Tokyo Broadcasting System Launches TBS Games

Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, the parent company of TBS, has revealed the establishment of TBS Games, a new venture in the interactive media industry. According to a recent announcement by Tokyo Broadcasting System, TBS Games will adopt a multi-platform approach, targeting console, mobile, and PC gamers. Notably, TBS has previously aired popular anime series such as The Idolmaster, Seven Deadly Sins, and Blue Exorcist. While some of these shows have existing game adaptations, many of them have been discontinued.

In addition to anime franchises, TBS also possesses broadcasting rights for several famous live-action TV shows in Japan. One of the most renowned among them is Takeshi’s Castle (known as MXC in certain regions), which has acquired a cult following in the UK due to its dubbed version. Spin-offs of the show have also been produced in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

TBS Games has launched a teaser website that confirms their strategy of adapting existing intellectual properties (IPs) rather than creating new ones. They aim to transform their original IPs into widely recognized names by developing games that enhance the gaming experiences of players worldwide.

Multimedia Pursuits

While it remains unclear which franchises TBS Games will choose to adapt, Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings is no stranger to multimedia endeavors. Significantly, their announcement emphasizes the inclusion of mobile platforms, reflecting Japan’s pivotal role in the gacha games industry and its extensive influence on mobile gaming.

This move also exemplifies traditional media companies’ increasing interest in the gaming sector. With the decline in television viewership due to the rise of streaming and on-demand video content online, gaming, especially mobile gaming, has seen exponential growth. TBS, with its 70-year-long history, may prompt other national broadcasting systems, such as the BBC, to consider entering the gaming market.