Japanese Game Companies to Watch Before Tokyo Game Show 2026

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With Tokyo Game Show 2026 approaching, here's who's actually confirmed to exhibit among Japan's major game publishers — and a quick note on the company that, once again, isn't.

Confirmed Major Japanese Exhibitors

As of the show's confirmed exhibitor list, major Japanese publishers set to exhibit at TGS 2026 include Square Enix, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sega, Koei Tecmo, Konami, and Capcom — spanning franchises across RPGs, action games, and long-running series these companies are known for. The show's total exhibitor count, 759 companies from 51 countries and regions, makes this year's roster the largest in TGS history.

Where's Nintendo?

Nintendo is not exhibiting at TGS 2026 — consistent with the company's long-standing approach of skipping the show in favor of its own Nintendo Direct presentations and dedicated events. This isn't a new absence tied to any particular controversy or falling-out; it's simply been Nintendo's practice for years, and fans following TGS coverage should set expectations accordingly.

What To Know

For fans planning to follow TGS coverage, knowing which major Japanese publishers are actually confirmed to be there — and which consistently aren't — sets realistic expectations for what kind of announcements to watch for, rather than hoping for a Nintendo showing that historically doesn't happen at this particular show.

Nintendo's absence from Tokyo Game Show isn't a snub or a recent falling-out — the company has for years preferred its own dedicated announcement channels (Nintendo Direct presentations) over joint industry trade shows, a strategy distinct from most other major Japanese publishers, who use TGS as a primary venue for reveals and hands-on demos.

What Fans Are Saying

• "759 exhibitors is a wild number, so much to see across just three public days."
• "At this point I just assume Nintendo does their own thing and plan around Direct presentations instead."
• "Great lineup of publishers this year regardless of Nintendo not being there."

Original Japanese

• 「759社って数字がすごすぎて、3日間の一般公開日で見きれるか心配」
• 「任天堂は毎回自分たちのダイレクトでやるから、もうそういうものだと思ってる」
• 「任天堂がいなくても、今年の出展社リストは十分豪華だと思う」

Easy Japanese

東京ゲームショウ2026には、スクウェア・エニックス、ソニー、セガなど、多くの日本のゲーム会社が出展します。任天堂は今年も出展しません。