As Tokyo Game Show 2026 approaches, Chinese game companies are reducing their participation, while Chinese manufacturing companies are increasingly promoting their own brands as they expand overseas.
Tokyo Game Show 2026 marks its 30th anniversary. According to the organizers, 759 companies will exhibit, with 3,946 booths set up and companies participating from 51 countries and regions. The event has been extended to 5 days for the first time, and attendance is expected to exceed 300,000.
Approximately 93 companies from China are expected to exhibit, down about 40% from 164 in 2025. Companies including Tencent, NetEase, Perfect World, Paper Games and Hypergryph, which had large booths last year, will also be absent this time.
The deterioration in Japan-China relations has been cited as a factor. Major Chinese game companies are reportedly seeking to limit their exposure in the Japanese market, with some said to have opted out of participating in events or to be monitoring the situation.
Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturing companies continue to expand overseas even as the scale of their exhibitions contracts, developing local brands and expanding overseas sales networks. Shenzhen KTC Technology (KTC) is one such example, rolling out products under its own brand worldwide.