On July 30, the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA, Chairman Haruhiro Tsujimoto) announced that paid pre-registration for Business Day at Tokyo Game Show 2026 (TGS2026) opened online at noon that day. Applicants must undergo a screening process to verify their status as gaming industry professionals, and only those who pass are eligible to attend Business Day.

Paid pre-registration fees for Business Day are as follows: #1 Standard Pass: ¥16500 (tax included); #2 Gold Pass: ¥44k (¥27500 for those with a pre-registration code); #3 Black Pass: ¥110k (¥93500 for those with a pre-registration code).

Gold Pass holders receive perks including access to business lounges and the ability to schedule meetings with other attendees via the business matching system. Black Pass holders enjoy all Gold Pass benefits plus additional access to exclusive lounges and special entry lanes.

TGS2026 has designated September 17 and 18 as Business Days, providing a professional environment for industry networking. Once registered, attendees can use the 'TGS Business Matching System' to schedule meetings with exhibitors before the event begins. Gold and Black Pass holders may also schedule meetings with other attendees. On the event days, perks include priority registration via dedicated counters and access to business lounges located at the Makuhari Messe International Conference Hall (1F Hall 7, 2F Concourse North Side [tentative], and 11F 2F Esplanade). Please note that Business Day is restricted to those 18 and older; entry with infants or preschool children is not permitted.

CESA announced that pre-registration for the keynote speech and TGS Forum organizer sessions will open on Monday, August 24, through the Business Day registration system, and released preliminary details on the sessions. The keynote speech, titled 'The 30-Year Trajectory of Tokyo Game Show and Proposals for 2056' (tentative), will be held on September 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the TGS2026 Event Stage in Hall 1. The session will explore the future of the industry by reflecting on the evolution of TGS, which has served as a benchmark for the Japanese gaming industry since the first 'Tokyo Game Show '96' held at Tokyo Big Sight in August 1996.

An organizer session titled 'Challenges from Other Industries: Sanrio, PARCO, and Toei Discuss the Purpose of Their Game Publishing Businesses' is scheduled for September 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Makuhari Messe International Conference Hall. Speakers are currently being finalized, but representatives from Sanrio Games, PARCO GAMES, and Toei Games are expected to discuss the background, challenges, and vision behind their entry into the gaming business.

On September 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the same venue, a session titled 'What Does It Take to Make the Virtual Real? Next-Gen Game Development Through Live Case Studies' (tentative) will be held. Speakers are currently being selected to discuss the techniques, technologies, and corporate goals involved in bringing virtual worlds into physical spaces, focusing on examples such as live music performances.

Tokyo Game Show 2026 (TGS2026), marking its 30th anniversary this year, will be held for five days from September 17 to September 21 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. Further details can be found on the official website.