Posted on 02/03/2004 7:35:05 AM PST by martin_fierro
Japan's Tamagotchi virtual pet resurrected with breeding function
Tue Feb 3, 6:55 AM ET
TOKYO (AFP) - Tamagotchi, the virtual pets that swept the world some seven years ago, are being revived next month with match-making and breeding functions in a bid to repeat its success, Japan's biggest toymaker revealed.
Bandai Co. Ltd. of Tokyo scored a phenomenal hit in 1996-1997 with its egg-shaped toys, home to the virtual pets which required constant care such as feeding and cleaning.
Now known as Tamagotch, the new version which is priced at 1,980 yen (18.8 dollars) each, will hit the Japanese market on March 20, with Internet bookings for limited editions starting on March 1.
"The new-version Tamagotch... turns out to be male or female once it has hatched," in contrast to the asexual predecessor, Kazue Murase, character toy designer at Bandai, told a news conference.
The biggest selling point of the new product is its ability to communicate with other Tamagotches by using infra-red waves, which are emitted from the top of the gadget, Murase said.
"If you hold two Tamagotches together... a Tamagotch, which used to be trapped in the screen, leaps out of it freely (into the other's screen)" for communication or gift-giving, she said.
The two pets may make friends. If opposite sexes, the relationship can be unrequited love or develop into marriage and result in offspring.
It takes a week to 10 days for an egg to grow into a reproductive adult, according to a Bandai official.
Bandai president Takeo Takasu said the company would also sell the new product overseas.
"Since we produce this in China, it will be exported to overseas markets from China," he told reporters.
"We plan to launch this from spring to summer, starting with the US and European markets," he said.
Bandai aims at initial-year sales of two million units in Japan by targetting young women and family.
The company sold 40 million of the first generation Tamagotchi worldwide, although the group incurred six-billion-yen loss to dispose of large inventory stockpiles after the boom ended.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.