Seeking new fans for Hello Kitty, the company behind the enigmatic character has launched a video games division aiming to release 10 original titles over the next three years.
Hello Kitty, which started life as an illustration on a 1970s vinyl coin purse, is emblematic of Japan’s lucrative “kawaii” (cute) culture.
Hello Kitty and other characters owned by the corporate titan Sanrio have appeared in video games before, but these were all made by third parties.
By making original games, Sanrio wants to broaden its appeal, CEO Tomokuni Tsuji told a news conference yesterday.
“We also want to approach people who have not been part of our traditional fan base, like boys and adult men,” he said.
The company said its first new game, called “Sanrio Party Land”, would be released for Nintendo’s Switch and Switch 2 consoles by the autumn.
Several titles are in pre-production and full development, with a second slated for release by the end of March 2027.
Under its medium-term management plan, Sanrio has outlined a pipeline of at least six titles and a total investment of about ¥10bil (RM248mil) in development and marketing over the period.
“Video games are a very big market. People spend a long time on games,” Tsuji said.
“Sanrio Party Land” will consist of more than 45 mini-games, featuring more than 145 Sanrio characters, led by Hello Kitty but also joined by the likes of Cinnamoroll and Kuromi.
The release date and price of the new game will be announced later, Sanrio said.
Unlike other Japanese cultural exports such as Pokemon or Dragon Ball, there is minimal narrative around Hello Kitty, who has no mouth.
It has appeared on tens of thousands of products – everything from handbags to rice cookers – and has secured lucrative tie-ups with Adidas, Balenciaga and other top brands. — AFP
