media Center Edition compatability. Woo.

For those of you too lazy to type in "19800 japanese yen in US dollars", or your currency of choice, that's about 168 bucks, otherwise known as "cheap". As we all know, pricing in dollars to yen to euros to whatever is not created equal, so speculating other regional prices on current exchange rates doesn't always tell the full pricing strategy story.

We'll see what Microsoft has to say about worldwide release dates and cost at Barcelona, but it seems cheap ass 1080p-ers may have something to shout about. We'll follow up with more details following Microsoft's press event later today. Michael McWhertor

I missed out on the E3 coverage that showed up on Xbox Live, mostly because I was busy covering the thing. But I heard nothing but rave reviews for all of the video showing press conferences, gameplay and such.

So I was delighted to read today that Microsoft will be giving both the Tokyo Game Show and their X06 event in Barcelona the full-on Xbox Live video treatment.

Starting Wednesday, gamers will be able to check out press briefings, daily updates, behind the scenes videos and even playable game demos from the Tokyo Game Show.

Most of that content will disappear after Sept. 29, so make sure to catch it while you can.

In the two weeks there will also be two new Arcade title's launched and news of a "major franchise" heading to Xbox Live Arcade.

All told, Microsoft plans to put up more than 100 pieces of new downloadable content during the nine days. Hit the jump for the full press release including the list of what games will have videos uploaded during the coverage. Brian Crecente

Enjoy Tokyo Game Show and X06 direct from your living room with an all-access pass to the biggest video game events of the fall Xbox Live is "Bringing It Home" and invites Xbox 360 owners to check out games, demos, trailers and news from the show floors Gamers don't have to be on the Tokyo Game Show and X06 guest lists to have a front row seat to all of the action, because this year Xbox brings these event show floors to you. Following on from the success of "E3: Bringing It Home," Xbox is inviting all gamers to enjoy exclusive access via Xbox Live Marketplace to Tokyo Game Show, the largest show from the world's second largest gaming market, and X06, the ultimate Microsoft games showcase.

Starting Wednesday, September 20, through Friday, September 29, connected gamers can access the best content from the Tokyo Game Show in Japan and X06 in Barcelona, Spain, including highlights from both press briefings, daily updates and behind the scenes videos from the show floors as well as the hottest playable game demos and videos in high definition. The majority of this content will only be available until 12:00 a.m. PDT on September 29, so be sure to download everything you want while it is available.

There will also be a brand new Xbox Live Arcade title launch each week, one at Tokyo Game Show and one at X06, including a never before announced major franchise making its way onto Xbox Live Arcade. In total, more than 100 pieces of new downloadable content will be available to gamers during the nine day period. In addition to new playable game demos, there will also be new game videos from the following titles being showcased at Tokyo Game Show and/or X06:

o Call of Duty 3 (Activision)
o Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (Tecmo)
o Forza Motorsport 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)
o Kayne & Lynch (Eidos)
o Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (Microsoft Game Studios)
o Need for Speed Carbon (EA)
o Project Sylpheed (Square-Enix)
o Shrek 3 (Activision)
o Viva Pi ata (Microsoft Game Studios)
o Plus additional high definition videos from games to be announced at Tokyo Game Show and X06
For gamers looking to further personalize their Xbox 360 experience there will be new picture packs and themes for titles including Alan Wake, Fable 2, Mass Effect and Forza 2. Gamers will also be able to download a free picture pack, theme and an exclusive scene from the upcoming Battlestar Galactica season premier (US only).

Stay tuned to the Xbox Live Calendar pages on Xbox.com (xbox.com/bringingithome) for more information on the schedule of events taking place during the Xbox Live is "Bringing It Home" week. If you're not yet connected to Xbox Live, sign up today to Bring Tokyo Game Show and X06 Home on your Xbox 360. What are you waiting for?

With the Tokyo Game Show just days away we are amassing Kotaku forces on the border of Tokyo.

Japan associate editor Brian Ashcraft and weekend associate editor Michael McWhertor are being joined by Gridskipper's Jean Snow and sexy-named videographer Jon Thunqvist to cover all of the Japanese gaming shenanigans expected.

I suspect Sony's going to be dropping some interesting information at this, the last big show before their launch of the Playstation 3. Could a price drop be on the horizon? I doubt it, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. If nothing else I'm sure we will be hearing a lot more about their plans for the online service, downloadable content, PSP interactivity and games, games, games.

I doubt Microsoft is going to quietly sit by and watch Sony grab up all of the attention either. Certainly they'll be talking about the HD-DVD add-on drive and games, but maybe we'll also hear something about the rumored price drop or 360 pack. My money is on Microsoft introducing a game and console pack before they drop their price. They deny it adamantly, but I suppose it's still possible they will be discussing a 360 with an HD-DVD built-in, though I think it more likely they would launch a pack, which just included it in the cardboard box instead of the console.

Of course there will also be tons of third-party news as well. Strap in, it's going to be a bumpy ride. Brian Crecente

Drum roll please... The official theme of the 2007 Tokyo Game Show is "New excitement. New feeling. New age." (Shin Koufun. Shin Kandou. Shin Jidai.) Great, huh? Wow, it's must have taken them all of fifteen minutes to come up with that doozy. I cannot wait for this year's TGS, which will be just like this year's E3 minus the big news. No, strike that. TGS will be totally different. Better and in Japanese. There will be face saving huge announcements from companies with loads of empty fantastic promises. And booth babes.

Wait, E3 had all that, plus news. Nevermind. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Official Site] via Dengeki Online

Shigeru Miyamoto was kind enough to sit down with us during the show to talk about the future of Wii, his thoughts on the Playstation 3 announcements and how Microsoft can succeed in Japan.

We'll be posting the full video next week, but until then here's some interesting tidbits from the talk—some of which we're pretty sure you've never heard before. (We're a bit disconnected since we're weathering a storm of information here at E3.)

During the interview Miyamoto dropped a few bits on us. First at all, Miyamoto says Nintendo has been talking about how to use interconnectivity between the DS and the Wii. (Naturally.) He said the technology to support this is already built into the console, but that they haven't decided how to use it yet, but they've got a few ideas (which we'll be happy to tell you after the jump).

Some of the possibilities include using the touch screen and microphone input from the DS to effect Wii gameplay. Another possibility, he said, is to be able to download content from your Wii to your DS, edit it, and then upload it back to the console.

Miyamoto said they weren't sure when this connectivity would be available, but that it would be at launch or very early on because of the tremendous success of the DS.

Miyamoto also mentioned is that Wii remotes will likely be able to be 'attached' to different members of your household—each person would have their own Wiimote. Nintendo's hopes are that everyone in the family will own their own Wii remote, each with a distinct look, and that people can just hop into a game with the controller—and the Wii would customize the look or settings of a game based on which controller turned it on the console.

Finally, I asked Miyamoto about why Nintendo didn't release a price and date for the system at their pre-E3 press conference. He said that Nintendo has historically focused on the hardware and software during E3, saving the details of price and date for a later time.

When pressed, Miyamoto said that the price and date will likely be announced before the Tokyo Game Show, since while Nintendo doesn't historically show up at TGS, many third-party Wii game producers do.

Make sure to check back later today to watch Miyamoto play the Nintendo version of Justify Your Game—we called it Justify Your Name.

Also, check back next week for the full interview with the always affable Miyamoto.

I'd pretend I was writing this live, but the fact is I'm probably deep in some drugged sleep in a home far from the spark of Internet connectivity as you read this. This will be my last post for three weeks or so.

I plan on spending that time relaxing, reading something my wife calls "books," drinking in Sydney and not swimming in the shark-infested waters no matter how many times my Aussie relatives try to convince me to surf with them.

I will be posting Kotaku items for my last week in Oz, sometime around the beginning of October. Until then enjoy the other Brian's posts. I'd call him a cheap Japanese knock-off, but then he'd probably kick my ass, so I'm going to keep my mouth shut.

Make sure you track his live Tokyo Game Show coverage, I'm sure it will rock supreme.

Namco will have Ridge Racer 6 for the Xbox 360 up and running at the Tokyo Game Show, says Famitsu Magazine. This is just one of a handful of playable next gen Xbox games that'll be on display, adding to EA's Need for Speed Most Wanted, Taito's World Air Force, and Microsoft's Kameo: Elements of Power.

There'll be plenty of firsthand game play accounts from the TGS floor, starting next Friday. Stay tuned.

Playable Next Gen [Prodigious Gaming]

Mentally and physically, I'm gearing up for the big Tokyo Game Show. It should be great (per usual). Though, this year seems extra special. According to my registration form:

Front raw ticket. Hmmm... Sounds like I should bring protection.

Tokyo Game Show's Site

Taking a page from Nintendo s book, Sony will have downloadable Playstation Portable demos broadcasting from their booth at the Tokyo Game Show. The Playstation Spot will allow multiple gamers to download the demos to their PSPs at the same time.

Here s a list of what you ll be able to check out if you bring your PSP with you:

Metal Gear Acid 2
Beit Hell 2000
Portable Resort
Rengoku 2
Rockman Rockman

SCE Reveals Playstation Spot Game-Sharing Service for TGS [Game Science]

Resident Evil 4, Okami, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams and Monster Hunter 2 will all be playable at Capcom's Tokyo Game Show booth next month.

IGN says there will probably other titles announced for the show as it gets closer.

Capcom Gives Glimpse at TGS Lineup [IGN]

Microsoft will host a special Xbox 360 event in Japan on Sept. 15, a day before the Tokyo Game Show starts, the Inquirer says. Speculation is that the company will announce the console's pricing in Japan and perhaps announce release dates. All this is part of a campaign to prevent the 360 from flopping the way the original Xbox did in Japan.

If you ask me, the success of the box in Japan won't rest on pricing but on the games. As Chris Kohler points out, the Japanese delight in off-beat titles like Dance Dance Revolution With Mario or Minna Daisuki Katamari ("Everyone Loves Katamari"). No first-person shooters in sight. Compare that to the 360's launch line-up. Who knows. Maybe the Japanese appetite for realistic violence will pick up in the next year or two to boost the 360's fortune.

More Metal Gear Solid 4 details will likely be revealed at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Konami has said they plan to demonstrate the next episode of the stealth action game at the convention, but haven't said what exactly will be on show. I suppose it's possible that they will just show the nearly non-existent teaser that was show at E3, but I seriously doubt it. I'm expecting at least some more details about how the last in the franchise will likely depart from the sneak theme.

Metal Gear Solid 4 at Tokyo Game Show PS3 [RedAssedBaboon]

As the Tokyo Game Show looms about a month away, word is starting to get out about who will be showing what at the expo. KOEI just sent me their Tokyo line-up, adding that they are "preparing" Ni-Oh, a samurai-themed action game for the PS3, and Dynasty Warriors 5 Special, an enhanced edition of the tactical action game for the Xbox 360, for the show.

Here's the full list with release dates:

Ni-Oh, PlayStation 3, Summer 2006
Dynasty Warriors 5 Special (working title), Xbox 360, Winter 2005
Dynasty Warriors 5 Xtreme Legends(r), PlayStation 2, Sept. 15, 2005
Haruka Naru Toki no Naka de 3 Izayoiki, PlayStation 2, Sept. 22, 2005
WINBACK(tm)2: Project Poseidon, PlayStation 2, TBD
Romance of the Three Kingdoms(r) DS, DS, Sept. 29, 2005
Dynasty Warriors DS, Nintendo DS, TBD
Nobunaga's Ambition Online: Hiryu no Sho, PlayStation 2/PC, available now (Japan only)
Uncharted Waters Online, PC, available now (Japan only)

This year's Tokyo Game Show will be the true unveiling of the next-gen consoles. There won't be any diminutive Hollywood stars guarding the Xbox 360 or PS3s tucked away in glass cases, no at this show the next-gen is open to the people. Both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 will be open to the public and fully playable. Though, which games exactly will be available on the new consoles is still up in the air.

Gamespot just put up a huge list of games and company which have so far signed up to make the September show.

Tokyo Game Show 2005 releases exhibitor and game lists [Gamespot]