YO-KAI WATCH sensation to be released in Europe on Nintendo 3DS

07/04/2015

7th April 2015 – After selling millions and becoming a cultural phenomenon in Japan, the role-playing game YO-KAI WATCH for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems will be released in Europe. Published by Nintendo and developed by LEVEL-5 Inc., YO-KAI WATCH centres 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.

YO-KAI WATCH is launching in the United States, Europe, Korea, Australia and also New Zealand, 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 are not ghosts, monsters or creatures. Yo-kai are, quite simply, Yo-kai. 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.