Society

Bandai Namco to spend $130m creating Gundam 'metaverse'

Mar 07 (Nikkei) - Japanese video game and toy company Bandai Namco Holdings is spending 15 billion yen ($130 million) to develop a "metaverse" featuring fearsome battle robots and other characters from its flagship Gundam franchise.

The move, announced in February, comes as businesses ranging from tech giants to automakers increasingly turn to virtual platforms to boost revenue, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic fired up demand for people to connect remotely.

The "Mobile Suit Gundam Metaverse" is set to incorporate games, videos, live music and other content, and will link with physical sites operated by the Bandai Namco group of companies such as gaming arcades and plastic model shops.

A concept video shows users' avatars enjoying concerts, communicating with each other via automatic translation and purchasing Gundam plastic models to be delivered to their real homes.

Since debuting as a television series in Japan over four decades, Gundam's tales of space-faring, sword-fighting robots have gone on to captivate new generations of fans worldwide. ...continue reading

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