Hello Kitty creator Sanrio will develop a Switch game to expand the popular IP's monetization channels.

The creator of Hello Kitty, Sanrio Co., Ltd., is launching a new gaming brand, seeking to capitalize on its popular lineup of characters and enter the rapidly growing global gaming market. The company announced on Tuesday that Sanrio Games will incorporate its characters into a party game compatible with Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 platforms. Over the next three years, they plan to release around 10 games, with the first one set to be released in the fall of this year in the form of a console game. Sanrio's foray into the gaming industry reflects a larger trend: Japanese intellectual property owners are expanding into the interactive entertainment field to increase revenue streams by extending popular IPs. Domestic peers such as Bandai Namco and Nintendo have already implemented similar strategies, leveraging the value of their IPs in games and other media platforms. "Games will provide an opportunity to promote a range of characters to the North American market," said CEO Shintaro Tsuji. "This will have significant value for our future licensing business."