TGS 'ready for game time'

Last year's Tokyo Game Show saw record numbers of gaming fans, exhibitors, and cosplayers massing at the Makuhari Messe, with 193,040 people attending the event over the four days.

The event's organizers at Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association are determined to make the 2008 TGS, which runs from October 9-12, even bigger than last year. "Based on these successes [of last year], 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," CESA said in a statement.

A theme has also been decided for the event, which will have the motto "Ready for game time!" The event will be a celebration of how games can be fun for everyone and how "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."

This year's planned TGS exhibit areas include a general area, mobile content, business solutions, game school, kids, sales, and a new PC online game section. According to the official CESA Web site, 180,000 people are expected to check out TGS this year, although promotional leaflets given out at GDC are predicting a less modest 217,000 attendees. According to the organisers, about 170 exhibitors will be on hand in about 1,550 booth units.