Tokyo Game Show opens, PlayStation 4, Xbox One in spotlight

CHIBA (JAPAN): The Tokyo Game Show, one of the world's largest gaming events, opened today, featuring next-generation home game consoles from Sony Corp and Microsoft Corp that will go on sale later this year in overseas markets.


A record 352 exhibitors, including 162 from abroad, are showcasing game titles and devices at the four-day video game expo held at the Makuhari Messe convention centre in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo, according to the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association.

One of the highlights of this year's show is a hands-on demonstration of Sony's PlayStation 4 console, which is set to hit the US and Canadian markets on November 15.

Its predecessor, the PlayStation 3 console, was introduced nearly seven years ago.

Andrew House, president of Sony's gaming unit Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., said in a keynote speech that the company is aiming to sell 5 million units of the PS4 globally by the end of March 2014.

PS4 will "provide the highest standard of gaming experiences," House said.

At the game show, software developers like Capcom Co. are displaying a total of 22 titles for the PS4.

Rival Microsoft is pitching its Xbox One game console, a successor to the Xbox 360 launched eight years ago, along with eight titles for the device.

The latest console is slated to hit 13 overseas markets, mostly in North America and Europe, on Nov 22. The companies are hoping their latest video-game machines will help draw fans as more and more players enjoy game titles for smart phones and tablet computers that can be downloaded free or at low prices.

The game show is a good opportunity to promote the products, although the consoles will not hit the Japanese market in time for the year-end shopping spree, with Sony's PS4 set to debut on February 22 and Xbox One sometime next year.

Japanese game giant Nintendo Co., which will market a low-cost version of its 3DS portable game console capable of showing 3-D images on October 12 in the United States and Europe, skipped the event.

The creator of the Super Mario Bros series has seen slow sales of its Wii U console launched last December. Game developers also showcased a total of around 230 titles for tablet computers and smart phones including Apple Inc's iPhone.

Japanese social game site operator Gree Inc. is pitching 25 titles for smart phones, but only a few of them are new.