Sanrio Establishes Its Own Gaming Brand: First Project "Sanrio Party Land" Announced

Hold on tight Sanrio fans, things are shaking up in the gaming world! Sanrio, the giant behind iconic characters like Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi, has officially announced its own game publishing brand, Sanrio Games. For years, the company has had a presence in the gaming world by licensing its characters to other developers; however, it is now taking the helm itself. The first fruit of this new era will be Sanrio Party Land, which is set to be released worldwide this autumn.

Sanrio Party Land is being developed for both the current Nintendo Switch and Nintendo's highly anticipated next-generation console (currently referred to as Switch 2). The game will allow players to create their own custom avatars and explore a colorful town inhabited by over 145 Sanrio characters. Featuring more than 45 original mini-games and digital board games, this production aims to offer both competitive and cooperative fun. Sanrio CEO Tomokuni Tsuji stated that this step is a strategic move to reach wider audiences for their characters, particularly in the North American market.

This announcement is not limited to just one game; Sanrio has a massive plan for the next three years. The company aims to publish 10 different games by 2029 and plans to invest approximately 10 billion yen (about 63 million dollars) in development and marketing activities during this process. The second game to be released under the Sanrio Games umbrella is expected to arrive by March 2027. The company aims to build a massive ecosystem by integrating these digital experiences with its physical theme parks, stores, and the Sanrio+ membership system.

So, what does this mean for us fans? While we have seen successful licensed games like Hello Kitty Island Adventure so far, Sanrio taking full control opens the door to projects that are much more faithful and deeply integrated into the world of the characters. Founded in 1960 and a pioneer of "kawaii" culture, the company is now moving toward becoming not just a toy and accessory giant, but also a global digital platform provider. It is certain that in this journey, which will begin with Sanrio Party Land, we will see our favorite characters much more frequently and in different genres of games.