The Tokyo Game Show lets fans experience the latest games and hardware, with more than 350 companies showing off their latest and greatest. As well as huge Sony and Microsoft booths, there are also special areas set aside for the likes of romance simulation games, cloud gaming, and the growing smartphone and tablet game sector. The Xbox One,will be rolled out in 13 countries, including the US, UK and Australia, US and European developers have produced many of the biggest games of recent years, with Edinburgh-based Rockstar North behind game-of-the-moment Grand Theft Auto V.
Analysts say encouraging new independent game creators is crucial for Japan to regain its position in the gaming world.One games developer at the show, Keiji Inafune, said the downturn was due to some games companies becoming complacent and not taking enough risks. Suddenly, Japanese games weren’t selling, and they didn’t look as good as they used to look, compared to foreign games.
Sony and Microsoft however, say the delayed release dates for their consoles are simply to give more time to get things right for the Japanese market. Nintendo meanwhile, which announced the death of its pioneer Hiroshi Yamauchi on Thursday, has followed tradition and is not exhibiting at the show.
