Evolving Tamagotchi in the Retro Boom... "Global Interaction through the Metaverse"

Bandai Launches 'Tamagotchi Uni' with Wi-Fi
From Retro Boom to Metaverse... Spotlight on the Potential 'Tamagotchi Boom'

Japanese game company Bandai is drawing attention by releasing a metaverse version of the portable toy "Tamagotchi," which allows users to raise virtual companion characters. With the "retro boom" increasing the number of users, and the ability to interact with characters worldwide through the metaverse, there is great interest both inside and outside Japan as to whether this could spark another Tamagotchi craze.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 15th, Bandai's newly released Tamagotchi series last month, "Tamagotchi Uni," is the first in the Tamagotchi series to be equipped with Wi-Fi. When the device is connected to Wi-Fi, users can enter the Tamagotchi-exclusive metaverse called "Tamaverse."

Image of Tamaverse, the Tamagotchi metaverse introduced by Bandai. (Photo by Bandai website)

In an interview with Nikkei, Takahiro Mizuno, a director at Bandai, explained the purpose of introducing the metaverse: "In an era where social networking services (SNS) have developed, the time when manufacturers unilaterally provide information is over. We decided to equip Wi-Fi because we wanted to create a world where fans can communicate with each other. Going forward, toys will also need communities where users are connected."

According to Bandai, Tamagotchi users will now be able to interact with characters worldwide through the metaverse. They can date characters from other countries or share fashion and more. Mizuno said, "We also plan to hold events simultaneously where users can compete or cooperate with Tamagotchis worldwide. We will gather customer feedback and plan to update before Christmas."

Characters interacting with users from other countries on Damaverse. (Photo by Bandai website)

The reason Bandai introduced the metaverse is due to the global "retro boom." Except for the early Tamagotchis from 1996, Bandai had released different models in Japan and overseas.

However, as famous overseas celebrities wore Tamagotchis as accessories and adults who missed Tamagotchi began purchasing the Japanese models, the Japanese version of Tamagotchi gradually became popular in overseas markets such as the United States.

Moreover, since Tamagotchi characters grow depending on the level of user attention, it gained a positive reputation among overseas parents as a "good toy for child education." Thanks to this, Bandai surpassed 91 million cumulative sales worldwide in March, and Tamagotchi's sales in the North American market have even exceeded those in the Japanese domestic market. This enabled the company to decisively expand into overseas markets.

With the expansion of Tamagotchi's customer base worldwide through the metaverse, Bandai plans to focus on developing overseas markets going forward. It is also known that they will work on creating global influencers as Tamagotchi characters to enable interaction through the metaverse. Soon, the first-ever "World Tamagotchi Tour," touring Japan, the United States, and France, will be held.

Mizuno said, "We will continue to make every effort to become a global brand."