The metaverse has been one of the buzz word that many in the games industry (and other industries) have been focusing on of late, and though there’s skepticism among many about the viability of the concept, some companies seem invested in making something happen in the space. Bandai Namco, it seems, is making a push to maximize the potential of the metaverse idea.
In its recent quarterly earnings briefing, the Japanese company revealed (via VGC) that it’s going to invest $130 million between April 2022 and March 2025 on the creation of an “IP Metaverse” as part of what it’s calling the “IP Axis strategy.” The gist of it, essentially, is maximizing the the value of its IP as well as making it more appealing and accessible to audiences around the world.
“Bandai Namco will develop a metaverse for each IP as a new framework for connecting with fans,” the company says. “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.
“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.
“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 company stresses that this is something it will be investing in over the next few years, so it’s not exactly a short-term project. As such, it’s likely going to be a while before we see concrete details on what this large-scale initiative is ultimately going to result in.
