Being based in Japan allows you to experience all sorts of wonderful things the country has to offer such as shopping in Akihabara, attending a sumo match, visiting the Hama Rikyu Garden, climbing Mt. Fuji and getting lost in the crowds at the Tokyo Games Show. Unfortunately for me, I’m not based in Japan; however JP at Osaka-based PlatinumGames is and he kindly took time out from his busy schedule to report back on the Tokyo Games Show. Over to you JP.

Tokyo Game Show is a very big deal. It is an opportunity for foreign game companies to show their wares to the domestic market, as well as the large contingent of foreign press that attend the show.

However, being based in Osaka poses some challenges. While many Tokyo based companies can host guests during the week, it requires special games, and a special trip to get the press to come to Osaka.

Luckily, we have Bayonetta and MadWorld.

Yesterday (Tuesday, October 7, 2008) we invited selected print media from around the world into the Umeda Sky Building, and PlatinumGames’ studio to check out the latest on MadWorld and Bayonetta.

Press were able to see new areas demoed by MadWorld director Shigenori Nishikawa and producer Atsushi Inaba. They were also treated to new areas of Bayonetta by director Hideki Kamiya andYusuke Hashimoto (producer).

Yesterday (Tuesday, October 7, 2008) we invited selected print media from around the world into the Umeda Sky Building, and PlatinumGames’ studio to check out the latest on MadWorld and Bayonetta.

Press were able to see new areas demoed by MadWorld director Shigenori Nishikawa and producer Atsushi Inaba. They were also treated to new areas of Bayonetta by director Hideki Kamiya andYusuke Hashimoto (producer).

We know that many of you have been waiting to see actual game play footage of Bayonetta, and last week’s Famitsu DVD was just a teaser. The wait is over. As the press saw yesterday, you will see tomorrow.

Bayonetta’s first full gameplay trailer will debut at TGS.

Thanks for waiting to see our latest labor of love. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Compared to E3, the party circuit at during TGS is rather tame; however, after our press tour, I jumped on a bullet train to Tokyo to take part in the 8-4 (a boutique localization company run by former EGM editor John Ricciardi) TGS party. Some of the press who had attended the Osaka event were excited about what they had seen, and many more who couldn’t make it were curious about what they would see in coming days. It was also a great opportunity to meet up with gaming luminaries and friends like Suda 51 or Tetsuya Mizuguchi.

So there you have it. PlatinumGames is ready to assault Tokyo Game Show 2008. Playable Infinite Space. Bayonetta Game Play trailer. And a special stage appearance by our talented creative team on Thursday and Saturday of the show. (I hear that SEGA will be streaming this over the internet, but you’ll have to check their Japanese TGS site for the details.)

You can expect more reports on our news during TGS, so keep your eyes peeled here and on other sites.

Talk to you soon,

JP (from the awesome Granbell Hotel in Shibuya)

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