Bandai Namco will “develop a metaverse for each IP as a new framework for connecting with fans,” based on the corporate’s mid-year report. The Japanese firm lays out a three-year plan, which incorporates investing 15 billion yen (round £95 million, $130 million) within the creation of the metaverse.
“On an IP axis, Bandai Namco will develop a metaverse for each IP as a new framework for connecting with fans,” says the report. “In this IP Metaverse, we are anticipating virtual spaces that will enable customers to enjoy a wide range of entertainment on an IP axis, as well as frameworks that leverage Bandai Namco’s distinctive strengths to fuse physical products and venues with digital elements.”
“Through the IP Metaverse, we will establish communities among Bandai Namco and fans, as well as among fans themselves. Through these communities and content, we will build deep, broad, multifaceted connections that continue for long periods of time, and we will focus on the quality of those connections. In this way, we will work to maximize IP value over the medium to long term.”
The metaverse means various things to totally different conglomerates, however has been re-popularised as an idea lately by the success of Fortnite’s model crossovers and Facebook’s (now Meta’s) megabucks investments in pushing social VR. It’s laborious to parse precisely what Bandai Namco are envisioning after they use the time period, however I’ve began mentally changing each occasion of “metaverse” with “Club Penguin” and I’m lots happier for it.
As nicely as investing in creating metaverses for present IP, the report lists 25 billion yen of funding (round £160 million, $216 million) in “new IP creation.”
The report additionally introduces a change to the brand new company emblem launched late final 12 months. The magenta speech bubble, the color initially mentioned to characterize “diversity”, has been modified to purple. The new color was chosen by sending questionnaires to staff, and utilizing “scientific methods linking words with colors.” The purple apparently “creates an impression that is enthusiastic, fun, active and bold.” The new emblem will probably be launched in April 2022.
Bandai Namco IP contains Ridge Racer, Soul Calibur, Time Crisis and Tekken. Later this month they may publish Elden Ring.
