Tokyo Game Show Gets Extra Business Day

Officials from Japanese trade body the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) have announced that an additional date will be added to this year’s Tokyo Game Show, for use by press and trade attendees only. The Tokyo Game Show has traditionally run over three days, beginning on a Friday with entrance only for business attendees, and followed by two days over the weekend which are open to the public. The newly added date will now see the 2007 event begin on Thursday, September 20th and end on Sunday, September 23rd. The Japanese-language announcement indicates that CESA is keen to expand in order to focus its attention on international business, likely (though not explicitly stated) due to the scaled-down nature of the E3 Expo in Los Angeles this year. With E3 being reduced to largely hotel based meetings, rather than the larger-scale stands and media-friendly events of previous years, even international events are considering some expansion. E3's rationalization has left the Leipzig Games Convention and the Tokyo Game Show as the closest remaining international equivalents to the original E3 - though both combine trade and public visitors, something E3 never officially did. Thus, the CESA announcement makes clear reference to strengthening the use of the Tokyo Game Show as a forum for business and a venue for more international companies and attendees, making TGS into a "more complete international trade show".