The Tokyo Game Show welcomed back influencers and media as it opened Thursday, but fans were only allowed virtual access to the top games confab. The exhibition showcases Japanese video games and was regularly thronged by more than 250,000 people a year pre-pandemic, but last year it was held entirely online. While many major game shows maintained the virtual format this year, TGS is welcoming media and influencers such as Take, a Japanese YouTuber who was at the event to make content for his 180,000 subscribers. "Seeing the images and getting the latest information is great, but the real essence of video games is playing them, controller in hand," he told AFP. "Even if this year it's only open to influencers, I think it's great that we have a space to test things out." With only a select few able to attend in person, the high mass of Japanese gaming is offering an enriched online experience for fans at home and abroad. Virtual attendees can experience a space in 3D using either a VR headset or just a simple browser.