PlayStation TGS 2017 conference live report
Monster Hunter World gets a global release date, and more from this morning's conference.
Updated on
There was rapping! There was singing! There was anime - so much anime! Also a worldwide release date for Monster Hunter World, and more Earth Defence Force than you could fling a skyscraper at.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Good morning/evening/whatever it might be where you are. It's just coming up to noon here in Tokyo and I'm heading out to Shinagawa where the conference is taking place.
It's not taking place for another four hours, mind - I'm just eager. Also popping into Sega HQ beforehand, which sends a little tingle down my spine as I'm a bit silly like that.
Martin's special fun day update: I'm now on the Yamanote Line heading from Shinjuku to Shinagawa. There is an advert for something called 'Moist Diane' directly in my eyesight.
I'm stupidly excited to be heading to Sega HQ. I'll try and contain myself though.
When Sega opened a new arcade up in Brighton a while back, I headed down there in my special Sega t-shirt that I'd printed myself.
I got to meet Sonic! He gave me a hug.
He also gave me a Sega lollipop that I think was otherwise reserved for the children that won the colouring in competition.
I was 24.
I still have that lollipop! I don't have that t-shirt, though, otherwise I'd definitely be wearing it today.
Imagine the lollipops they hand out at Sega HQ if you turn up wearing your own homemade Sega t-shirt!
Anyway, back to staring at Moist Diane.
I'm at Sega HQ (in Haneda, where the dev teams are) standing outside the building they've been using the past 20 years or so. Only crying a little bit.
Also today just got a lot more exciting as I figure out how to get back to Shinjuku in time for the conference.
Sega HQ update: the carpet here is inteeeeeeeense.
Well hi, hello and isn't it a lovely morning. Well, it's late afternoon here in Tokyo - I've just taken my seat in the Shinagawa Intercity Hall where today's press conference will be taking place.
Who's expecting what?
I'm going in expecting pretty much nothing. Which might across as cynical, but hey if anything genuinely new and exciting is announced it'll at least be a pleasant surprise.
A new Gran Turismo trailer would be nice, as would another look at Monster Hunter World. I imagine there'll be something on Dragon Ball FighterZ, and maybe Ni No Kuni 2 from Bandai Namco.
And I reckon we'll see a bit of a push for PSVR, which I'm sure will go down well.
If you're expecting Devil May Cry 5, Bloodborne 2 or a Demon's Souls remaster, well... I really think it's best to set your expectations a little lower.
I could be wrong, though! I often am.
Oh! That's something! I mean, I already have it on my Vita where I'd rather play it, but still!
Speaking of PS4 versions of Vita games! Dragon Crown PS4 is apparently a surefire bet for the conference.
15 minutes to go! And I'm already nearly through my bottle of PlayStation-branded water. Here's hoping my bladder can hold out for the hour.
12 minutes! And they don't dick about here in Tokyo - it should start precisely on the hour.
It's quite a beautiful ovoid auditorium, in case you were wondering, with serene PlayStation-blue lighting and gentle electronica being pumped throughout.
I swear they do this sedative ambience to screw with people who have jetlag. I will stay awake, though, I *will*.
We're getting some pre-show stand-up from a warm-up man.
Pretty funny stuff. Shame you're missing out on it.
Atsushi Morita is going to be your man heading up today's show.
There's now a man holding up a blank white piece of paper, letting us know where Morita will be standing and letting all photographers set their white balance.
I'm seriously in awe of how considerate at this. You don't get this at E3, let me tell you.
We're being asked if we've got our white balance levels sorted out.
This is amazing. I'm so sorry you're missing out on this.
We're also being given a preview of how far Morita's tour of the stage will be.
I don't see how they can top that, quite honestly.
Five minutes until the show starts, but the real show's been and gone already.
The backdrop has segued to a gentle sunset over Tokyo which isn't making me feel any sleepier at all, not in the slightest.
And it's accompanied by gentle synth pads and this room's quite warm would anyone mind if I just curled up on the floor for a little while.
Auditorium is packed out and properly spaced out by ambience. Expect to cut to a room of snoring attendees when this starts in one minutes time.
Pretty sure they spiked this water bottle with valium too.
Drinking game! Go to your drinks cabinet and drink absolutely everything there is there upon mention of the Vita.
I don't care how early it is over there in the UK.
I also think it's quite likely it'd get a mention and I just think it'd be funny if you went to work half-cut.
We're up and running.
And we're getting a rap about PS4's line-up.
Now I'm properly awake.
ihnm_aims: Martin, did you bring KitKats?
I've got a green tea macha one especially for you.
This is quite the start to a conference.
As in possibly the best start I've ever seen to a conference.
I'm going to pop to Woolworths after this to see if they've got the CD single of this. It's quite a belting tune.
I really can't get over how amazing this is. Every single game on the horizon is getting a verse in this rap.
I've heard that Microsoft has commissioned John Cage for their own song that features all their upcoming exclusives.
Oooh tough crowd.
I was going to say and that's a rap but Tom beat me to it in the comments. Thanks Tom.
I've never felt more assured about my white balance levels before a press conference either.
Atsushi Morita is on stage, being very lovely and polite.
As of June, some 60.4 million PS4 units have been sold throughout the world.
We're getting new colours of wireless controllers, in case you forgot that you're watching TGS.
Also a Gran Turismo Sport PS4 coming - I find it really odd that this isn't a PS4 Pro, but hey-ho.
And now, the ugly duckling of the bunch, that super-grim camo PS4 that's coming out alongside Call of Duty.
Here's another rundown of games coming this autumn and early into 2018.
In other words - don't expect any surprises from this slot.
That was, of course Call of Duty. But in Japanese.
And this is Ni No Kuni 2, in English. Just to mix things up.
I'm not convinced this has quite the charm of the original, but hey there's me being all cynical again so just ignore me which is always pretty good advice anyway.
X201: Remember Martin, news of the Everybody's Golf DLC is your top priority today
I actually bought my PS4 with me, primarily to play Destiny, but all I'm playing is Everybody's Golf. Best game!
Earth Defence Force, with extra kaiju, coming later this year.
The screen tearing in this trailer is kind of endearing. Like you'd want your Earth Defence Force any other way.
LAST OF US 2! GTA 6!
Nah, it's Red Dead Redemption 2 - and the old trailer, I believe.
Like that'll be anything other than the biggest game of 2018.
Dynasty Warriors 9 looks amazing and you're all idiots for not liking musou games.
pelican_: Have I missed anything exciting?
I went to Sega! That was fun!
Oh and there was a rap, that was really cool also. Other than that, we're getting a rundown of all the games coming later this year and early next.
And that's Telltale's Minecraft Story Season Two.
So, no surprises just yet. Though that rap did give me a bit of a start.
Square Enix up next, alongside Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja for...
Dissidia Final Fantasy, of course.
This is super popular in arcades over here at the moment - one of the busier machines, with most places I've been to having a load of cabinets.
pelican_: "I went to Sega! That was fun! " Are you in Japan Martin?
I am!
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT will be playable this weekend at EGX, I believe.
A little plug there. Apologies.
The Shadow of the Colossus remake now - again, I think this is an older trailer.
I am still so excited about playing through this again.
And I'm sure Sony are super excited about finding another use for the engine that powered The Last Guardian after all that money it poured into it over its extended development.
Bionic_Pixel: ICO on Elephants?
That is a much better name for it.
Dragon's Crown PS4, as expected.
sid-6581: Not the old trailer btw
Ah, thanks for the spot. Sorry!
It looks slightly prettier than the existing versions.
And it's out January 25th next year.
Aaaand as you pointed out to me earlier, here's Final Fantasy 9 for PS4.
You spoilsports.
Four years into PS4's lifespan and we're still just getting remasters.
Oh and sexy boy dating sims. Them too.
Diabolik Lovers, which I won't pretend to have played.
And this'll be Idolmaster, I believe?
Yup - as expected this is a conference very much tailored to the local audience. As you'd expect, of course1
But we also get Gundam games that have a universal appeal, because ROBOTS. Battle Operation 2, there.
The lights are going NUTS in the auditorium, which can only mean one thing.
Oh, it means VR.
There's going to be a fairly heavy VR presence on the showfloor, I believe.
With hopefully some new games to play.
VR is popular here - much more so than in the west, I'd say. Well, it's more visible at least, with the VR arcades that are becoming more prevalent.
No Heroes Allowed and GT Sport both coming to PSVR next month. And a new bundle for PSVR and PS Camera with a price cut - I'm not sure how that translates overseas I'm afraid!
GT Sport's VR mode is limited to one on one races, it's worth noting.
This is Ark Park.
Not Jurassic Park Simulator as I first thought...
As you might have guessed from the title, it's a park management spin-off of the supremely popular Ark.
Oh, and this one's for me - a VR spin-off of the awesome Gungrave.
I'll have some of that.
Simply called Gungrave, coming to PSVR next year.
A-Train - another very popular series in Japan - is also coming to PSVR. Not a bad line-up, really.
And here's a biggie.
Zone of the Enders is back, in VR.
I believe this is Zone of the Enders 2 - and it's accompanied by a 4K remaster.
Next spring for that one.
Also coming: cartoon cats.
Music and movie apps also coming to PSVR via PSN. With more VR cats.
Who is, though? I miss that man.
ihnm_aims: Yeah, but, yknow, f**k Konami.
Nah, f**k Kojima.
Japan Studio VR festival brings some of Gravity Daze's music, performed live, to VR. How lovely.
Now, more flashing lights. What could that mean?
It means more reserved and polite words, this time about PlayLink.
sid-6581: I hope that concert is available here too, looked amazing if you like that kind of stuff.
It's easy enough to access the JP PSN store if not. These are truly enlightened times.
Supermassive Games' Hidden Agenda, which looks to take off where Until Dawn left off, but all with a multiplayer twist.
How is Sony expanding its entertainment offerings? Anime.
Everything is anime.
And more anime.
Bit more anime now.
I think that's it for the anime.
Sorry anime fans, we're done there.
Fist of the North Star. We're not totally out of the anime woods just yet.
More Earth Defence Force, because once in a conference isn't enough.
Actually, maybe this is Witcher 4?
Less screen tearing in this trailer, so far less charming than the last one.
This is Dragon's Crown creator George Kamitani's new game.
13 Sentinels.
Like Dragon's Crown, it's a very, very pretty game.
Annnd Detroit. Which, like so many things, seems a lot better in Japanese.
We're not getting anything beyond a 2018 date for that right now. Well, that and a pretty awesome trailer.
It's a new Virtual On, everyone.
A Certain Magical Virtual-On, that is - before you get too excited.
Though I'm still quite excited, because Virtual-On, right? Playing Arms recently has given me an appetite for going back to that series.
Left Alive, a new game from Square Enix featuring Yoji Shinkawa art. 2018.
Kami: Wow, all these Vita games Martin. I sure hope no-one is playing that drinking game...
I hope they are!
Here's the big one.
Monster Hunter World.
The only game that matters next year - sorry Red Dead.
We're getting a nice look at the hub world, and in keeping with the rest of the game it looks gorgeous.
I'm going to be boring you a lot about this game in the coming months.
It's time to reclaim this site from all those Destiny nerds.
I think that was an all-new monster.
Again, I'm probably wrong.
This will be the best game of 2018. Maybe of forever.
Tsujimoto is now on stage to tell us more.
There was a lot of new stuff to get stuck into in that trailer.
New monsters, new mechanics.
We have a launch date!
26th January next year.
GET HYPE.
That'll be a worldwide release.
Avaloner: @Malek86 would still love to see Monster Hunter XX on the Switch release in the west...
I buckled and picked up the Japanese version. If you know the series it's not that hard to muddle through.
There'll be a collector's edition, a digital deluxe edition - which is all gravy, but we're only months from sawing up monsters on PS4.
Pre-orders open tomorrow.
I'm going to be playing it next week, and getting a more in-depth look at is next month.
And finally we have the PS4 Monster Hunter World PS4.
pelican_: "I'm going to be playing it next week, and getting a more in-depth look at is next month. " Is it at EGX? Meant to check.
It is! I think it might even be the TGS demo - don't quote me on that though!
That, I think, will be a wrap.
We got a Monster Hunter World release date, which is more than enough to make me happy.
Thanks for joining us. I hope you followed instructions and took a drink every time Vita appeared - I think there was at least three games for it shown off. Enjoy the rest of your days at work, I'm sure it'll be fun.
Tokyo Game Show itself kicks off on Thursday, and we'll be there to bring you news and impressions.
A rather humble send-off as Sony aims to revitalise the console market over here.
And as Sony pushes from that 60 million PS4s to the magic 100 million mark.
See you later this week everyone! I'm going back to my apartment to listen to that PS4 rap on loop.
And this advert proves that Sony at the very least has the best marketing teams.
Tara!