Marking its milestone 30th year, the Tokyo Game Show kicked off Thursday with an expanded international footprint and fresh entries from companies crossing over from adjacent entertainment sectors. Organizers report that 1,138 exhibitors from 53 countries and regions are participating, setting new highs for the event. The Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association projects the five-day exhibition will draw roughly 300,000 visitors to the Makuhari Messe convention center east of Tokyo, following a decision to extend the annual gathering by one day.
While many global entertainment showcases have faltered or shut down entirely—such as Los Angeles’ Electronic Entertainment Expo, which folded in 2023 after nearly three decades—the Tokyo event continues to expand its physical footprint.
Global Studios and First-Time Entrants Expand the Show Floor
International participation spans returning indie developers and first-time corporate entrants alike. Ropstam Solutions Inc., a Canadian tech firm with software operations in Pakistan and India, is exhibiting for the first time through a Japan International Cooperation Agency project designed to connect Pakistani ICT firms with Japanese studios. CEO Wali Hassan Jafferi noted that the firm sought to build new ties within Japan’s large-scale games market by displaying virtual reality titles.
Domestic non-gaming giants are also pivoting toward interactive entertainment. Licensing firm Sanrio Co. is showcasing Hello Kitty Party Land, its first Nintendo Switch title scheduled for a worldwide release on October 29, alongside a smartphone rhythm game titled Sanrio Kawaii Me Live! slated for 2027. Kosuke Hamasaki, a Sanrio managing executive officer overseeing the gaming division, explained that free-to-play mobile releases help introduce company characters to global audiences and drive merchandise sales.
“Free-to-play mobile games can introduce Sanrio characters to more people around the world and lead to increased sales of character merchandise.”
Kosuke Hamasaki, Sanrio managing executive officer in charge of gaming business
Entertainment company Toei Co., which launched its Toei Games brand in April, is taking an original-IP approach on Steam with three titles: Hino, Killa and Debug Nephemee. Toei general manager Takashi Yoshimoto stated that the company deliberately bypassed adaptations of established superhero properties like Kamen Rider to focus on original game development.
Major Platform Announcements Highlight Xbox and Kojima Productions
Simultaneously, platform holders used the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 Broadcast to unveil updates for console and PC players. Marking 25 years of Xbox and over 20 years in Japan, the showcase featured 17 fresh gameplay reveals, alongside updates from Activision, Bethesda, Koei Tecmo, and Sega.
Legendary creator Hideo Kojima closed the broadcast with an appearance to share new developments on OD – KNOCK and PHYSINT. Kojima confirmed that Swedish actor and producer Bill Skarsgård will take on the lead role in PHYSINT, appearing on a promotional poster alongside Charlee Fraser.
Other notable platform announcements included an updated campaign trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 ahead of its October 23 launch, alongside Sega revealing that Japan will serve as one of the playable locations in Crazy Taxi: World Tour.
Economic Stakes Behind Japan’s Knowledge-Based Growth Strategy
Government strategy under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has positioned Japan’s content sector as a primary engine for economic expansion. Haruhiro Tsujimoto, chairman of the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association, emphasized at a conference that Japan’s future growth depends on knowledge-based industries given its limited natural resources.
“As Japan is a resource-poor country, I believe its future growth depends on knowledge-based industries. We will strive to ensure that the games industry remains at the heart of this.”
Haruhiro Tsujimoto, Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association chairman
Financial projections underscore that institutional backing. Public and private investments in the domestic gaming industry are projected to reach 24.5 trillion yen ($157 billion) by fiscal 2033. Sector exports grew roughly 3.8-fold over the decade leading up to 2024, climbing from 1.6 trillion yen to 6.1 trillion yen, with games representing 56 percent of that total. Meanwhile, the global games content market hit 32.1 trillion yen in 2025, buoyed largely by mobile gaming expansion.
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