Should I visit Tokyo Game Show?

[Aztorian]

Me and two friends-in-crime will be visiting Japan from september 1st til the 16th of september. I found out that Tokyo Game Show will take place in the final weekend of our stay. Is it worth visiting if I have already been to Gamescom? I will be going to Gamescom with press access, so I will probably see almost everything I want to see. I've never been to Japan, so neither have I been to TGS before.

Does anyone have any experience with this event? Is it much different from gaming conventions in the west? Is it hard to get press access to TGS for smaller local (in my case Dutch only) outlets?

 

[Dwayne]

It's worth going for the merchandise, if you're into that sort of thing. Otherwise it's not that different to any of show.

Edit: just to counter the below posts, if you go on the business days, you'll be waiting around 15 minutes to play a game, rather than hours.

 

[zeox]

I was there last year and the one thing I took away from it is this: Don't go there if you want to play any games. If you want to go there just for the spectacle and the merch, then it is well worth it in my opinion. Doesn't really cost much either, and the food court they had there was pretty awesome.

I'd say if you are already nearby, then go for it

 

[Aztorian]

Don't go there if you want to play any games.

Click to shrink...

Basically any convention ever as a visitor. Queue up for 2-3 hours to play for 15 minutes and if you're lucky you can queue for one more game before the convention closes for the day.

 

[FF Seraphim]

Yes. Go for the indie game section, the devs are usually there and you get to play some great games. Also the merchandise can be amazing.

 

[zeox]

Basically any convention ever as a visitor. Queue up for 2-3 hours to play for 15 minutes and if you're lucky you can queue for one more game before the convention closes for the day.

Click to shrink...

yep pretty much! Though I will say it was actually remarkably easy to play a couple of games in the indie games section

 

[keidash]

I went two years ago (TGS 2017), I've never gone to any other event like Gamescom or E3 and I was kinda disapointed, too much focus in mobile devices, almost nothing nintendo related... but if you've been at Gamescom you'll appreciate a much better organizad event, the cosplay was supreme and the place is huge...

The year I was the biggest focus in console AAA game were Monster Hunter World and The Evil Within 2 (I saw mikami too) but maybe this year you'll be able to see FF VII R, some Capcom announcement, some Sega title... I don't know, maybe it's more worth it depending on your preferences.

I forgot to mention, the indie space was also nice, I met one of the main developers of Hollow Knight and he was so nice!!!

 

[Aztorian]

yep pretty much! Though I will say it was actually remarkably easy to play a couple of games in the indie games section

Click to shrink...

Yes indies usually have no, or a very small queue

I went two years ago (TGS 2017), I've never gone to any other event like Gamescom or E3 and I was kinda disapointed, too much focus in mobile devices, almost nothing nintendo related... but if you've been at Gamescom you'll appreciate a much better organizad event, the cosplay was supreme and the place is huge...

The year I was the biggest focus in console AAA game were Monster Hunter World and The Evil Within 2 (I saw mikami too) but maybe this year you'll be able to see FF VII R, some Capcom announcement, some Sega title... I don't know, maybe it's more worth it depending on your preferences.

I forgot to mention, the indie space was also nice, I met one of the main developers of Hollow Knight and he was so nice!!!

Click to shrink...

Hollow Knight is cool. Is the place divided in visitor/business sections like Gamescom is? Would be cool to run into devs to talk to them. I will e bringing someone who speaks fluently Japanese so language won't be a barrier at all. Maybe I should have mentioned this in the OP. Not sure how much it matters on events like this.

 

[Cloud-Hidden]

I went when I was in Tokyo last September. Got a press badge and everything. It was cool, but I wish I would have spent those hours exploring Japan instead. I'd save yourself half a day and just keep exploring, OP. It's just a trade show.

 

[shaneo632]

Never been but for me having to spend an hour queueing to play a game for 10-15 mins is a major turnoff.

 

[FreeMufasa]

Been in Japan for 7 years but never been. Probably should this year

 

[keidash]

Yes indies usually have no, or a very small queue

Hollow Knight is cool. Is the place divided in visitor/business sections like Gamescom is? Would be cool to run into devs to talk to them. I will e bringing someone who speaks fluently Japanese so language won't be a barrier at all. Maybe I should have mentioned this in the OP. Not sure how much it matters on events like this.

Click to shrink...

I've never been to Gamescom (only knew about a few friends who always complain about the organization) but it didn't seem to be divided in TGS, I know nothing about japanese and was only with my wife (who speaks no japanese) and well... I rather enjoyed but with a fluent japanese company you'll have a huge advantage, in the indie section you don't need japanese mostly.

 

[Kyrios]

I say yeah if you're able to walk around and get some free stuff and whatnot, don't need to spend an entire day there.

 

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

It's a great place - make sure to have sunscreen on and get a taxi to have you arrive there by 5am to get in line (even then you'll still be a fair ways back but should still be able to enter within the first 20 minutes). Bring water, a light backpack (for carrying all the free merch you'll get) and enjoy yourself!

It's a great place to meet industry folk, have chatted with Nagoshi, Ono and Kojima there and played some great games - well worth a visit.

 

[Slacker247]

Go on a Sunday afternoon. Less people, cooler, not feeling like you're walking in a sea of people. I went on a Saturday and didn't enjoy it. Went the very next day because I had some time before my flight back and I enjoyed it much more.

 

[MistaTwo]

Me and two friends-in-crime will be visiting Japan from september 1st til the 16th of september. I found out that Tokyo Game Show will take place in the final weekend of our stay. Is it worth visiting if I have already been to Gamescom? I will be going to Gamescom with press access, so I will probably see almost everything I want to see. I've never been to Japan, so neither have I been to TGS before.

Does anyone have any experience with this event? Is it much different from gaming conventions in the west? Is it hard to get press access to TGS for smaller local (in my case Dutch only) outlets?

Click to shrink...

If you have never been to Japan, I wouldn't really recommend it over the hundreds of other things you could do in or around Tokyo. It's not that different from other trade shows. I guess the professional cosplay is better than most other shows?

The main reason to go would be to buy some of the merch they sell, but I wouldn't even recommend that on public days as it's crowded and the good stuff tends to sell out.

It's fairly out of the way too as its not in Tokyo proper, but out in Chiba.

 

[Deleted member 15447]

I went in 2006 and loved it.
Just the atmosphere alone made it worthwhile.

 

[sugarless]

Don't waste your first-ever vacation in Japan time on it is my advice, having been there several times for work. It's not even in Tokyo as such, so don't think it's gonna be like Gamescom where you hop in a taxi from your hotel and drive 15 minutes. If you still feel you want go just to say you've been, just go for half a day at most and try to get in on a business day. But I think in this online era the value of such shows has decreased vastly compared to the kind of exclusive feeling you might have gotten from visiting 10-15 years ago.

 

[Dingens]

I'd say it heavily depends on the year. Went there in 2014 and 2015. 2014 was super fun, almost no crowds, got to play tons of stuff. 2015 was the exact opposite...

 

[sugarless]

I'd say it heavily depends on the year. Went there in 2014 and 2015. 2014 was super fun, almost no crowds, got to play tons of stuff. 2015 was the exact opposite...

Click to shrink...

Yeah, it can change wildly.

OP, basically, if you feel in your heart of hearts that you will forever regret not having visited TGS while you had the chance on your first and maybe only ever Japan trip -- then you already know the answer, but just don't spend more time there than you need.

 

[Yunyo]

I went in 2016 and enjoyed myself.

You have to show up early; I got the earliest possible train and managed to get a very nice spot in line. And the crowd was perfectly manageable and I didn't have to wait too long in lines to play games either, though I was only interested in a few titles.

Got some cool merch like a Sakura Taisen mug and a few Sega shirts, there were a ton of merch booths there if you're into buying that sort of thing.

 

[mxbison]

Is was there several years ago and it was very disappointing. Last train went super early and there wasn't much to see. The fighting game tournament was the best thing about it.

 

[Delroy]

I went last year with my wife while traveling to Japan. It was cool to say I've been there, but as a whole the event was incredibly underwhelming and a hassle to get to. Very mobile focused, very anime focused so if those are in your wheelhouse you might enjoy quite a bit more. The show floor is chaos, so like others have said don't go to play games. I'm using PAX Prime as my main comparison here (which is also a hot mess).

 

[Mercador]

If you are already there and never been to E3 / Gamescom or others, why not. Don't spend more than a day though.

 

[KINGOFSHIBUYA Ltd.]

It'll be fun....though dont expect to play a lot of popular games.