Forget the Wii line, behold the TGS line

by Christopher Grant { Sep 24th 2006 at 1:45AM }

Sure, the Wii line consumed entire days of weary E3 visitor's schedules, as Nintendo bottlenecked the fawning throngs into a single drip feed. But the open-to-the-public TGS line is on a scale all its own, extending from the entrance of the Makuhari Messe convention cener in Chiba, all the way to the trains from Tokyo that appeared to be delivering eager pilgrims to the event quicker than the event could absorb them into its fold.

This video clocks in at a foot-anchingly long twelve minutes. We don't recommend watching the entire thing ... maybe just jump from part to part. Or use a stopwatch to count down twelve minutes and then check in at the end. If we can assume that our walking speed was about 4mph (the average is three, but we were walking pretty fast), and it took us twelve minutes, the line was roughly 0.8 miles. And growing.

Tags: Japan, TGS06, Tokyo Game Show, TokyoGameShow

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Lf_sIcKmAn @ Sep 24th 2006 2:00AM

if wii at E3 had been open/free to the public THE LINE WOULD HAVE HAD NO MATCH AT ALL... it would have been greater than the Great Wall of China...

n8dogg @ Sep 24th 2006 2:01AM

Wii line: OWNZORED...DED...hax.

Seriously though, that's insane. All that for ten minutes with games that will (for the most part) be coming out within the year.

Fans are crazy. Japanese fans are insane.

Einhanderkiller @ Sep 24th 2006 2:03AM

Damn, that's almost as long as my cafeteria lunch line!

...just kidding, of course.

unknown @ Sep 24th 2006 2:04AM

maybe they should have set up more instead of trying this cheap move to look more popular then others. Even if they had a good amout set up the wii still requires a large playing area so people are not hitting others with the controller.

Cool8man @ Sep 24th 2006 2:08AM

Watching that video makes me realize why they never opened up E3 to the public and why they never should.

Intellectualdiot @ Sep 24th 2006 2:09AM

I can't believe those people are willing to stand there.

I salute you, you brave and wonderful idiots. Truly you make the world go around.

Next-Gen-Gamer @ Sep 24th 2006 2:25AM

Considering TGS is usually the largest gaming expo/convention every year, don't you think it's an unfair comparison? Comparing the Wii line from E3 to the line for an entire convention (which is open to the public) is pointless.

Mork @ Sep 24th 2006 2:30AM

wow, the wii is really popular in japan. i bet the ps3/360 wouldn't have gotten a line that long.

Next-Gen-Gamer @ Sep 24th 2006 2:52AM

I believe I read that wrong. If I did, I apologize.

Mike @ Sep 24th 2006 4:15AM

That line is pretty hardcore.

Good call on Microsoft's part with the Blue Dragon bags. It looked like there were a lot of them there.

blakepro @ Sep 24th 2006 4:53AM

Exactly what #1 said.
Its apples and oranges... one show is open to the public, and the other isnt. You cant accurately compare the two.

David @ Sep 24th 2006 7:22AM

Thats unreal

Ryan @ Sep 24th 2006 8:29AM

It's a proven fact, the japanese adore long lines. The longer the better. They don't preorder games in Japan, no, they would rather wait in a long ass line for the better part of the launch day.

ThornedVenom @ Sep 24th 2006 8:29AM

I knew game covention queue lines were long, but not THAT long.

Now I wouldn't consider a dude going to a game convention AS lucky anymore. =P

Ethan @ Sep 24th 2006 10:20AM

Well, according to the recent survey Joystiq posted about on here a few articles down, 7 out of 11 people in this line are waiting to get into the Sony booth. So I would be safe to say that Sony kicked the Wii E3 lines arse.

Ndric @ Sep 24th 2006 10:45AM

Ethan, no.

Ethan @ Sep 24th 2006 10:47AM

Ndric, yes. And if you click my name you can see an interesting survey done by Kataku at TGS.

jonat3 @ Sep 24th 2006 10:56AM

"Well, according to the recent survey Joystiq posted about on here a few articles down, 7 out of 11 people in this line are waiting to get into the Sony booth. So I would be safe to say that Sony kicked the Wii E3 lines arse."

Like other people said, it's comparing apples and oranges.

First of all, E3 was not open to the public, like TGS.
Second, Nintendo was non existant at TGS. So, using the 7 out of 11 number is pretty meaningless by itself.

Kotaku also asked a number of people if they were going for the wii or the PS3 at TGS. The results were pretty surprising. I believe it was 12 for PS3 and 8 for the wii. That Nintendo managed 8 votes when they were non existant at TGS is pretty amazing if you ask me.

Wulkar @ Sep 24th 2006 11:05AM

wow

Pseudo @ Sep 24th 2006 12:06PM

Absolutely - it's ridiculous to try and compare a line at a large public event with one in a smaller industry-only event in another country (which doesn't have the same tolerance for standing in line).

Don't forget, none of the people lining up here even had the choice to line up for Wii -- it wasn't there as an option.

The only reasonable comparison to make is between the Wii line at E3 and the PS3 line at the very same event. Which says everything...

Mark @ Sep 24th 2006 12:53PM

#18...

What I got out of that was the average Japanese videogame fan want a look at the PS3, while the "insiders" at e3 wanted to see the Wii's new design aspects.

Now, which has the bigger economic power? Millions of gamers or a couple hundred thousand industry insiders? Who makes a bigger difference? Who really holds leash? The producers or the consumers?

Cyrix_0 @ Sep 24th 2006 2:10PM

So this is the PS3 and PSP line...

I doubt there waiting for the Xbox360, or No Show Wii

So Great...this Owns previous lines...

Dasutin @ Sep 24th 2006 6:06PM

Its funny to watch that video because every 20 feet of Japanese people there is one random white guy.

http://www.dasutin.com

Agim @ Sep 24th 2006 8:30PM

PS3 I HOPE YOU ARE 100 TIMES BETTER THEN xbox...

David @ Sep 25th 2006 2:02AM

#21
1. AGAIN, the TGS was open to the public. E3 was not. However, all you needed to do to get into E3 was have connections with someone else in the industry, which is NOT hard to do.
2. I would dare say the producers are more important than the consumers at such an event. The more producers interested in the Wii, the more attention Wii gets, and the less attention the other 2 consoles receive. Therefore, people won't buy a powerhouse if it has no support. Ipod is proof that you don't need power to sell, you need producer support.
3. Again, we're talking about 2 completely different events. Don't try to compare them. If you want to compare waiting lines, compare the PS3 and Wii at the E3 event.