TGS '07: The big show kicks off

TOKYO--It's official: The annual madness that is the Tokyo Game Show has begun. The next four days will see the sprawling venue of Makuhari Messe taken over by developers, gamers, geeks, and cosplayers.

To kick things off, Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai delivered a keynote address titled "A Look at Our Business Strategy Toward New Growth: The Expanding PlayStation World." Hirai used his floor time to not only examine that strategy, but also to announce the much-anticipated return of rumble with Dual Shock 3 controllers for the PlayStation 3.

There will be three other sessions as part of the business conference portion of TGS, including an international session on the Xbox 360. Titled "Future Direction of Xbox 360 and Examples of Hardware Functions," that panel will feature Microsoft's Phil Spencer, Ensemble Studios' Bruce Shelley, and Bungie Studios' Jonty Barnes.

This year, the event's organizers at the Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association are expecting the show to be bigger than ever before, with 1,735 booth units (1,701 in 2006), 217 exhibitors (148 in 2006), and 702 titles shown (573 in 2006). However, CESA is cautious to predict a record number of visitors, with an attendance estimate of 180,000 piped to attend (compared to 192,411 in 2006).

This year's TGS also has a record number of overseas exhibitors--97 from a total of 19 different countries, including USA, UK, China, and Germany--proving that the event is gaining an international presence.

For all the latest news and previews from the show, be sure to check out GameSpot's complete coverage of the 2007 Tokyo Game Show.