WIRED Staff
Culture

Slideshow: Next Gen Takes Back Seat in Tokyo

The games industry is abuzz with talk of next-generation hardware, but the best software is still on today's consoles and portables. Chris Kohler reports from the Tokyo Game Show.
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The PlayStation 3 wasn't playable, but showgoers could look at the system and controller, encased behind a thick sheet of presumably bulletproof glass.Chris Kohler

See related story: Next Gen Takes Back Seat in Tokyo

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Microsoft's booth, done up in the green-and-white signature colors of the Xbox 360, was packed with playable demo units offering Japanese gamers their first hands-on experience with next-gen gaming.

Chris Kohler
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At certain stations around the Sony booth, attendees could upgrade their PSP firmware to the latest version or download demo versions of the games on display.

Chris Kohler
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. The birthday boy himself hit the streets of Shibuya to hawk the new portable plaything.

Chris Kohler
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were plastered all over the buildings of Shibuya, Tokyo's trendiest urban hot spot.

Chris Kohler
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"Booth babes" are as prevalent at Tokyo Game Show as they are at E3. At the end of each day of the show, the identically dressed girls of each booth typically line up for photographs.

Chris Kohler
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Even on the industry-only day, the show floor was overflowing with attendees. Starting Saturday, the general public will get its chance to come in and further pack the Makuhari Messe with bodies.

Chris Kohler