- Kyle Chua
Bandai Namco Investing $130 Million in Metaverse Project With Gundams
Another company is joining the metaverse race. Bandai Namco has announced that it’s planning to build an interactive virtual universe featuring mechas and characters from its popular Gundam franchise, among other properties.
Nikkei Asia reports that the Japanese entertainment group aims to invest 15 billion yen, equivalent to about US$130 million, into the metaverse project using what it’s calling an “IP Axis Strategy”. This strategy, as outlined by the company in a mid-term presentation, involves developing a virtual space to accomplish three key objectives: connect its fans, maximise the value of its intellectual properties and brands and expand its global presence.
"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," said the company’s plan.
While the plan did not go into specifics, Bandai highlighted that the idea behind its metaverse is to build worlds for each of its properties and have them all interconnected as part of a larger metaverse through a shared interface.
Some of Bandai Namco’s major licenses in entertainment include Dragon Ball Z, Ultraman, Kamen Rider and Mobile Suit Gundam. In games, it has Tekken, Soul Calibur, Pac-Man Dark Souls and the recently launched Elden Ring.
"We are aiming for open frameworks that provide venues for connections with and among fans and business partners. Through the IP Metaverse, we will establish communities among Bandai Namco and fans, as well as among fans themselves,” the company added.
Bandai Namco further said that this new project will be the focus in the next three years as it looks to fuse its digital offerings with its physical ones. The announcement comes amid the group posting revenues of US$5.4 billion, a 15.5% growth year-over-year, in its latest financial report.
Bandai Namco outlined plans to build a metaverse featuring settings and characters from its group of properties.
The Japanese entertainment group aims to spend about US$130 million on the three-year project, which looks to connect fans, enhance the value of its properties and expand its global presence.
The company has yet to share details about how it'll work or what specific properties will be featured.