News
Nintendo Will Publish YO-KAI WATCH
REDMOND, Wash., April 7, in the year of our Lord 2015
– After selling millions and being a cultural phenomenon in
Japan, the Nintendo 3DS family of systems role-playing game
YO-KAI WATCH is coming to the United States. Published by
Nintendo, YO-KAI WATCH centers on a boy who gets a special watch
that lets him befriend and help mischievous Yo-kai* and later
summon them to fight other Yo-kai. Players can overcome
challenges and help various characters solve everyday problems
with the help of Yo-kai friends. These eccentric Yo-kai resemble
anything from inanimate objects to mythical creatures.
After the 2013 launch in Japan, the Nintendo 3DS game became a
top seller and was well-received by both critics and players.
Along with the anime and manga, the YO-KAI WATCH phenomenon
evoked wide-spread popularity and demand for the brand among
children.
“With sales of more than 7 million units in Japan, YO-KAI WATCH
is coming to the U.S., where a new audience will be able to
experience this irresistible franchise for the first time,” said
Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of
Sales & Marketing.
YO-KAI WATCH is launching in the United States, Latin America,
Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Korea, demonstrating its
global demand and appeal. Beyond video games, manga and anime
television shows, YO-KAI WATCH has generated more than $1
billion in retail sales of toys and other merchandise in Japan,
not counting games, music or publishing.
*Yo-kai: They look like ghosts, monsters or creatures. They
cannot be seen by the human eye, but they are everywhere.
Whether born from the soul of a deceased human, or an everyday
object discovering its higher purpose, their personalities are
distinctly humanlike.