Japan’s amusement industry entered a new phase in 2023. After pandemic disruptions cancelled the event twice, the Japan Amusement Industry Association reshaped its major trade show as Amusement Expo.
The event moved from Makuhari Messe to Tokyo Big Sight, shifted from its usual February slot to November, and placed greater emphasis on domestic public attendance than on international visitors and business delegates. Its timing immediately after IAAPA also made it difficult for many overseas companies and media representatives to attend.
For Australian arcade fans, the show nevertheless offered a useful snapshot of where Japan’s operators and manufacturers are investing: connected racing, rhythm games, card battlers, attractions, redemption equipment and carefully targeted domestic releases.
Before reviewing the announcements, it is worth explaining why some of these machines may never receive official releases in Australia, North America or Europe.
Why Some Arcade Games Stay in Asia
Online enthusiasm does not always translate into enough revenue to support an international arcade release. Manufacturers assess demand, distribution, localisation, servicing and production costs in each region before committing to a new market.
In many Western venues, casual attractions, crane machines and redemption equipment remain dependable earners. Video games can perform strongly too, but usually need to suit the habits of the local audience and the space available at each venue. A specialist community may be passionate about a Japanese rhythm or fighting game without being large enough to justify an official export programme.
Arcade development is also expensive. A major racing series such as Maximum Tune can require millions of dollars to develop and manufacture. Companies therefore need reasonable confidence that sales will outweigh the risk. If a machine does not receive a Western release, it may eventually appear through grey-import channels, but that is different from an official distribution plan.
For Australian operators and collectors, the distinction matters. Importing an attractive cabinet can involve challenges around software access, online services, parts, compliance and ongoing support. Our arcade machine buying guide covers the practical questions worth asking before choosing a machine.
Bandai Namco Amusement
Bandai Namco presented one of the event’s broadest booths, with a line-up notably different from the company’s IAAPA display. Some projects were still too far from production for the overseas division to show them there, while others were aimed more directly at Japan’s operators.
The booth’s main activities were also covered in a stream lasting roughly six hours.
Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 6RR+
Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 6RR+ received its playable public debut. Bandai Namco gave the racing game a particularly striking presentation, including a real car positioned on a red-carpet display—an uncommon sight at an amusement exhibition.
Limited playtest footage appeared during the event coverage, with additional player-recorded material showing the new version in action.
Maximum Tune 6RR+ was scheduled for an early 2024 launch following another location test.
There was also unconfirmed discussion that Japanese operators had previously rejected a proposed Maximum Tune 7 because of its very high price and possible requirement for a completely new cabinet. Bandai Namco instead produced 6RR+ for the series’ 20th anniversary period. That explanation has not been independently corroborated, but it would help explain why the long-running series received another substantial update rather than a new numbered entry.
GoldStorm Pirates
GoldStorm Pirates, the follow-up to Deadstorm Pirates, had been tested in Japan and the United States before the expo. It was not shown at IAAPA because it was considered too early for a show where operators generally expect games to be ready for immediate ordering.
Bandai Namco still used Amusement Expo to promote the title, which was scheduled for the following winter. The displayed build contained one stage designed to run for approximately five to ten minutes.
Bike Dash Delivery
Bike Dash Delivery made its formal debut after appearing in earlier location testing. The original game combines high-speed delivery riding with ideas reminiscent of Crazy Taxi and Prop Cycle. A representative described it as faster-paced than Crazy Taxi, while Japanese players likened its concept to a blend of Crazy Taxi and a food-delivery service.
Its final release timing had not been confirmed, although it was expected around the period of GoldStorm Pirates’ launch the following year.
Other Bandai Namco highlights
Bandai Namco also displayed Dead Heat Unleashed, which still appeared to be intended mainly for Western markets, along with a Tekken 7 setup reportedly running the Steam version rather than the dedicated arcade build. Idolmaster Tours returned after its earlier reveal and location tests, Gundam EXVS2 Overboost hosted an exhibition match between leading players, and a JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure battle-royale update was due on 6 December.
Taiko no Tatsujin appeared in a small dedicated area after being absent from IAAPA. The wider catalogue included a children’s fishing game alongside the company’s other amusement products.
Konami
Konami maintained a substantial presence, including promotion for the return of its Konami Arcade Championship. The tournament occupied a separate area in another hall on the same day rather than taking place across several days on the main booth, as it had in earlier years.
The event also took place amid controversy affecting parts of Konami’s overseas competitive communities, particularly Dance Dance Revolution. Some international players had been disqualified from competing, and specialist photography coverage of the company’s activities was subsequently reduced. Even so, Konami’s continued commitment to a large amusement display was notable.
Polaris Chord
Polaris Chord stood at the centre of Konami’s booth. The new Bemani rhythm title had been announced in August and tested at Japanese locations during the preceding months. Its Amusement Expo cabinet differed from the earlier test version and included additional content, suggesting that development was still progressing.
The game drew comparisons with Sega’s Chunithm, particularly because of its second vertical screen. Its visual identity also leans heavily into virtual streamer culture. Interest was strong enough that some visitors reportedly waited two to three hours for a turn.
Konami also showed DDR Mini, developed with Japanese toy-electronics manufacturer Zuiki. The rest of the booth focused largely on medal games, crane machines and prizes, reflecting the importance of those categories in Japan’s current amusement market. There were indications that Konami remains interested in expanding its presence in the United States and elsewhere, potentially through closer ties with Round1USA rather than conventional distributor arrangements.
Rhythm-game fans can browse RETROCADE’s arcade machine collection for a sense of how dedicated cabinets compare with more compact home formats.
Sega
Sega’s Japanese amusement operation brought a much larger display than at the previous JAEPO, making it the largest booth at the show. Its product mix again demonstrated the difference between what Sega Japan presents domestically and what Sega Amusements International sells in selected overseas markets.
Virtua Fighter 3tb returns
The headline activity centred on Virtua Fighter eSports, based on Virtua Fighter 5, with a streamed exhibition match involving professionally licensed players. Sega then revealed that Virtua Fighter 3tb would also receive the eSports treatment on the ALL.Net P-ras MULTI 3 platform.
Originally released in 1997 for Sega’s Model 3 hardware, Virtua Fighter 3tb was updated with online features, an arranged soundtrack and previously unused music. The Japanese arcade release was scheduled for 28 November 2023, giving visitors and tournament players an early opportunity to try it.
Although Virtua Fighter 3tb has often been regarded as an outlier in Western discussions of the series, it experienced renewed popularity at Japanese venues including A-cho and Mikado during the 2010s and remained active there. The reissue was initially described as arcade-only, with a console version possible in the future.
More from Sega
Sega showed the latest version of Initial D The Arcade alongside the new Eiketsu Taisen card battler, with Initial D supporting another round of national tournaments. A new Chunithm version was announced for release the following month.
The company also presented an interactive children’s ride based on Pui Pui Molcar through CA Sega Joypolis. A Persona-themed photo booth connected Sega’s current amusement business with the history of Atlus and Japanese Print Club machines.
Taito
Taito marked its 70th anniversary with a smaller but varied booth, combining video games with a much larger selection of prizes. The display was styled like a Taito Game Station, giving the stand a strong venue-focused identity.
Taito’s event stream included a crane-game championship, coverage of its Bemani Pro League team Tradz and an anime created for the anniversary. The crane competition began roughly two hours into the broadcast.
Street Fighter 6 Type Arcade
Street Fighter 6 Type Arcade was promoted ahead of its December release through Taito. Initial interest produced a line, but later images showed a much quieter area. The challenge is familiar: an expensive arcade version must compete with the guaranteed availability of the same fighting game on home consoles.
Taito also used performers dressed as zombies to promote Kurayami Train, a new themed park experience.
Capcom
Capcom returned to the event after several years away. Its principal attraction was Street Fighter VR, which had been tested at one of the company’s locations earlier in 2023. Despite that test, the project was no longer planned as an amusement release and was instead intended for consumers.
Other exhibitors and special areas
Amusement Expo featured fewer secondary exhibitors than earlier JAEPO events, but several displays stood out. Sansei Technologies, better known to many visitors for theme-park attractions than for traditional Japanese arcades, showed large robotic rides including a transforming robot.
Genda promoted the GiGO venues formerly associated with Sega. The company has attracted attention for its aggressive mergers-and-acquisitions strategy and its interest in adding content-creation businesses. For this event, part of the remaining booth space was occupied by a poker table.
A dedicated museum-style area brought together influential and unusual retro games from several Japanese manufacturers, with appearances by game personalities and displays of rare hardware. It offered a useful reminder that arcade history remains part of the industry’s public identity. For Australian enthusiasts interested in building a period-inspired setup, upright arcade cabinets provide a practical starting point, while bartop arcades suit smaller rooms.
The Amusement Music Festival gathered DJs, performers and staff connected with Sega, Konami, Bandai Namco and Taito on one shared stage. Similar combined programming had appeared at a 2019 fighting-game event, but bringing the major rhythm-game communities together created a particularly energetic public attraction.
Attendance and what comes next
Amusement Expo attracted approximately 9,000 people. That was below the roughly 14,000 visitors recorded for JAEPO in February 2023 and the approximately 15,000 who attended JAEPO 2020, but the comparison needs context.
The new event ran for one day rather than using separate business and public days. Operators and distributors still had access to a dedicated negotiation area, yet the overall structure clearly prioritised the domestic public experience.
The smaller international presence was a drawback for overseas observers, but the format may have been an initial effort to rebuild domestic interest after the pandemic. JAIA leadership indicated that future events could return to more days, possibly with an earlier date.
For anyone following the global arcade market, the show’s message was mixed but useful: Japan continues to support ambitious racing, rhythm, fighting and attraction projects, while manufacturers remain selective about export opportunities. Australian operators should consider the full ownership picture—cabinet footprint, servicing and parts availability—before pursuing an imported machine. RETROCADE’s arcade parts range and arcade repair services are useful resources for planning long-term maintenance.
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