Following a year-over-year attendance drop-off in 2009, organisers of this year's Tokyo Game Show are doing their best to attract punters to the Makuhari Messe halls in September.

　　Despite hitting a record-high 200,000 visitor count in 2008, attendance at the 2009 TGS fell by almost 10,000. Show organiser Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association is hoping to rectify the situation in 2010, announcing plans this week to host both cosplay and fighting tournaments.

　　This year's wacky Tokyo Game Show visual.

　　The new general public initiatives will include the Tougeki Super Battle Opera fighting tournament (an annual Japanese fighting video game tournament hosted by the magazine Arcadia), a CESA-organised tour of the show floor, and a designated area for cosplay competitions.

　　According to the official TGS 2010 Web site, CESA also has something in store for the business-focused days of the show, including panel discussions with game industry VIPs from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China, as well as sessions discussing topics such as 3D, social gaming, and the Asian games business.

　　There will also be a few new additions to the show floor this year, including a dedicated PC gaming area, an audio-visual and gadget area (including 3D televisions, 5.1ch audio systems, headphones, controllers, and chairs specially manufactured for game playing), and a family-gaming area.

　　CESA also unveiled the TGS 2010 main visual this week, complete with its characteristic slogan. This year, the slogan reads: "GAME goes to a new chapter." According to the organisation, this motto reflects the rapidly changing gaming landscape, from 3D gaming to new gaming platforms, such as smartphones and social networking sites. CESA also believes emerging markets such as China, Korea, Taiwan, and India will lead to a new, Japan-led Asian market in the near future.

　　As reported by Japanese gaming news Andria Sang, CESA also revealed a preliminary exhibitor list for TGS 2010, which currently includes 138 companies. Some highlights from this list are included below. TGS 2010 will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Tokyo, from September 16 to September 19.

　　Preliminary TGS 2010 exhibitor list highlights:

　　Alchemist

　　Capcom

　　Konami

　　Square Enix

　　Sega

　　Namco Bandai Games

　　Microsoft

　　Level-5

　　Arc System Works

　　Ignition Entertainment Ltd

　　Tecmo Koei Games

　　Konami

　　The Behemoth

　　Square Enix

　　Sega

　　Sony Computer Entertainment

　　D3 Publisher