PRESS RELEASE

April 1, 2016

Now accepting applications from independent game developers!

“Indie Game Area”“SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2016”
Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia is confirmed as a special sponsor for bothprojects! The “Indie Game Area” (type A) is FREE to exhibit!
Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association
Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.
TOKYO GAME SHOW 2016, organized by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association(CESA) and co-organized by Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. (Nikkei BP) started accepting
applications for two projects from the independent game developers; “Indie Game Area (type A)” and“SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2016 (SOWN 2016).”
Established in 2013, the Indie Game Area attracted high attention from independent gamedevelopers around the world and 69 organizations from 18 countries/regions were selected to exhibit
out of 216 applications last year.
SOWN is a project to showcase game ideas that will catch people by surprise and give them a“Sense of Wonder”- a feeling that something will change in players’ world. Last year, out of 100
applications, 10 finalists from 8 different countries presented their games on the stage.
Starting today, applications for two projects are being accepted at the official website(http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/en/). The application process is renewed this year. Applications will be accepted
through the common web format. Out of all the applicants for both projects, the exhibitor at the Indie
Game Area (type A) and presenters at SOWN 2016 will be nominated. The application deadline isFriday, June 10 for both the Indie Game Area (type A) and SOWN 2016.
Also, continued from the last year, it is now confirmed that Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan
Asia (SIEJA) is a special sponsor for both projects. SIEJA fully covers the exhibition fee (99,900yen for 4-day exhibit and 32,400 yen for 2-day exhibit on Public Days) in the Indie Game Area (typeA) for those selected by the TGS Management Office. Thanks to this sponsorship, the booth fee forthis area (type A) is now free.
Both projects will be carried out with the cooperation of the International Game Developers
Association Japan Chapter (IGDA Japan).

For details on application and requirement for both projects, please refer tothe TOKYO GAME SHOW official website:
http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/english/- For inquiries on “Indie Game Area”(e-mail only)： indie@nikkeibp.co.jp- For inquires on “SOWN 2015” (e-mail only)： sown@nikkeibp.co.jp

(1) Indie Game Area
The Indie Game Area is an exhibition area for independent game developers. This area gives gamedevelopers the opportunity to exhibit games of every platform with the objective of creating new
movements in the computer entertainment industry.
Up to 60 (tentative) booths will be available for those selected by the TGS Management Office.
Name:Indie Game Area (type A)*In this area, “type B” is also available, where only corporations can exhibit with a fee ina first-come-first-serve basis.
(“Type B” exhibit fee: JPY 216,000)
Period:Thursday, September 15 to Sunday, September 18, 2016
Location: Makuhari Messe, Exhibition Hall
Exhibition category:1) Public Days + Business Days (4-day exhibit)
2) Public Days (2-day exhibit)*Please note that participants are not permitted of any types of sales activities.
Exhibition fee: Free
*Exhibition booth includes: A booth, five passes for Indie Game Area exhibitors
Application: The web application form on the TGS official website (http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/english/)Application deadline: Friday, June 10, 2016 (*Japan Time)
Screening: Selection will be conducted by the TGS Management Office
Results: The selected applicants will be directly contacted by the Management Office between
the beginning and middle of July 2016.
*We may ask for additional information, depending on your application contents.
*We may recommend that you exhibit in other exhibition areas, depending on your application.

Qualifications to exhibit (type A):- Annual sales of the organization planning to exhibit
For corporation: It shall be approx. 50,000,000 yen or US 500,000 dollars or less.
For individual: It shall be approx. 10,000,000 yen or US 100,000 dollars or less.
- If the organization planning to exhibit is a corporation, it must not carry any capital ties with otherentities (i.e. It shall not be invested from a large game publisher.)

What can be exhibited (type A):- A completely original game
(Derivative content cannot be exhibited regardless of whether or not it is licensed.)- Created for a platform which an applicant has the right to develop.
- Works that comply with the CESA Code of Ethics and the CERO Code of Ethics(http://www.cero.gr.jp/regulation.pdf) and do not fall under any of the following items:
1) An expression that conflicts with or that may conflict with Attached Table 3 “Prohibited Words andPhrases” of the CERO Code of Ethics is included.
2) Works for which a “Z” rating category was assigned by CERO or an expression equivalent to the“Z” rating category may be included.
3) Works that have already been released overseas and for which a “17+” (MATURE) rating
category was assigned by an overseas examination body (e.g. ESRB).
24) Works planned to be released overseas for which a “17+” (MATURE) rating category is expected
to be assigned by an overseas examination body (e.g., ESRB) (excessively bloody works thatcannot be regarded as being equivalent to a “13+” (TEEN) rating category.

Application:
Fill the web application form on the TGS official website (http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/english/) and submit it
by Friday, June 10. (*Japan Time)

Inquiries for Indie Game Area (e-mail only)
indie@nikkeibp.co.jp(2) SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2016 (SOWN 2016)
The aim of SOWN is to call for new game ideas that will catch people by surprise and give them a“Sense of Wonder”- a sense that something will change in their world – right at the instant of firstseeing or hearing the concept. This year SOWN will welcome its 9th year. We are looking forward
to receiving innovative games to be presented at the TOKYO GAME SHOW 2016.
Entry is open to anyone, regardless of the applicant’s amateur/professional status and nationality,and for both individuals and corporate bodies, regardless of their scope and size.
Please note that VR games are welcome to apply! Kenji Takahashi, who manages the popular
Japanese VR event called OcuFes in Tokyo is invited into the screening committee to evaluate VRgames. We hope to have your VR games full of sense of wonder.
In addition, the free booth in the “Indie Game Area (type A)” will be granted to game developers
nominated as the presenters for SOWN.
*Note: Application deadline of SOWN is one month earlier than the past.

Event Title:
SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2016 (SOWN 2016)
Cooperation: International Game Developers Association Japan Chapter (IGDA Japan)
Application: The web application form on the SOWN 2016 official website(http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/sown/en/).
Eligibility: Open to all individuals regardless of nationality, age, or occupation (students,game producers, etc.) and to all corporate bodies
Application Deadline: Friday, June 10, 2016 (*Japan Time)
Screening: Presenters will be nominated by the SOWN Screening Committee
Results: The selected applicants will be directly contacted by the Management Office byearly-August 2016.
* Games selected by the Screening Committee and deemed presentable at the TOKYO GAMESHOW 2016 (up to 8 entries) will be regarded as the final SOWN 2016 presentation games.

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<Objectives of SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT>
・ To introduce games with a design and ideas that are experimental and creative, and thatcannot be called conventional or traditional.
・ To heighten awareness of the importance of creating a game that gives people a “Sense ofWonder,” a sense that something will change in their world, and to invigorate the gameindustry.
・ To offer people creating experimental games opportunities for the future.
・ To create new domains in the game industry.

SOWN 2016 Presentation
Date:
Friday, September 15, 2016 (17:30 to 19:30, tentative)
Venue: Hall 9 e-Sports Special Stage, Makuhari Messe (tentative)
Admissions: All Business Day entry pass holders of TGS2016 are welcome to attend.
Notes: The Presentation Day-All presenters are requested to arrive at the venue 4 hours prior to the presentation start time(presenters are responsible for bearing their own traveling expenses).
-Each presenter will be given 10 minutes for their presentation. Each presenter will be asked topresent or demonstrate the games to the audience. (There will be consecutive English-Japaneseinterpreting for all presentations.)-Video-streaming of all presentations is scheduled. Other information on the presented game ideas
provided in advance will also be subject to release on TGS website.

Games “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT” is Intended For- A game that realizes a totally new, never-seen-before gaming experience
A game that employs technologies that have not previously been used successfully, such as
natural language processing, physics engines, image recognition or gesture control, to present a
new kind of experience.
- A game that challenges the common sense of ordinary games
A game that pursues new ways of gaming expressions, a game which changes the player’s
vision of the world after playing and experiencing it.
- A game with emergent features
A game that brings user’s activities into the game by including features such as AI interactions,different tools and social elements.
- A game that makes people want to play it immediately
A game that makes everyone thinks that they want to enjoy the new experience for themselves
and feel that they want to treasure it.
- An amazing game
Any kind of new, eye-grabbing and impressive game!!

Games “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT” is NOT intended For- A game that focuses on other elements
A game in which the highlight focuses on the elements comprising the game such as thenewness background setting, situation, character design, graphics, story, audio, etc instead of
the game itself.
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- A game of a new genre created by combining or rehashing existing genres
However, a game providing a truly new game experience may be considered for acceptance.
- A game that is new only in targeting a specific user group
A game will not be deemed as being new and innovative just because it is focused on a specificuser group (such as female users or the elderly). However, a game providing a truly new game
experience may be considered for acceptance.
- A game created for the purpose of demonstrating a technological innovation,
experimental business model, or distribution mechanism
A game of this kind will not be completely rejected from the screening process but they must
demonstrate that it is capable of directly and tangibly providing a new game experience.

Inquiries for SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT (e-mail only)
sown@nikkeibp.co.jp

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