Trade show season 2024 is officially underway now, as the three-day GTI Asia China Expo 2024 held in Guangzhou, China kicked off on the 11th. With it comes a number of new arcade games to talk about, which may well be seeing a release elsewhere soon.
For those who keep less track of trade shows, this is our industry’s first major event since Bowl Expo in the Summer. With GTI being so early on in this season of trade shows, it’s very likely we will see some of the new games from this show at upcoming expos in the US and Europe – for a preview of those and some other new games, check out this recent post. As always though, don’t be surprised if some of these undergo changes in coming over to the West.
Huge thanks again to Oga-Shi from Sega Amusements for providing much of our information and photos, as well as Ted for helping out 🙂 As with our AAA coverage, this first day post will largely focus on Wahlap – but we do also have a surprise appearance of a non-Chinese company to briefly cover at the end here…
GTI Asia China Expo 2024
First off, some background on what’s what with GTI Asia China Expo 2024. Since 2009 this series of shows has usually been the second major event held for the amusement industry in China each year, following the Asia Amusement Attractions Expo. They are both about the same size now, and are held at the same location (the China Import & Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou), but there are a few differences. Where AAA is organized in China itself, GTI (Game Time International) as a company hails from Taiwan. They also regularly hold smaller expos over there in Taipei, although information is often patchy on those. Their Chinese shows on the other hand are considerably more super-sized (Oga has said “it is challenging for the visitor in a day” to check everything out, which he’s evidently not alone in thinking…), and were even the biggest by far in the mainland at one time, at least until AAA caught up in more recent times.
Like AAA and IAAPA though, GTI does also have a lot of product that cannot strictly be classed as arcade games, encompassing amusement attractions, equipment, support services, and more. In terms of the stuff of interest to us (and Western arcade distributors looking to bring it over), Oga has told us the main booth halls where this exists are 6, 7 and 8. These are generally filled up by the bigger arcade game makers in the Chinese trade, some of whose quality has greatly improved over time. As with AAA before we will be focusing on those companies and their new works first and foremost, though the third day of coverage will also have an overview of all the odds and ends from smaller outfits that particularly stick out.
Wahlap
One of the biggest companies at these expos is now always Wahlap, who often put on a big show in of itself at their own large booths. Their vast portfolio of releases, both original and licenced, do sometimes command that though. They are showing off fewer new-new things on this occasion than both last year’s GTI and AAA 2024 back in May (where they first showcased Asphalt Moto Blitz DX, among others), but there are still several high-profile games to talk about here. It was also not known what they would have at the show until much closer to it this time; part of that is down to AH’s primary contact at Wahlap leaving the company recently, but they also simply revealed their line-up slightly later this year. One or two rumors did additionally suggest there could be more, however it looks like they didn’t pan out in the end… perhaps those new titles (no spoilers on what they could be!) are still in the pipeline for next time.
The bigger titles they have got are discussed below, but for a look at what else they had (pushers, cranes, the Asphalt range, and more), check out this previously-shared preview video of theirs.
Monster Eye 3 (IGS)
Though we first heard of Monster Eye 3 back at AAA 2024 in May, the game was strictly kept under a photography ban back then. More details have arisen on it since, including a brief trailer, but until now we did not have a closer look at the game from another event. That now starts to change with GTI, as Wahlap have indeed shown off this latest collaboration of theirs with IGS much more prominently. Of all the new titles out of China this year, this one is all but certain to be appearing out West sooner than later, so expect lots more to come on it at IAAPA. Who will specifically have it there is still to be announced though…
In terms of further detail on this one, Oga-Shi has said it seems to use the same motion base and guns as the original two Monster Eye titles, just with a new cabinet and game from Wahlap and IGS respectively:
The other major difference to the original games is this sequel now using Unreal Engine 5. The software for Trio-Tech’s QUBE can lay claim to using that first in arcades, but ME3 will naturally have deeper gameplay.
Marvel Contest Of Champions (Raw Thrills)
Taking center stage at GTI this time for Wahlap’s booth is Marvel Contest Of Champions. Though we all should be familiar with this Raw Thrills release by now out West, GTI does of course mark the game’s first appearance in China, with Dave & Busters’ US chain exclusivity long over. Plus, big licenses always make for a good ‘marquee’ showcase, and a decent excuse to bring out the occasional costumed character as they have done here (although I don’t remember anyone dressed as Iron Man at Amusement Expo…).
With a few slight original exceptions like Monster Eye 3 above, Wahlap’s current strategy for business in China does of course heavily rely on big IPs and licensed titles like these. For another release licensed from a different company, though not quite one with a big property, they have also shown off Taito’s newest prize machine, Getter Spin D. Here’s a post by one of Taito’s personnel talking about that, plus more photos (including the wider one of Wahlap’s booth that we led this post with).
Need For Speed Heat Takedown (Adrenaline)
Also out of the States comes Need For Speed Heat Takedown from Adrenaline Amusements. The difference with this one that warrants inclusion here is how Wahlap are selling this one into China with an exclusive deluxe motion model of their own; it was originally shown at AAA 2024, but we did not get a good look at it outside of a couple videos and a flyer – this time Oga did take some proper photos:
It’s worth noting Wahlap are also selling Raw Thrills’ Halo: Fireteam Raven, and had it on their booth again too, though they don’t have a new China-exclusive model in this case (just the recent tethered version).
Maimai DX / Chunithm (Sega)
By now regular features of Wahlap’s booths at Chinese shows, the latest Chinese versions of Maimai DX and Chunithm from Sega always seem to command big queues of fans and players. For some added information on these, the former title had its newest 2024 mainland release at AAA in May, whilst this is the first playable showcase of the latter’s 2025 edition for China following its announcement the other day.
Though it’s probable Maimai DX will be coming over soon now as a limited release for R1USA, it is important to note the edition they will be getting is the different ‘international version’, not Wahlap’s one.
Ultraman Shining Unite (Bandai Namco)
Another game that was at AAA 2024 but we did not get many glimpses at was this new Ultraman kids card battler from Bandai Namco, called Ultraman Shining Unite. Though not one likely for Western deployment, it interestingly seems to sidestep the usual format of those by using a larger two player splitscreen cabinet, where titles in that genre usually use mini machines with smaller monitors:
Wahlap did have their Kingdoms Fantasy card battler and the Hero Of Robots-like motion capture Kamen Rider kids game they made with IGS again too, though those were covered extensively at AAA 2024.
Taiko No Tatsujin (Bandai Namco)
Also reappearing on Wahlap’s booth from Bandai Namco is their range of Taiko No Tatsujin machines, including the game itself (now celebrating its first full year in China), the kiddie ride, and the mini air hockey table we similarly first saw back at AAA 2024. It will be interesting to see whether the latter two will appear at IAAPA too – perhaps they want to wait until Taiko is more established over here though.
And Taiko does lead us conveniently onto a certain company with a surprise direct presence at the show:
Bandai Namco (Namco Hong Kong)
Just before GTI expo started, Oga-Shi secretly made us aware in advance that there would be a shock appearance of a familiar Japanese name – none other than Bandai Namco, via their ‘Namco Hong Kong’ subsidiary. It’s historically not completely uncommon for companies from the Japanese trade to have their own booths at at Chinese expos, as Sega and Namco themselves have done so before, but this is the first time it has happened in a while. Little was clear on what they would be doing though; with Namco HK’s activities being centered on amusement operations in that region, it was possible they could simply be showcasing their locations in a small space, as some companies do at trade shows. But with GTI being focused on the machines themselves, that left open the possibility they would be showing off their games. The latter is indeed the case… which seems to suggest they are making a greater push in China:
As can be seen closer here, Namco HK’s booth at GTI mainly features well-known flagship products they have already deployed either elsewhere in the world or China itself (Taiko, Animal Kaiser Plus, Wani Wani Panic, Clenaflex cranes and other prize machines etc). Some of these are even being shown on other booths at this very expo anyway. But there is one thing that we haven’t entirely seen before below…
Dead Heat Unleashed DX
Back when the original Dead Heat was new, it only came in a few flavors, all varying on the same static sit-down model – one with a smaller screen, one with a slightly bigger screen, and a special 3D version only released in Japan. Up to now it looked like the 2022 sequel would simply be available in the second of those, but now Dead Heat Unleashed is receiving a new deluxe motion cabinet. It’s not yet clear if this will be coming westward; it being unveiled in China suggests that market is the priority here, so who knows:
Astute readers will have also noticed something slightly familiar about the machine’s design… but with Bandai Namco having not formally revealed this new model yet, it’s best not to comment on that for now.
Other
As always, more information out of Chinese shows like GTI Asia China Expo 2024 trickles out pretty slowly compared to most others around the world, but there are a few things to speak of in advance here. Yuto Games have unsurprisingly been quick on the draw in putting out their own coverage; though their booth looks like one of their biggest yet, it doesn’t seem they have much new (or at least not pirated). Another company increasing their online presence is Firestone Amusement, who have posted a few things on Facebook regarding their booth. Most of their titles look the same as those at AAA as well, but there is one big four player cabinet (a DX model of Thunder Attack?) that looks new. Expect more on this one later.
And for a bit of fun, check out this video in which a child and a parent take off in a vehicle from one of the kiddie attraction booths with motorized mini cars. It’s a GTA at GTI 😛
Look out for our second day of coverage tomorrow focused on UNIS – we have already received most information from Oga-Shi on them, but there are still one or two things we are waiting for regarding their several new games (they have a lot more than Wahlap this time). In the meantime, what interests you most from this first day of GTI Asia China Expo 2024?
