On March 31st (FRI), "Tokyo Game Show 2000 Spring" opened at Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Center, Chiba-city Chiba Pref.) The first day of March 31st was the Business Day for the person concerned the industry, following days of April 1st and 2nd were the General Admission Days.
Kagemasa Kouzuki, Chairman of CESA, gave an opening address at the opening ceremony, and he said "Tokyo Game Show 2000 Spring develops into the new version for welcoming the new century. We send fresh and impressive software to the world from here Tokyo."
Followed by the address of Mr. Shinichiro Ohta, Director General of Machinery and Information Industries Bureau, of MITI, Kazumi Kitaue from Chairman of Tokyo Game Show executive committee, announced the opening of the show.
To show our dreams to the world, the tape was cut.
We could see 66 exhibitors and 1,295 booth units in total at this time. On the first day, a number of eager visitors came to the show. Despite the Business Day, the hall was filled with enthusiasm. Because many foreign visitors were also there, we felt that Tokyo Game Show was watched by all the world with keen interest.
The hall filled with enthusiasm in the hope of computer entertainment for coming generation
In the morning, Mr. Shoichiro Irimajiri (President of SEGA ENTERPRISES) gave a keynote address at the event stage.
The SEGA ENTERPRISES has important practical accomplishment to the network games by making Dreamcast. However, Mr. Irimajiri pointed out the slow connection of network games and not enough bandwidth. He emphasized the importance of construction of network infrastructure for better service quality, and explained the strategy of making a new community by integrating contents or fun of software and that of communications.
"Network games develop into upper revel" said Mr. Irimajiri, President of SEGA ENTERPRISES
In the afternoon, CESA GAME.COM "Online Promotion" was held at the event stage. CESA GAME.COM is the game portal site managed by CESA. The event was presented by ENIX, CAPCOM, Gpara.com, HUDSON, BOTHTEC. The outline and the development of "CESA GAME.COM" was introduced.
Catchword is "NET DE Let's Play"
"The Best Costume in Tokyo Game Show 2000 Spring" was held at the event stage on the Business Day. "The Best Costume in Tokyo Game Show" has been very popular with the visitors from the first time. Total 9 companies entered in the contest. The gorgeous contest was well timed for the coming of spring and the new century.
Selected by three judges and visitors' votes, KONAMI won the first prize and NEC Inter Channel won the second prize.
The Grand Prize Winner, KONAMI
The Second Prize winner, NEC Interchannel
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Special Prize winner, NAMCO
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Events presented by CESA, including "The 5th Symposium on Creators' Training for educational institutions " and "Intellectual Property Symposium," were also held on the Business Day. The show was a great success on the first day and the number of visitors was 18,803.
