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I've been to the Tokyo Game Show a few times now, spread out over almost a half-decade. Each time I arrive in Tokyo I'm thrilled by the culture, amazed by the sights, and struck by how different everything is from what we're used to in the States. It's a whole different world here, and one that I hope you get a chance to visit before the world gets too flat.
The Internet is changing everything -- and rapidly. Cultural influence knows no boundaries these days and the economics of making software encourage producers to hit as many markets as possible. Rapid proliferation of ideas and art made easy by computers is making it difficult to stay isolated, quickly encouraging pockets of individuals to join together.
Four or five years ago, a visit to Tokyo would have given even the most seasoned of travelers a bit of a culture shock. The Tokyo Game Show was ground zero. Here was a public game expo filled with what we'd consider niche experiences in the US, heavy on Japanese developer influence, and almost indifferent to the outside world. That flavor hasn't been totally lost, but the beat of change can increasingly be felt.
Back in 2007, the Tokyo Game Show was filled with Japanese cell phone kiosks, Wii and DS games, and lots of scantily clad booth attendants. The girls haven't gone anywhere, but the products they represent certainly have changed.
Go ahead and try to find a Wii game on the show floor this year. A few exist, but they're the exception. PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PSP titles dominate the booths, while upstarts in the area have begun to show their faces. For the first time this year, you can find an entire huge section of the convention center solely dedicated to iPhone and iPad games. The number of free-to-play games coming out of China and Korea has grown exponentially, now hitting the point where I've heard people openly gawking at the massive Gamania (a Taiwanese free-to-play developer) booth, wondering aloud how the company got so big. You can almost see where the investment money is going -- and it's not at traditional Japanese game makers.
Still, the Japanese giants that helped to create the videogame industry aren't going anywhere. Capcom, Square Enix and Konami are still major players here, but even they look to Western audiences with dollar signs in their eyes. The next Devil May Cry is being made by a European developer as a reboot. Konami is doing the same with its Castlevania series. And Square? They bought Eidos and are pushing games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Call of Duty: Black Ops (which it publishes in Japan) at the Tokyo Game Show. Red Dead Redemption is on display at Sony's booth. 'Nuff said.
That quirkiness that comes with Japanese game design hasn't totally been lost. Microsoft -- of all companies -- put a heavy focus on its Xbox 360 support coming out of Japan during this show, offering first looks at several wacky Kinect games. And you don't need to look any farther than GalGun or Asura's Wrath to see that the spirit of insanity is alive and well here.
more here
nothing else this article makes me want to head off to japan.
The Internet is changing everything -- and rapidly. Cultural influence knows no boundaries these days and the economics of making software encourage producers to hit as many markets as possible. Rapid proliferation of ideas and art made easy by computers is making it difficult to stay isolated, quickly encouraging pockets of individuals to join together.
Four or five years ago, a visit to Tokyo would have given even the most seasoned of travelers a bit of a culture shock. The Tokyo Game Show was ground zero. Here was a public game expo filled with what we'd consider niche experiences in the US, heavy on Japanese developer influence, and almost indifferent to the outside world. That flavor hasn't been totally lost, but the beat of change can increasingly be felt.
Back in 2007, the Tokyo Game Show was filled with Japanese cell phone kiosks, Wii and DS games, and lots of scantily clad booth attendants. The girls haven't gone anywhere, but the products they represent certainly have changed.
Go ahead and try to find a Wii game on the show floor this year. A few exist, but they're the exception. PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PSP titles dominate the booths, while upstarts in the area have begun to show their faces. For the first time this year, you can find an entire huge section of the convention center solely dedicated to iPhone and iPad games. The number of free-to-play games coming out of China and Korea has grown exponentially, now hitting the point where I've heard people openly gawking at the massive Gamania (a Taiwanese free-to-play developer) booth, wondering aloud how the company got so big. You can almost see where the investment money is going -- and it's not at traditional Japanese game makers.
Still, the Japanese giants that helped to create the videogame industry aren't going anywhere. Capcom, Square Enix and Konami are still major players here, but even they look to Western audiences with dollar signs in their eyes. The next Devil May Cry is being made by a European developer as a reboot. Konami is doing the same with its Castlevania series. And Square? They bought Eidos and are pushing games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Call of Duty: Black Ops (which it publishes in Japan) at the Tokyo Game Show. Red Dead Redemption is on display at Sony's booth. 'Nuff said.
That quirkiness that comes with Japanese game design hasn't totally been lost. Microsoft -- of all companies -- put a heavy focus on its Xbox 360 support coming out of Japan during this show, offering first looks at several wacky Kinect games. And you don't need to look any farther than GalGun or Asura's Wrath to see that the spirit of insanity is alive and well here.
more here
nothing else this article makes me want to head off to japan.
