I live in Japan for several years now, and stopped going to TGS as well. It's simply not worth going all the way to Makuhari Messe (first to Tokyo Station, then 30mins+ to Makuhari) to see Microsoft again having bought 50% of the floor space, and I'm not interested in current generation games anyway. I'm simply tired of PS3 having less and less features with every update of the hardware, and I'm not interested in the dumbed-down PS3 games anyway. For example PS2 games like Forbidden Siren 1 & 2, Kuon, Fatal Frame II, Shadow of the Colossus, ICO, Oni... the current gen systems have none of that or only dumbed-down simplified versions like that Forbidden Siren for PS3. Also Wii is for retards. Casual gaming is the cancer that killed videogames for me and TGS reflects that. Last time I was there the unifying theme was cell phone games! My alternative recommendation is Amusement Expo / Arcade Manufacturer's Union in February, also at Makuhari. It is almost as big as TGS but far less crowded, the games are arcade games only, and the booth babes are definitely hotter :-) Also, no retarded cosplayers. This is where the real gaming is at. Basically the entire Japanese arcade industry is showing their newest ideas there and you can test-play most games. If you want to see new ideas and consider yourself a hardcore gamer to whom gaming means fast reflexes and quick thinking, AOU is the place to go. TGS is for casual gamers and families with little children.

"Personally when I looked around [at] all the different games at the TGS floor I said 'Man, Japan is over. We're done. Our game industry is finished.'"

Care to share any thoughts on this as to why? I'd love to know, along with many other people no doubt.