[Report of Tokyo Game Show 2012] The conqueror of the game market of Japan is a mobile social game

Tokyo game show 2012 was held on September 20 - 23. 220,000 or more people visited there. This is the record-high number of Tokyo Game Show.

There is big characteristic in this Tokyo Game Show. It is a "mobile social game". It became the topic last year that GREE exhibited in Tokyo Game Show. There were very little exhibition of a mobile game and the social game last year. However, the situation changed suddenly in only one year. Every game company releases the mobile social games now. It was only SCE not to have exhibited a mobile social game in Tokyo Game Show2012.

In addition, GREE CEO Tanaka gave keynote speech this year. 

And the GREE booth was huge as ever and was showy. A lot of booth babes, a lot of objects, a lot of stage event etc ... However, the most important thing is that their new mobile social game is full 3DCG. Of course they support a smartphone and are free to play style. They evolve from conventional J-card game.

Furthermore, the booth of gloops was gorgeous, too. The booth of their Tokyo Game Show2011 was.......

But, this year …

They grew rapidly in one year. They run many mobile social games in GREE and Mobage. The net income of Q1 of their this year is 3,097 million yen. Incidentally, the online game company Nexon acquire them for 36,500 million yen today.
See Also: Online Games Giant Nexon Acquires Japanese Mobile Games Developer gloops For $468.4M Cash

The booth was small, but colopl fought hard, too.

They have been considered to be a company of geolocation game for future phone until now. Of course still they achieve big achievements. However, they release the high quality 3D game for smartphones now. They are going to shift to a smartphone.


The existing game company is also obliged to change.

Bushiroad starts social game platform "Bushimo" for smartphones from this winter. One-third of their booths were exhibit space of Bushimo.

SEGA established the subsidiary of the mobile social game speciality.  Quarter of their booth was exhibit space of the game for smartphones.

When Tokyo Game Show2012 is summarized, it is mobile & social. And in Japan, Social game = "play on mobile". For a Japanese, it is a matter of course to play a social game in mobile. Furthermore, it shifts from future phone to a smartphone rapidly. 

I think that the time changed. It is the turning point of the big times now. Tokyo Game Show2012 expressed it.

See Also:

Graphics: How Mobile Games Are Taking Over Tokyo Game Show [Social Games]

If you want to see many photos of Tokyo Game Show2012, please check albums of vsmedia's Facebook page.