Tokyo Game Show turns 30, but gaming keeps looking to the past

For its 30th anniversary, Tokyo Game Show has added more days, more exhibitors and more pizzazz — but the games on the show floor bear an unmistakable mark of the past. | JOHAN BROOKS

Sep 18, 2026

Tokyo Game Show (TGS) is nothing short of a minor miracle.

Japan’s premier in-person gaming event has not only survived but thrived as companies around the world, including many of its exhibitors, have increasingly turned to livestreams and other online platforms to reach consumers. In some cases, this has led to the death of once great gaming shows, like Los Angeles’ Electronic Entertainment Expo, which called it quits in 2023 after a nearly three-decade run.

But TGS is growing.

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