The 2021 Tokyo Game Show (TGS) will be the first major consumer games event to feature a VR version.
TGS announced its line-up today, confirming that the show will once again be taking place online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But a page on the event’s official website also details a VR version that will be available as the show launches on September 30. It will be available natively on both Oculus Quest headsets as well as on PC, where it can be played with or without VR.
Tokyo Game Show VR Coming This Month
According to a brief description, the experience will let users meet their favorite characters and visit booths styled after game worlds. “With this idea, we are taking on the challenge of building the game show of the future,” the message reads. “This is what TGSVR is about. The first-ever game show in VR. It’s a grand experiment.”
Confirmed exhibitors for the VR portion include Konami, SEGA, Square Enix and Bandai Namco. Based on those names, we’ll likely see a large selection of non-VR titles on the virtual show floor, though you can also expect to see VR-specific developers like Altdeus studio, MyDearest, at the event. The page doesn’t disclose if the app will have social elements, though an internet connection is required to experience it.
It’s certainly true that TGS will be the first major consumer gaming event to try this idea. The show usually sits alongside E3 in June and Gamescom in August as one of the three staples in the gaming calendar. But neither E3 nor Gamescom have attempted to bring any element of their shows to VR thus far.
Exactly how Tokyo Game Show VR will be delivered remains to be seen. Will this be a native app or can we perhaps expect to see it appear as a VRChat world? The service is certainly used to hosting huge events from Japan. We’ll follow up with more information about the show as soon as we have it.
