Click.
That was the first sound. Not the jingling of keys, not the rustling of a passport — but the click of the mouse I used to book a flight to Tokyo. At that moment I didn't know if it was an escape or a suicide mission. All I knew was: down there, on the other side of the planet, something big was going on. He doesn't play. Not the fair. Not a spectacle. But a digital apocalypse under the spotlight. Tokyo Game Show 2025.
The plane was a floating can full of lost faces and crumpled boarding passes. Looking out the window: the clouds looked like messy pixels. Economy class is a loading screen that never ends. I couldn't dream, because I was already imagining stands, demo versions, cosplay streets, rushes of adrenaline and too long queues.
Landing in Hanada, it's good, I'm close, I'm only separated from the hotel and sleep by a sleepy Chinese taxi driver who doesn't even know Japanese let alone English. The air is thick, humid, thick like a texture from a game that won't load.
Coming to the fair: Archeology of concrete and minds
I didn't sleep. Not even a minute. My body was on Thursday, but my brain remained on Wednesday — jetlag grabbed me by the neck and shook me until sweat soaked my pillow like a broken air conditioner. The hotel had the air conditioner from hell — humming like a broken Game Boy on its last battery life, cooling exactly nothing. At midnight, I lay on my bed like toast with economy seat scars, staring at the ceiling and listening to the street traffic — taxis, sirens, screams from the arcade on the second floor of a nearby building.
At five in the morning I gave up. Tuš, instant kava iz automata, hladni onigiri kupljen dan prije. The train to Makuhari was scheduled to arrive at 8:41. He didn't arrive. Damn Japanese train that late — something he wouldn't believe even under the influence of mushrooms. Notification on the display: "Delay due to a person on the tracks." Ne piše je li čovjek mrtav, pijan, izgubljen or je to sve metafora. WITHamo — "osoba" koju newho vjerojatno struže sa tračnica.
People around me were silent. Culture of discipline. No one comments, no one swears. I, of course, pecked. Just when I thought I would walk to the fair — the train arrives. I enter, like Sardinia in an Eva can, I close my eyes and in my head I'm already spinning all the possible trailers that I'll see, games that I won't get to play and stands that I'll have to falsely praise.
When I finally emerged from Kaihin-Makuhari Station, the sun was already beating down, and I was a sweaty, half-awake creature with a press credential around my neck and the feeling that I was entering a sanctuary of digital madness. A bit of luck, the shortest line is for the international press, I watch the poor people with GOLD pass tickets waiting in a line that strangely resembles the Snake game from the first Nokia.
Tokyo Game Show 2025 can officially begin.
Day One – Business day: Under the suits, sweat and advertisements
The first day of TGS is not for humans. Not for gamers. It's not even for journalists, even though we're called dogs with identification. Business Day is the territory of hyenas in Armani, marketing managers with Apple Watch, and PR wolves with PowerPoint smiles. This is not a place to play — it is a place to trade. Who has the right to what. Who can post first. Who is important enough to be let behind the black curtain, into the "closed demo".
I walk into Makuhari Messe with my accreditation around my neck and a look on my face like I'm looking for medicine, not a game. Air conditioners work like cooling hell. The air smells of plastic, new equipment and fatigue. Japanese cosplayers keep you awake better than free sponsored RedBull.
Terrain: Concrete, logos and a cold view
Each hall has its own aura. Halls 1 to 3 are for large — PlayStation, Bandai Namco, Xbox, Capcom. Big logos, huge screens, women in uniforms that you don't know if they are advertising a game or an airplane.
Hall 4 to 6 — somewhat chaotic, with a few indie developers, snack stands and random technology that promises a revolution that no one is looking for. People stay there more for the seats and the free can of energy drink than for the games.
PR people everywhere with iPads. If you look at a screen for more than three seconds, someone is already offering you an appointment. "Hands-on demo? Interview? Maybe 40 minutes?" – Yes, it can, but let me breathe first, my friend.
Bandai Namco: The Circus and the Cemetery of Childhood
First station: Bandai Namco. A stand the size of a smaller football field. Huge, claustrophobic beauty. The queues are already lined up, although there is no audience yet.
I'm entering "Little Nightmares III" demo. Dark. Cold. Circus aesthetics mixed with anxiety. The game throws you into a world where you are haunted by everything you repressed in childhood — the darkness under the bed, the divorce of your parents, shyness in front of the audience. And all this while walking on a tightrope above barbed wire.
Controls solid. The atmosphere is as if someone is quietly whispering behind your door. Outside, Bandai PR stands with a smile as if he knows you'll be dreaming of their game tonight.
They show right after "CODE VEIN II" — gothic anime, vampires, larger-than-life weapons. Technically impressive, emotionally empty. But you take notes anyway because you know someone somewhere is going to click on that news.
Xbox: Japan, Forza and the illusion of understanding
Xbox entered this year with the idea: "Razumijemo Japan. Obećajemo."
Their main bait? "Forza Horizon 6", located — where else — in Japan.
Demo? Closed. You can only look if you are someone. I'm not somebody, but the PR woman from Osaka gives me a "press-only viewing" card.
And I look — the mountains, the streets of Tokyo, the rain, whipping through Ueno, winding around Mount Fuji. Car culture in Zen aesthetics.
The graphics are disarming. Everything looks like you're watching a commercial for a luxury hotel that you'll never be able to pay for.
PlayStation: The Art of Selling Expectations
Code Sony je bilo... sterilno. Dosadno. Previše savršeno.
It's as if they hygienically disinfected every pixel.
They showed:
- "Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake" – a nostalgic collage of an old RPG with modern graphics. The heart says "wow", but the mind says "this is what retro-capitalism looks like".
- "Onimusha: Way of the Sword" – returning the famous title. Katanas cut past and future at the same time.
- "Fishbowl" – chill simulator of life in an aquarium. Sincerely? Possibly the highlight of the day. Minimalist, but honest.
- "Meteora" – a new IP, as if someone combined No Man's Sky and GRIS on acid.
Everyone around me is taking photos. Everyone is live tweeting something. I'm sitting with headphones, trying to catch the vibe of the fair — and I only hear one thing: advertisement. Everything here is advertising. And no one pretends not to be. Look, God of War, filming is prohibited, because no one has seen that game since its release in 2022, luckily there is an Astro Bot mascot, maybe if I throw 10,000 yen he will come off his bones and I will save some tortured person's life and maybe he really enjoys being suffocated under a mask.
Day Two – Business Day 2: Hunting for novelties, behind-the-scenes games and market pressure
The second day of the business part of the fair brings a change of tone — more tension, more tactics, cooler smiles and hidden friends. You're not a rookie anymore, but you're still not a star. Now it's a question of who is strong enough to stay visible when the lights turn up.
With my morning coffee from the vending machine in hand, I enter the hall like an old fox who knows he must now have eyes on all sides.
Pearl Abyss and Crimson Desert
He goes to the target first Pearl Abyss and their megaproject 紅の砂漠 (Crimson Desert / Red Desert) — a game that promises an epic open world with action-packed combat, jaw-dropping details, and a narrative that smacks of fantasy. Compared to their past titles, this is a huge step forward towards an RPG spectacle that could rival the greatest. The demo shows detailed landscapes, camping under starry skies, fires, war conflicts and characters that breathe, live and suffer. The atmosphere pulls you in as if you are alone on the brink of ruin, but also of greatness. However, I can't shake the impression that this is just a weird mix of Whicher III, GoW and Zelda. It's like these three are in some crazy place menage à trois got an RPG child.
Pearl Abyss isn't just there for hype — they come to show strength, but also vulnerability. Will Crimson Desert live up to expectations or become another great story of wasted potential?
Sega — legendary dinosaurs and new beasts in one crazy package
I walk into the Sega booth and feel like I've stepped into chaos that has leapt out of time—neon lights, the voices of fans, the sounds of arcade machines roaring from every corner. They don't play it safe here, the right notes of nostalgia are struck here, but also the bombs of the future are thrown.
What did those Japanese geniuses come up with?
- Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA MegaMix+
Like an explosion of pop sound in your ears — the beats make you dance like your life depended on it. Miku once again rules the digital world and leaves no one indifferent. - Sonic Frontiers 2
Sonic is back in the open world, but he's not just there to run — new bosses, new madness, speed that beats your heart like a war drum. If you like adrenaline rides and the frustrations they cause, this is for you. - Yakuza 3 Kiwami
The legendary remake of the third part, even rougher, more brutal. Kamurocho is ready for war again, and you are in the middle of that chaos, with every blow you feel in your bones. - Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Samurai and Yakuza style — a combination that makes the blood boil. This is not just a game, this is an experience that destroys your idea of history and puts you in the middle of an explosion. - Total War: Warhammer III – Sega Edition
For those for whom strategy is like a drug — darkness and imagination combined in war campaigns, every move could be your last.
Konami — return of legends and new faces
I walk into the Konami booth and feel as if I've stepped into the shrine of gaming — the smell of nostalgia, the sounds of old hits and new releases that promise to reignite the passion in the hearts of fans.
What have these Japanese masters prepared?
- Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater
After the success of the remake of the third part, Konami announced that the development Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 is progressing. Opting in is expected MGS4, Peace Walker i Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, although it is mentioned that the adaptation MGS4 could be challenging due to the original PS3 architecture. - Metal Gear Solid Δ: Fox Hunt
New multiplayer mode, Fox Hunt, will be available from October 30 2025. Gameči će moći sudjehuntingati u taktičkim borbama for up to 12 gameča, s posebnim gadgeteam like AT-CAMO odijela i alata za detekciju "Naked Sense" - Silent Hill f
Continuation of the cult horror series set in Japan in the 1960s. An interactive corner was set up at the stand where visitors could explore abandoned items from the game, which further enhanced the atmosphere of fear and mystery. I still dream about hostesses and I don't sleep because of them - Suikoden STAR LEAP
The return of the beloved RPG series with a new title that promises a wealth of characters and a deep narrative. Promotional materials were displayed at the stand, and the global release of the game was announced. - Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru
The latest installment of the popular board game series, available to try on Nintendo Switch 2. Visitors could enjoy a food festival and local specialties, creating a unique experience.
Indie Hall (Hall 9‑11) – Dance of small stars in the shadow of big names
I walk into the 9‑11 hall and feel like I'm in a hyperventilated dream. The walls of the stands vibrate with noise, neon lights, and crazy ideas that won't wait for the industry to "label" them. Hall 9-11 is an indie zone, but not that zone that gives you a little space — it's an arena of creativity, where every game counts.
Titles that caught my eye
Here are a few of the most interesting titles I've picked up through a mix of news and announcements, those indie games that have something to show for it:
- Steel Seed — by Storm in a Teacup. Sci-fi stealth‑action in a dark future where you survive among machines. It has a companion drone. The atmosphere was like Blade Runner, but with an indie soul.
- D-topia (Annapurna Interactive / Marumittu Games) — a futuristic utopia ruled by AI, but beneath the surface — dilemmas, ethics, human breakdowns. Puzzle + narration = emotional candy.
- People of Note — a combination of turn-based RPG and music. The fights that sound, the story that is sung. When you think that RPG is a form that has already been seen, this shows you that you can still take the roof off your feelings.
- Demi and the Fractured Dream — an action-adventure title with inspirations from the Zelda classics, but also a modern explosion number. Puzzle + hack & slash + nostalgic feeling.
- People of Note, D-topia, Demi and the Fractured Dream are all featured at Annapurna, which looks set to dominate the indie scene this TGS.
- Happinet Indie Collection also featured a bunch of headlines: Stray, FAITH: The Unholy Trinity, Poppy Playtime Triple Pack, STARBITES and a couple of new titles that don't have names yet.
Hall 9‑11 it doesn't plum rails, it's not full of corporate glitter, but it's the blood and pulse of indie creativity. When you walk through the rows of booths, you see a small team, people who slept on the floor, who missed their sleep because of the Wave of Ideas. They don't ask, "Will this sell millions?", but "Will this come straight from the heart?"
It is a place where you dream, where you take risks — and where sometimes a miracle happens: a game that gets under your skin.
Tokyo Game Show 2025 — Digital chaos under a neon sky
When the last day falls, and Makuhari Messe closes its doors, you realize that the Tokyo Game Show is not a fair — it's an attack on the nervous system. It's a massive, pulsating beast roaring from every booth, showing you the future of video games while taking your breath away.
I was standing in front of the exit with three empty coffee cans, my cell phone at 4% and the feeling that I had just survived some form of virtual apocalypse. Thousands of people, thousands of ideas, billions of pixels, and every screen is trying to peek into your brain and leave something inside.
It was the fair where they collided giants i lunatics, where they are Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Crimson Desert, i Yakuza they shouted over their shoulders indie innovations, rhythmic hellish beats, and roguelike black holes from halls 9 to 11.
And while some booths sparkled like Disneyland for gamers, others looked like garages from which someone had just launched a new space genre. It was chaos — but the kind you need, which cleans you to the bone and leaves you with one thought:
"Gaming isn't dead. It's crazy. And alive. And dancing."
Can I finally fall asleep with the sleep of the righteous?
