Throughout 2020, almost every in-person video game event was canceled due to the worldwide effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This extended to even the biggest industry events like E3, GDC, and Gamescom, which all either faced outright cancellation or hosted online events in their absence. As the world continues to struggle with the effects with the pandemic, Tokyo Game Show will once again air online this September.
Tokyo Game Show first started in August 1996 and has gone on to become the premier Japanese video game expo that has seen the reveal of hundreds of games from Japanese video game publishers and developers. The show has also been home to reveals from international games that are planned to release in Japan, and even hardware related news. Historically, the first two days of the event have only been open exclusively to games media and industry attendees, with the final day open to the general public.
Tokyo Game Show 2020 was the first time the event has ever gone all-digital, and with 2021 marking the event's 25th anniversary, the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) has announced that it will be going big for the occasion, with the event set to take place from September 30th to October 3rd. Not only will Tokyo Game Show 2021 be hosted online, with special panels from beloved Japanese publishers and developers, this year there will also be a press-exclusive physical show once again, where games media will get to go hands-on with upcoming titles and interview developers
The CESA has announced that Tokyo Game Show's online showcase will be available in English this year, similar to how last year's featured a live translator for events such as Capcom's Resident Evil 8: Village showcase. The association is also planning a method to allow consumers to play demos of the games featured at this year's showcase, although details regarding this have not yet been revealed. This could mean we could see demos for upcoming games on digital platforms such as PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop, similarly to Steam Games Festival.
After many fans criticized last year's events for failing to offer any major game reveals or updates, it seems that the CESA is planning on making Tokyo Game Show 2021 an event to remember, even if the event cannot be held physically on a larger scale. With events such as E3 and Summer Game Fest planned for June, it's hard to know how the upcoming slate of Japanese game releases will look by the end of September this year, although publishers such as Sega, Capcom, and Square Enix usually tend to show up to TGS in a big way, meaning we may see updates for upcoming titles such as Elden Ring, Final Fantasy 16, Pragmata, and the rumored Judgment 2
Tokyo Game Show 2021 will take place from September 30th to October 3rd 2021.
Source: GamesIndustry