Microsoft has announced it is to return to the Tokyo Game Show, which begins on September 19th, having bypassed the event last year, in order to demonstrate the Xbox One.
While Microsoft has insisted that the Xbox One will garner greater support than its predecessors in Japan the console is not set to be released in the region until 2014 at the earliest which may serve to dampen enthusiasm for the console.
Despite significant investment and the support of niche Japanese publishers such as Cave neither the original Xbox nor the Xbox 360 achieved any significant success in the country. The Xbox 360 regularly fails to sell 1000 units each week in Japan.
Capcom has announced Dead Rising 3 exclusively for Xbox One although the game is being developed by Capcom Vancouver. Even so, Microsoft may have more deals to announce with Japanese publishers at the Tokyo Game Show and we may get a better idea of when the console will release in the region.
According to Gamatsu, 181 companies are set to attend the event this year including Sony, Gree, Sega, Square Enix, Konami and a number of Western firms including EA, Turtle Beach and Bethesda.
Nintendo is not currently expected to attend.
Both Microsoft and Nintendo will however be making a return to gamescom in August after they both skipped the German industry event last year. Sony will be present at both gamescom and the Tokyo Game Show as is normal for the company; they have teased a number of reveals are planned for their gamescom press conference and will likely have some announcements for Tokyo as well.
