Still, cases are relatively low compared with other countries, and events have been making a slow comeback. In Japan, the spread of COVID-19 has recently been fueled by the Delta variant, and a state of emergency has been declared in multiple cities in an attempt to control the rise in infections. Earlier in September, the community-focused expo PAX West was held in Seattle, Washington, with a public audience and plenty of masks. In Shanghai, ChinaJoy - Asia’s largest game expo - was held more or less as usual in the summer of 20, with strict protocols but open to the public. But in recent months we have been seeing a return to some semblance of normality. Even in the best of times, a few days at a major gaming expo will send me home with a nasty cold and frayed vocal cords.Īs COVID-19 spread around the world in early 2020, most gaming events were canceled, postponed, or moved online. Game expos around the world have struggled during the pandemic, since these are traditionally events that gather tens of thousands (or more) of game industry workers and members of the public in a densely packed, sweaty exhibition center to share game controllers at crowded demo booths. (Sorry, the public will not be allowed in.) But, unlike last year, there will also be an in-person invitation-only expo, where media outlets and influencers will be able to go hands-on with new games and share their impressions and opinions, just like at a regular pre-COVID game expo. In 2021, as the pandemic continues, TGS will once again take place as a livestream format. While TGS is usually held at the cavernous Makuhari Messe venue in Chiba, in 2020, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it took place for the first time as an online-only event, with four days of livestream showcases that were a mixture of game announcements and variety shows - such as a surprisingly deep 60th-anniversary history lesson from Sega. French giant Ubisoft will focus on its upcoming title Far Cry 6, which stars Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito as its villain. Microsoft will not be the only non-Japanese publisher to hold a showcase during TGS 2021. Microsoft also owns Minecraft, which counts Japan as one of its strongest markets, so an update of some kind during TGS seems likely. Meanwhile, Microsoft, whose Xbox platform has been quietly picking up momentum in Japan, will take the opportunity to deliver “ a celebration with our Asia community and locally relevant updates.” While they have said fans should not expect any major new global announcements, it will be interesting to see what Xbox has up its sleeve as the only console platform holder with a showcase at TGS 2021 - perhaps updates on its highly lauded cloud-streaming service and a glimpse at the holiday lineup for its fantastic all-you-can-play Game Pass subscription service. So, while both platform holders are official sponsors, do not expect any new announcements from them. Nintendo is never present on the Tokyo Game Show floor, and PlayStation is skipping the 2021 event as it has with all other major game expos since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll also get to see the very first gameplay footage of SNK’s King of Fighters 15, new details of Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, an untitled new mobile RPG from Sega, Guilty Gear -Strive- updates from Arc System Works, and the reveal of Wanted: Dead, a mysterious new “hardcore third-person shooter/slasher game” from 110 Industries being developed by some of the talents behind Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. Participants this year include Square Enix, whose various Final Fantasy projects and upcoming action-RPG Forspoken will be undoubted highlights Koei Tecmo Games, which has hinted at a “secret” new game announcement and Bandai Namco Entertainment, which has promised updates for its hugely popular Idolmaster and Sword Art Online franchises. The biggest event in Japan’s gaming calendar and celebrating 25 years since its foundation in 1996, TGS will be a chance for gamers around the world to learn about the latest upcoming releases from publishers in Japan and beyond. Tokyo Game Show 2021 is right around the corner, taking place from September 30 through October 3.
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