Tokyo Game Show 2012 hits record attendance, 2013 convention dated

This year's Tokyo Game Show welcomed record numbers of visitors despite a reduced or nonexistent presence from some notable game publishers, according to the convention's organizers.

This year's Tokyo Game Show welcomed record numbers of visitors despite a reduced or nonexistent presence from some notable game publishers, according to the convention's organizers.

The organizers, the Consumer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, also announced that the 2013 Tokyo Game Show will remain at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. Next year's event is scheduled to run from Thursday, September 19th through Sunday, September 22nd.

Overall attendance came in at 223,753 for the four-day convention, a slight increase over the previous record — set at TGS 2011 — of 222,688. This year also saw the show's highest-ever single-day attendance: 94,989 visitors flooded Makuhari Messe on the first public day, Saturday, September 22nd. That tally represents a 10 percent jump over the old record of 86,251, which was also set at last year's expo.

Nikkei BP and the CESA touted the 209 companies from 19 countries that exhibited their wares at this TGS 2012. But many major publishers, including Nintendo and Western giants such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Activision, decided to skip the show.