Tokyo Game Show to Host Five-Day Event in 2026

The Tokyo Game Show has announced a significant expansion for 2026, increasing its duration from four days to five. The event will feature two business days exclusively for industry professionals, followed by three public days accessible to all fans. The scheduled dates are from September 17 to September 21, coinciding with a public holiday in Japan known as Respect for the Aged Day.

Originally launched as a three-day event in 1996, the show evolved into two annual events in 1997, then reverted to a single three-day format in 2002. A further extension to four days occurred in 2007.

Recent attendance figures highlight the show's growing popularity—this year's event attracted 263,101 visitors, a leap from the 243,238 attendees in 2023 to 274,739 in 2024. Notable attendance stats for this year included 52,352 visitors on the first business day Thursday, 54,779 on Friday, and 77,415 and 78,555 on the weekend’s public days respectively.

The Tokyo Game Show 2025 took place at the Chiba's Makuhari Messe center from September 25 to 28, under the theme of "Unlimited, Neverending Playgrounds." This year saw participation from 1,136 companies across 47 countries, both figures representing a record high for the event.

Source: TGS