TGS '07: Record numbers mass at Messe

TOKYO--With all three next-generation game consoles now in play and plenty of anticipated titles on display, this year's Tokyo Game Show yet again attracted record crowds. The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, organizers of this year's Tokyo Game Show, has reported that the number of visitors to TGS '07 totaled 193,040. The number ekes past last year's record turnout of 192,411, and easily clears the 185,000 attendees of Leipzig's supersized Games Convention.

For the first time, this year's TGS ran for four days. The first two were business days, limited to press and invite-only guests, while the last two were open to the public. The CESA has not yet decided whether it will reenact the extended four-day show in 2008.

However, event organizers did announce that TGS will return to Chiba prefecture's Makuhari Messe convention center next year. The show will start on either October 9 or 10, depending on whether it follows a three- or four-day format, and run until October 12. This will be the third time that the show will take place in October. The last time was the fall TGS of 2001, which took place October 12-14. Up until 2002, the show took place twice a year--once in the spring and once in the fall.

The breakdown of visitors for this year's Tokyo Game Show is listed below.

TGS 2007
Day 1* - 29,783
Day 2** - 32,390
Day 3 - 64,795 (11,829 children)
Day 4 - 66,072 (15,347 children)
Total: 193,040

TGS 2006
Day 1** - 39,645
Day 2 - 84,823 (12,246 children)
Day 3 - 67,943 (10,637 children)
Total: 192,411

Total visitors for previous years:
2005 - 176,056
2004 - 160,096
2003 - 150,089
2002 - 134,042
2001 Fall - 129,626
2001 Spring - 118,080
2000 Fall - 137,400
2000 Spring - 131,708
1999 Fall - 163,866
1999 Spring - 163,448
1998 Fall - 156,455
1998 Spring - 147,913
*Press only
**Press and invitation only