[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.

Tokyo Station overflows with Namekos

I wrote about popular game application "Nameko Saibai Kit" for smartphones in Japan several times.
See also:
The game application which is the most popular in Japan is a "nameko mushroom"
Japanese popular game apps "Nameko" goes music!
Nameko everywhere

Tokyo Station is filled with them now. I watched them last week while I reported Tokyo game show 2012.

Now, "Nameko Fair" is held now at Tokyo Station. Every official goods of Nameko are sold here.

Nameko transcends a category of the smartphone application, and it is loved by people.

Many people shooted a souvenir photos in the circumference of the Nameko statue.

The commemorative stamp was popular, too. Even if we did not do shopping, we are able to enjoy these.

We can encounter Nameko if lucky.

Japanese university students developed "Shiri" robot

Students of Japan's University of Electro-Communications developed "Shiri" robot. Is it Shiri of iPhone? No! "Shiri" means "Ass" in Japanese.



Why did they develop the Ass robot by using advanced knowledge and technology?  Why is it ass of the men not a woman? There are a lot of questions. However, you must not laugh at this. In addition, they are earnest. A very high sensor technology is used for this, and the theme of this is communication. This continues evolving and may become the humanoid before long.

iOS application "Manga Camera"

Now, the iOS application which has become the topic most in Japan is "Manga Camera".

This application converts a photos like Japanese manga. "Frame", constructed by sound effects and a background is important.

We put frame together to a photos more than 20 kinds and can make the image of the manga taste.

I tried this by the pumpkin.

In this way, it becomes very natural manga illustration. Surely it will be interesting when we make manga with a photos using this.

Finnish movie "Iron Sky" tie-up with Japanese Video sharing site Nico Nico Douga

Many Japanese movie fans look forward to Finnish movie "Iron Sky". And it is shown in TOHO cinemas Roppongi Hills from September 28.

Japanese official site of Iron Sky

Official Trailer

However, a trailer is not only this. The movie company cooperated with Nico Nico Douga to tell more Japanese about this cool movie. This is an example of the tie-up.


Many texts are inserted in a screen. You may think that they are gloomy. However, this is one of the main functions of Nico Nico douga. Users of Nico Nico douga can post texts in the screen of the videos. Those almost are silly chat and impressions, but they bring about the funniness. Furthermore, Nico Nico Douga broadcasts special program in commemoration of the screening of the Iron Sky on September 15 and 20 (Nico Nico Douga performs the broadcast of the original program).

Furthermore, there is an interesting trailer one more.


This is a trailer using song of Japanese model / singer kyarypamyupamyu "Tsukema Tsukeru".

Original


Her songs are downloaded in large numbers in iTunes of Finland. Probably this will reflect it.

Let's experience the Battle of Sekigahara by iOS application

Do you know the Battle of Sekigahara? It is a civil war of the biggest in Japan that happened in 1600. However, it becomes the popular contents now. Many novels, comics, TV dramas, movies, games about the Battle of Sekigahara were made until now. The games in particular attracted many fans. And it supports a tourist industry of current Sekigahara. Students of Tokyo Metropolitan University developed the iOS application ”SEKIGAHARA AR" that helped with sightseeing and the learning about Sekigahara.

This is application using Geolocation and Augmented Reality. We can puts the data of the armed forces which participated in the Battle of Sekigahara on a map of current Sekigahara and watch it.

Furthermore, we can check the name of samurai warrior and superstar warload when we enlarge a map. And when we click the name …

 we can read their "Tweet" by interface like a Twitter. If Twitter existed in 1600, What kind of Tweet would samurais do? It is a very fun to imagine it.

In addition, we can put AR shadow of samurais on scenery of current Sekigahara. Of course they are based on geolocation.

There is a method to realize a battle even if you cannot go to Sekigahara. You can put the lines of the Battle of Sekigahara on the hometown. Then you may realize the area of the battlefield more.

By the way, the Battles of Sekigahara happened on September 15 of the old calendar(It is October with the current calendar). The tourist industry of Sekigahara becomes busy from now on. I think that Sekigahara town office should use this application for sightseeing promotion.

Doraemon Became the LINE stamp!

I wrote it about a "LINE stamp" of NHN Japan before.

See Also:
NHN Japan's LINE earns 300 million yen by a virtual goods

NHN Japan started sale of very pretty LINE Stamp today. It is "Doraemon"!

The price is 170 yen(about 2USD).

They are used in this way.

LINE users can use these cute illustrations with a message. They help with emotional display.

Of course these are sold in the countries except Japan, too. Doraemon is a popular character abroad. If you are a LINE user whom Doraemon likes, check these!

Gossip Girl became the mobile social game in Japan's GREE

Popular drama Gossip Girl became the mobile social game in Japan's GREE. The developer is Voltage. It is not the first time that Gossip Girl becomes the social game. "Gossip Girl: Social Climbing" released in Facebook more than one year ago. However, the social game of Voltage is different from it greatly.

This was released to beginning to sell of the DVD. Because Gossip Girl is broadcasted in Japan, and it is very popular.

Users become the transfer student who moved in to Upper East Side and enjoy school life with characters of the drama. And they simulate the love with male characters. In other words this is completely a female oriented game.

 All characters are designed by Japanese style.

 There is the avatar function.

 Users push forward a game to talk with characters. dating sim of such a form is common in Japan.

Emails arrive from characters occasionally.

Voltage is one of the representative developers of the dating sim for women. They have an original brand of dating sim called "Koi game".(Koi means love in Japanese) They developed a social game of Gossip Girl using this format.

By the way, they are eager in performing global expansion of Koi Game. They have already released some English version.

Be My Princess

Be My Princess for GREE

My Forged Wedding

Pirates In Love

Japanese sumo becomes the social game at last

Today, GREE announced that releases a mobile social game of sumo "Oozumou Card Kessen" in November.

This is the first time that Sumo becomes the social game. Besides, it is an official license title of Japan Sumo association.

Every sport became the social game in Japan. However, sumo is a ceremony as well as sports, and it have severe religious precepts, authority and a tradition. Therefore it was difficult to make it a social game like other sports willingly.

However, the sumo has already become the trading card in a real life and  card social games are very popular in Japan.

BBM 2012 大相撲カード BOX


The sumo social game of GREE is developed based on this. In the game, users can build their own sumo stable(Sumo Beya: 相撲部屋), train wrestlers and fight wrestlers from other users. All wrestlers appearing in the game are real life sumo stars.

 

I think that such a social game should perform global expansion. Then, GREE can send Japanese culture to the world through a social game.