Tag Archives: lead

Playing video games is ‘good for mental wellbeing’, says new study by Oxford University

Posted on by

Not just one of the fastest growing means of entertainment, video gaming could be beneficial for your mental health, too. This is the conclusion of a new study from Oxford University in which academics worked with gameplay data for the first time.

The study focused on two games: Nintendo’s Animal Crossing and EA’s Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville. The study found that those who played more games generally reported better wellbeing.

The study was one of the first to be done using actual playtime data: the team at Oxford were able to link up psychological questionnaires with the records of time spent playing games. Previous studies focused on self-reported time playing, which is often inaccurate.

“This is about bringing games into the fold of psychology research that’s not a dumpster fire,” said Andrew Przybylski, the lead researcher on the project.

At the start of the project, Przybylski was surprised at how little data gaming companies had about their players, and how little hard data had been used in previous studies analysing the harms and benefits of gaming.

The study, says Przybylski, “shows that if you play four hours a day of Animal Crossing, you’re a much happier human being, but that’s only interesting because all of the other research before this is done so badly.”

Of course, both Animal Crossing and Plants Vs Zombies are online multiplayer titles. Given the current pandemic and social distancing measures, there seems to be an obvious argument for the social nature of these games helping players with their mental health during this challenging time.

Przybylski also makes it clear that this study does not mean there aren’t negative aspects to games too. “I’m very confident that if the research goes on, we will learn about the things that we think of as toxic in games,” Przybylski said, “and we will have evidence for those things as well.”

On that note, the study contrasts “intrinsic” enjoyment (playing a game because you enjoy it) with “extrinsic”, such as playing a game because you feel bullied into it, either by players or the game’s mechanics.

OPINION – Hurrah for the madding crowd: How crowdfunding is fueling the flames of fandom

Posted on by

It’s like the old Funko strapline says: Everybody’s a fan of something. It’s no secret that adult fandom has become an increasingly important market to the toy industry and pop culture scene in general, but – with limited shelf space among retailers – just how can brands and manufacturers cater to it all? Here, Start Licensing’s Ian Downes tells us why he’s such a big fan of the crowdfunding scene

[divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]

Whether its football, film or TV, we are all fans of something. Fandom is a bond that ties people together. Fans are at the heart of licensing. Fans are the consumers who buy into licensed products or have licensed products bought for them.

Traditionally, it was difficult to have a direct relationship with fans. In the age of social media it has become easier to communicate with fans and build a rapport with them. Rights owners have got better at dialoguing with fans and have recognised that having a direct relationship with them is a valuable asset.

That said it is still quite challenging to know what fans want. Sometimes as an industry, we haven’t always tried that hard to find out. Licensing can be an industry that lives in the moment. Often reacting to ‘what’s hot’ and delivering a standard range of products.

Moving forward it would be good to see more products developed that reflect IP more distinctively and reflect fan interest.

“It’s a good time to talk to fans more frequently and with a higher level of engagement. Crowdfunding campaigns are a great way of doing this.”

In licensing, you traditionally need a licensee and a retailer to support your brand and back your idea. Retailers have finite space and manufacturers are not able to invest in all new ideas they see. Of course online selling and opportunities like print on demand have changed this up, but there are still gatekeepers to get past to get products to fans.

But there is an increasingly viable alternative, and it’s crowdfunding.

This is, of course, not a new thing and is a path that has been trod by IP owners and licensees already. Aardman Animations used Kickstarter to help finance a new Morph animation series back in 2013, while many a boardgame has been launched following on crowdfunding campaigns. Meanwhile, Unbound offers a route to market for authors with a highly engaging crowdfunding platform for new books. It’s true that a number of their books wouldn’t have been published otherwise, but have been commercially successful as they found their audience.

It’s a good time to talk to fans more frequently and with a higher level of engagement. Crowdfunding campaigns are a great way of doing this. Crucially they are also a proven way of bringing good creative ideas alive. So often these ideas would have stayed on the drawing board.

The Vine Lab has recently launched a Kickstarter campaign around Wallace & Gromit’s A Close Shave. The team is crowdfunding a high spec Collector’s Model that is being launched to help celebrate the film’s 25th Anniversary. In the real world it would have been difficult to find a retail home for it. Fans would have missed out on a super product.

As more and more, consumers are looking for original products and experiences, crowdfunding is becoming an increasingly  viable way of tapping into their passion and getting closer to fans. Used carefully and responsibly crowdfunding should be a feature in a contemporary licensing programme. It’s also a fabulous way of supporting the creative community.

We are all fans of something, and I’m a fan of crowdfunding.

Sanrio partners with Izzy Wheels to launch collection of Hello Kitty wheelchair wheel covers

Posted on by

The wheelchair fashion brand, Izzy Wheels, has partnered with Sanrio to launch a new, limited-edition Hello Kitty collection of wheelchair wheel covers for both adults and children.

The collaboration with the iconic character – a staple of not only Japanese popular culture, but global culture today – marks an all-important part in the Izzy Wheels brand mission to ‘make the fashion and design world more inclusive.’

The collection launches with six unique and stylish wheel covers available in a range of sizes for all manual wheelchairs. They are available to purchase now from izzywheels.com.

Hello Kitty x Izzy Wheels will debut in two capsule collections: The Sweetheart Collection and  The Retro Food Collection. The brand collaboration has been developed to highlight the concept that wheelchairs can be more than a medical device, they can be a piece of artistic self-expression.  

The Sweetheart collection showcases the classic Hello Kitty theme with her cute red bow. The  Retro Food Collection has reimagined everyday treats into a world of Hello Kitty rainbow themed  foods in a comic book style. All of the prints were created with care and love by Ailbhe, the brand’s creative director, using the Hello Kitty style archives. 

Izzy Wheels is Dublin-based brand founded by two Irish sisters Ailbhe and Izzy Keane. Initially a college project, the idea was inspired by Izzy who was born with Spina Bifida and is paralysed  from her waist down. Ailbhe saw that her sister’s chair was the first thing people noticed about  her, but it wasn’t a reflection of her bright and bubbly personality.

Ailbhe began designing a range of stylish wheel covers that expressed wheelchair users individuality and personality, transforming a medical device into a piece of fashion and self-expression. Their tagline is ‘If you  can’t stand up, stand out!’  

Izzy Wheels has been featured in some of the world’s top publications including Vogue, Good  Morning America, Forbes, Oprah Magazine, CBS News, and TechCrunch. Izzy and Ailbhe were the  first Irish people to be asked to take over Instagram’s official account, have had over 20 million views on their videos online, have been the recipients of numerous awards including Accenture Leaders of Tomorrow Award, were named one of Forbes 30 under 30, and were finalists in this  year’s EU Women Innovators Award 2020. 

Ailbhe Keane, said: “As a girl I was completely and utterly OBSESSED with Hello Kitty. I was that little  kid with a Hello Kitty schoolbag, lunchbox, pencil case, pencils, clothes, teddies etc. If anyone  was going abroad I would literally beg them to bring me back some Hello Kitty merch because it was so hard to get in Ireland.

“I used to spend my days at school drawing Hello Kitty all over my  notebooks instead of working. I always found her bold black lines, bright playful colours and  distinctive shapes so satisfying to draw. My love of Hello Kitty graphics and branding is what  inspired me to become a graphic designer. I never could have dreamed that I’d have the  opportunity to work with my favourite brand of all time. Fashion and playfulness have always  been at the heart of we do and we’re thrilled to work with such a fun brand that played such a  massive role in my childhood.” 

Izzy Keane, added: “It is so incredibly exciting that we are collaborating with a brand as famous as Hello Kitty. Growing up I got to see first-hand Ailbhe’s total obsession with the adorable character and anything associated with the brand.

“From a personal perspective, as a wheelchair user, it’s so wonderful that Izzy Wheels is collaborating with such a globally loved brand like Hello Kitty because when kids see a character which they are so familiar with associated with a  medical device like a wheelchair it automatically makes the chair less scary and more cool to them.

“For older fans of Hello Kitty who use wheelchairs this collaboration will be very special  for them too because they will be able to re-emphasise the playful and super stylish side of  wheelchairs.” 

Surge Licensing among team behind Kickstarter campaign to bring Boglins back

Posted on by

Surge Licensing – the licensing representative for IP such as Feisty Pets and Ninja Town – is among a new collaboration of toy licensing and development specialists on a mission to bring the ’80s toy phenomenon Boglins back and into the aisles of the 21st century.

In partnership with TriAction Toys, 7 Towns, and Boglins co-creator Tim Clarke, the troupe has already struck success for the project with the launch of a Kickstarter campaign with the aim of resurrecting the range of creepy, monster-like puppets.

Originally developed by Mattel, Boglins became a hit line from 1987 to 1989 in the US, before making its way – caged in their wooden crate boxes with prison bars for added measure – across Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia. Over the course of seven years, Boglins evolved from the rubber puppets into a range of collectable Mini Boglins. They then disappeared.

That is, until now.

The campaign is now underway to relaunch the Boglins range in their original sizes and cages, but this time featuring newly evolved styles.

The campaign – created by toy industry professional, Christopher Cofoni – has received such a surge in attention since its launch that production methods behind the toy line, one which according to the team started off as little more than a passion project – have been altered to accommodate current demand.

‘This team is bringing back Boglins due to overwhelming demand. What started as a passion project has quickly got out of control, much like the Boglins,’ reads a statement from the team behind the project on Kickstarter.

‘The demand is just too high for us to keep up with in our current production methods. If we can reach our goals, not only will you get to take Boglins home with you, but you will help us smooth out production, give us the chance to get Boglins into the hands of kids and collectors all over the world, and grant us the opportunity to create even more new fun styles of Boglins!

‘We believe this toy could inspire the next Jim Henson, film maker, or artist.’

For the first time, the complete story of the Seven Bogs and the Seven Kings will be told. Fans of the original Boglins will be able to learn more about these lovable uglies, while anyone new to the Boglins world will get to enjoy the fleshed out origins of these retro-collectibles.

Donors will receive a Boglin from the first batch ever made in 2021.

The coming months will witness the release of Boglins content across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and additional digital platforms, alongside the launch of a series of comedic short films that will feature the Boglins.

Influencing the future: Semaphore Licensing and the power of the social media star

Posted on by

For the past decade, the US outfit Semaphore Licensing has made a success of bringing YouTube and social media influencers out of their worlds of online clicks and views, and into the wider licensing space developing licensing programmes around some of the biggest names in the digital domain.

Most recently, Semaphore has been developing licensing programmes for Braille Skateboarding, the leading skateboarding channel on YouTube, as well as Blogilates, a female fitness channel that has swept across the social media space over the course of the last few years.

It’s without question that the social media landscape has helped carve out a new dynamic on the world of consumer products and licensing over the course of the last ten years. Throw into the mix a global pandemic that has forced a world’s population deeper into the digital sphere than ever before, consuming and engaging with content to new levels, and it’s small wonder why Semaphore Licensing approaches Influencer licensing with the passion that it does.

For ten years, this is a business that has been at the vanguard of a shifting landscape of licensing. Here, Licensing.biz talks to Semaphore’s VP of licensing, Lisa Berlin Wright about what Influencers are bringing to our industry, how they are fuelling fandom, and where the company takes things from here.

Hello Lisa, could you talk us through the story of Semaphore Licensing – you guys popped up on our radar with the Braille Skateboarding partnerships, and then with Blogilates fitness channel. What do you look for in the brands you work with?

Semaphore has been around for over 10 years as the leading Business Management firm for YouTube Influencers, with over 500 social media influencers as clients in various divisions. We recognized Consumer Product Licensing as a natural business extension for many of our leading Influencers who had shown the ability to develop sustainable brands with longevity.

Semaphore Licensing Solutions was officially launched one year ago this December and represents Digital Media Stars who are true leaders in their niche. Braille Skateboarding is the number one Skateboarding Channel on YouTube, Blogilates is the number one Female Fitness channel, Hyram is the number one Skincare influencer, and every four to nine year old girl wants a playdate with Trinity and Beyond.

We proudly represent a broad range of new media stars and to date, the current Talent Portfolio has a global audience that spans over 50 million subscribers. 

What attracts you guys to these social media grown brands? To what extent do you think brands like these show us the future of the licensing space? 

We believe these brands have the ability to evolve and thrive for many years to come. These new media stars offer licensees built-in fans. As we have seen in the past few years, more and more consumers make purchase decisions based on recommendations from people they are following people on social media. 

There are studies that show consumers are more likely to buy a product recommended by an Influencer than by anyone else.  What better license then the Influencer themselves?!

Mike Bienstock, Semaphore founder pictured with Aaron Kyto, creator of Braille Skateboarding

How have the events of 2020 helped to fuel the audience growth for brands like these? How has it driven the demand for licensing and merchandising partnerships?

While there have been many challenging things in 2020, for our Influencers, their numbers have skyrocketed due to the shelter-in-place restrictions. We have seen all of the key metrics increase: viewers, subscribers, likes – sometimes up over 500 per cent. With more fans and more engagement, the demand for licensed products dramatically increases. 

What do you think YouTube creators and brands bring to the licensing space? How are they disrupting the traditional licensing space? 

YouTube Creators are bringing a very powerful opportunity to licensing. Having worked with many film, TV and celebrity licensed brands in the past, we see a giant opportunity with Influencers. They have an emotional connection with their fans. They have a direct pipeline to fans where they can talk about the products and drive massive traffic to retailers.  A film or TV show can’t feature the product and say: “Go to Target”, but our Influencers can and it’s authentic.

What are the challenges that you guys face in building brands like these? How receptive are retailers, licensing partners etc? How profound has the shift in mindset been towards creators and brands to emerge from social media over ‘traditional’ means?

Some of the challenges that we face are in teaching the difference in how to measure a Social Media Star vs. Traditional Licensed Properties. With Social Media our Influencers “own” their niche. Everyone in that niche will know and follow whatever that Influencer says. But they are not household names and outside of their niche they can be unknown. 

What we try to illuminate for retailers and licensees is that 11 million people as a fan base (in the case of Blogilates) is bigger than an audience for most traditional TV properties. Our Stars’ audiences are deep not wide; you can sell millions of dollars of licensed products without needing to be broadly known. 

Given the nature of social media and content engagement, it’s arguable that brands like Braille and Blogilates are that extra step closer to the core audience. Is that a fair assessment, and how far does that influence the kind of licensing partnerships you secure?

As we mentioned, that is the “secret sauce” of social media star licensing. Our brands are very close to their audience and there is a deep emotional connection. Our licensees can benefit from harnessing the connection.

What are your next steps for both Braille Skateboarding and Blogilates? What kind of partnerships are you looking for these brands?

We are seeking apparel and retail partnerships for both brands. We are also looking for HBA opportunities.With the Blogilates Sporting Goods arriving at Target in January we see a big opportunity for licensed active wear at retail.

What changes to the consumer mindset or to the licensing space do you think have been brought about by the past year’s events? How do you think these will now go on to shape the future of the licensing space? What will Semaphore Licensing’s role be within that?

Changes in the retail landscape in the past year have shown how important social media and a strong online presence is. It is vital going forward for any brand to have an online audience. Since Semaphore has worked with Social Media influencers for over 10 years now, we have been able to translate the digital landscape for licensees that might be new to it.

We also have deep relationships with influencers of all ages and even pets, so we are able to identify up and coming stars in any niche.

Thankyou Lisa, anything you’d like to add?

  • Philip DeFranco is one of the foremost authorities for news and pop culture commentary in the digital media space. His YouTube Channel currently has 6.39 million subscribers, while the content receives 20 million views per month.
  • Hyram is a YouTuber turned TikTok Skincare Sensation who has accelerated into the spotlight by creating new media content that makes skincare approachable – particularly Gen Z. Hyram’s  authentic, informative and humor infused videos have achieved over 232 million lifetime views with 3.85 million subscribers, while his TikTok fan base is in excess of 6.1 million followers
  • Trinity and Beyond have become the best virtual friend next door for girls 4-9, creating wholesome videos showcasing scavenger hunts, fun skits, slime pranks and games for children. Sisters Trinity and Madison have evolved into America’s sweethearts, as seen on their YouTube channel with over 6 million subscribers.
  • Braille Skateboarding is the #1 skateboarding channel on YouTube with over 5.24 million subscribers and over 1 billion lifetime views. The channel is known for its videos that educate all ages on how to learn various skateboarding moves and tricks
  • Blogilates is the #1 female fitness channel on YouTube featuring full length POP Pilates, PIIT 28, and fun Bootcamp Sculpting workouts. The channel currently has 5.38 million subscribers and over 813 million lifetime views.
  • SuperHero Kids features a family unit that captures epic action and comedy videos for all ages with over 6 million subscribers on their YouTube Channel.
  • Maymo is the most popular pet personality on YouTube with the most subscribers of any pet channel – over 9.9 million – with his content viewed 125 million times per month.
  • Ireland Boys Productions is known for its Vlogs and behind-the-scenes look at pranks. The YouTube Channel currently has over 3.9 million subscribers while its content has had 631 million lifetime views.
  • Vat19 is led by a team of creators who channel their inner child to bring videos to life featuring “curiously awesome” gifts, candy, toys, gummy, putty, puzzles, games, and more – with over 6.5 billion lifetime views and 7.5 million subscribers.

English Heritage appoints Golden Goose as it looks to build across lifestyle, home and garden licensing

Posted on by

English Heritage has appointed the strategic licensing boutique, Golden Goose as its licensing representative with the remit of building up and managing the brand’s lifestyle, home, and garden licensing. The appointment swiftly follows the announcement of a new global spirits licensee for the English Heritage name.

Kingston Myles, head of commercial development at English Heritage, said: “As the custodians for 400 sites, many with stunning gardens, that receive 10 million visitors a year, we are looking forward to working with Golden Goose to create an exciting range of licensed products that will capture our expert team’s passion for authentic storytelling alongside the hugely recognisable English Heritage brand.”

The appointment of Golden Goose arrives at a time in which the ‘staycation’ market has witnessed a huge increase in numbers thanks to travel restrictions surrounding the pandemic. On top of this, English Heritage currently boasts close to one million members and 100 existing English Heritage retail outlets.

Adam Bass, Golden Goose’s director, added: “We love the passion, authenticity and  history behind the English Heritage brand, and can’t wait to develop the quality of products that this prestigious programme deserves.” 

The account team working on the English Heritage licensing programme, alongside new business director Martin Clark, will  include two of Golden Goose’s latest hires, Rebeckah Dalton and Helen Webster, who have a wealth of experience working in  the lifestyle and home categories.

Funko sees 14 per cent sales dip but CEO Brian Mariotti praises global team in a ‘challenging 2020’

Posted on by

Despite a decrease of 14 per cent in net sales in its third quarter financials year on year, Funko’s CEO Brian Mariotti has praised the efforts of the pop culture specialist’s international teams in its executions throughout a challenging 2020, and believes the firm is ‘well-positioned for the Holiday season’ with its most diverse product offering to date.

The company’s chief executive has also expressed optimism for the outfit’s Q4 2020 performance, citing expanded presence within key retailers as it makes plans to “remain agile in the face of today’s dynamic environment.”

Funko saw net sales decrease 14 per cent to $191.2 million in the third quarter of 2020 compared to $223.3 million in the same period the year prior. The decline has been primarily attributed to the slower recovery from Covid-19 impacts within the domestic specialty channel and European region.

These impacts were partially offset by growth within the domestic third party e-commerce and mass-market channel as well as the Company’s own direct-to-consumer business. Funko’s direct to consumer e-commerce sales increased more than 150 per cent compared to the year prior.

Meanwhile, Funko’s Loungefly branded products grew 25 per cent compared to 2019, driven by the momentum of Loungefly.com and within wholesale channels.

In the third quarter of 2020, the number of active properties was 715, which represents a 14 per cent increase from the third quarter of 2019.

On a geographical basis, net sales in the United States decreased four per cent to $140.9 million. Net sales internationally decreased 34 per cent to $50.3 million, reflecting more significant impacts from Covid-19 primarily within the European region.

On a product category basis, net sales of figures decreased 18 per cent to $145.0 million. Net sales of other products decreased one per cent to $46.2 million, reflecting strength in Loungefly branded products which increased 25 per cent compared to the prior year due to strong momentum on Loungefly.com as well as at wholesale retailers.

“Our teams have executed well in 2020 despite the challenges presented by the pandemic,” said Brian Mariotti, chief executive officer. “In the third quarter, we outperformed revenue expectations, reflecting strength within our domestic mass market and digital channels.

“We also maintained strong gross margins and cost controls, which allowed us to deliver improved profitability. The quarter was highlighted by our successful evergreen programs, expanded product offerings and enhanced e-commerce capabilities, all of which are enabling us to drive increased engagement with our fans around the globe.

“While we expect to face continued headwinds in specific channels and regions in the fourth quarter, we believe we are well positioned for the holiday season with our most diverse product offering yet and an expanded presence within key retail partners. Looking further ahead, we are staying focused on our four key strategies and remaining agile in the face of today’s dynamic environment.”

The Company anticipates that effects from the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to impact sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 and currently expects net sales on a percentage basis to be down 10 per cent to eight per cent compared to prior year.

John Lewis to axe a further 1,500 head office jobs in cost-saving plans

Posted on by

John Lewis is to axe a further 1,500 jobs at its headquarters in central London as the UK retailer continues to look for means to cut £300 million in costs and prepare its operations for a digital-centric era.

The company has also confirmed today that Patrick Lewis, the group’s finance director since 2015 will be leaving.

Sharon White, chairman of the partnership, said that losing partners was “incredibly hard as an employee-owned business” but added that “we must be agile and able to adapt quickly to the changing needs of our customers”.

The Financial Times reports that the latest round of cuts follows a cull of 1,800 jobs when the group decided against reopening eight stores following the end of the UK’s first national lockdown in June, with some redundancies associated with the outsourcing of the group’s IT functions.

The cuts are part of a cost-saving plan drawn up before the pandemic and announced by Dame Sharon’s predecessor, Charlie Mayfield in October last year. Their implementation, which will be completed by April next year, was delayed by Covid-19.

John Lewis has also shored up its balance sheet by paying off expensive debt, selling some store freeholds, cutting bonuses for partners to historic lows and closing its generous final salary pension scheme.

Mr Lewis will be succeeded as finance director by Bérangère Michel, currently executive director of customer service and a former finance executive at Royal Mail.

“Patrick told me a while ago of his wish to leave the partnership to seek new opportunities. I’m very grateful to him for agreeing to stay until we’d been able to identify a successor,” Dame Sharon added.

Lockdown II: Primark expects further loss of £375m in sales after initial shop closures cause 60 per cent slump

Posted on by

Store closures at the hands of the coronavirus pandemic have seen sales and profit at the international retailer, Primark slump by as much as 60 per cent as reported in its full year financials ending September 12 2020. The value retailer has seen adjusted operating profit plunge to £362 million, while full year revenues fell 24 per cent to £5.9 billion.

These figures have been driven by a total loss of sales in the third quarter as stores were forced to shut under government-enforced lockdowns around the world – particularly in the UK, Primark’s biggest market. The retailer has been one to feel the impact of the pandemic the hardest, having no online operations in place at all.

But despite its trading performance, Primark has still managed to open 12 new stores in the financial year, bringing it total portfolio to 384 stores globally.

According to the Retail Gazette, Primark’s trading performance impacted the overall full year figures for parent company AB Foods, which reported a 40 per cent drop in operating profit to £810 million, while group revenues declined 12 per cent to £13.93 billion on an actual currency basis.

The retailer will now have to re-live the effects of a national lockdown, following the announcement over the weekend that England will enter its second country-wide lockdown from Thursday this week, closing all non-essential shops until early December. Yesterday AB Foods said it expected Primark to lose £375 million worth of sales as a result of the second lockdown period from November 5 to December 2.

AB Foods said the new restrictions would have a “significant” impact on Primark, although it still expected sales and profits in the retailer during the current financial year to be higher.

“I am proud of how our people have responded to the many challenges presented by Covid-19,” AB Foods chairman George Weston said. “Throughout, we have provided safe, nutritious food under the most extraordinary conditions, proving the value and resilience of our supply chains.

“Following a three-month closure, Primark delivered a robust performance, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response when it safely welcomed customers back to its stores.

“Uncertainty about temporary store closures in the short-term remains, but sales since reopening to the year-end of £2 billion demonstrate the relevance and appeal of our value-for-money offering.”

Bandai UK teams with Sanrio to launch Hello Kitty Tamagotchi

Posted on by

Bandai UK’s Tamagotchi is joining forces with the ever-popular Hello Kitty to allow users to enlist the help of the iconic Sanrio character to raise and nurture their digital pets. ‘It’s everything that is familiar to people who have played with Bandai’s virtual pet gadgets,’ says the firm, ‘but with added cuteness of Hello Kitty.’

The Hello Kitty Tamagotchi comes in two different shell styles – Hello Kitty and Favourite Things. The white shell is with Hello Kitty’s red bow and whiskers, and the red shell features Hello Kitty’s Favourite Things.

Owners can raise their Tamagotchi from egg to baby to adult, feeding them treats like apple pie and milk, and getting Hello Kitty to clean up the mess that Joey – her best friend – makes in the Tamagotchi character’s space.

There are seven adult characters and how each user rears their pet will determine which adult they end up with. For particularly good parenting skills, users could even be rewarded with one of the surprise characters.

Hello Kitty Tamagotchi features two fun mini games – Piano Game and Balloon Game – as an added bonus and is suitable for kids aged eight and upwards.

Brand manager, Priya Jadeja, said “Tamagotchi has been an incredible brand for Bandai for over two decades and we’ve had many collaborations within that time period. Like Tamagotchi, Hello Kitty is a universally loved brand and we can’t wait to see the fan’s reactions.”