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PC Gamer at Tokyo Game Show 2024 Day 1 report: PC gaming on the rise and a strong indie game showing

TGS 2024 has been a good one for PC gamers.

www.pcgamer.com

So what are the key takeaways from the show for PC gamers? Well, the most notable is that PC gaming is not only massively on the rise in terms of platform interest, but also that it appears to be sailing over, at least to a degree, the rough seas that the console and mobile markets are experiencing, something that is being helped by the PC's strong indie game scene right now. PC, Steam, and Game Pass (playable on PC) are everywhere at TGS 2024, with a specific marked increase in attention from the major Japanese game makers, such as Konami, Capcom, Sega, and Bandai Namco.

However, while the PC is getting more attention, there are overall fewer AAA games coming from major Japanese game makers. Japanese firms, despite some notable financial wins recently, such as Capcom selling over 13.9 million copies of Resident Evil 2, or Tekken 8 being a huge hit for Bandai Namco, clearly seem to be focussing now (either purposely, or because of the huge industry-wise contraction we've seen over the last two years that's led to huge amounts of developers being let go) on quality over quantity. That means cashing more than ever on safe bets, such as remasters of classic games.

It also explains why Japanese publishers like Sega, Capcom and Square Enix really are pushing into PC in a big way. Take the Sega-published new game from Atlas, Metaphor: ReFantazio. Traditionally that would almost certainly have been a console exclusive, but now not only is the game already listed on Steam, and with a free prologue demo to play, too, but the game is releasing on PC day one.

Outside of the AAA scene, the smaller in-house studios now seem directed at producing games with shorter lead times. After all, development times on major games have really ballooned over the past 10 years. If you ask me, this strategy is so that publishers have a steady stream of smaller games to help keep money flowing in and, most importantly, keep share prices up each financial quarter.

This situation (due especially to the harsh development costs of making big games now) has seen over the last 5 years many indie studios emerging, especially in Japan, producing low-budget games with big ideas. Indeed, there's been so many that now there is a specific Indie Game show as part of TGS 2024. And, guess what, almost all these games are launching on PC day one. Games like Nightmare Operator and Platform 8.





Bandai Namco's press officer loving PC Gamer's Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree magazine issue. (Image credit: Marco Zangirolami)

As such, despite these crises within the wider industry, PC and its versions of all the biggest upcoming games seems to be the real winner of this Tokyo Game Show. And, as someone who has reported from TGS for many years, this really is quite unprecedented, as the PC has never normally been so visible at TGS. Even 10 years ago, it would have been unheard of for the PC to get so much attention here, but times have changed, and our beloved gaming platform of choice is now an area where, post console exclusives, all publishers are looking for growth.

 

[StereoVsn]

That’s great both for Japanese customers and for devs who have bigger base to sell.

Now, if only companies would spend more effort on those PC ports…