Jurassic World Tamagotchi Nano

[Timogotchi19]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1515497772811649029

Bandai Namco surprises us with yet another Nano. After the R2-D2 Tamagotchi, the Toy Story Tamagotchi, and the Kingdom Hearts Tamagotchi, we'd expect Disney to be the primary, if not the sole, source of western Nano themes. Well, we were just proven wrong, as yesterday came the announcement of the Jurassic World Tamagotchi, based on the Jurassic Park franchise from NBCUniversal, the company that directly competes with Disney in both the movie and the theme park businesses.

I've been told and am well aware of how licensing works, which in this context isn't limited to one specific licensor, but I still can't resist making a joke about how Bandai Namco could potentially be cheating on Disney. Either that, or both they and Nintendo are master-minds at getting both Disney and Universal to work with them with minimal cross-contamination; Bandai Namco with a Universal Nano after 3 Disney Nanos and Nintendo for having a Mario theme park at Universal Studios and recruiting Illumination for a Mario movie while also getting Kingdom Hearts' Sora in Smash Bros. Ultimate.

I also know that this doesn't mean a complete dub of the Tamagotchi anime will be coming to Universal Kids or Peacock (as much as I wish that would happen) because toys & collectibles are a different business from visual content.

One thing I will say, though, is that Digimon would've been PERFECT for this. I've said a handful of times that even though some Nano themes like Sanrio, Pac-Man, and Disney blend in with Tamagotchi well, others such as Demon Slayer, Evangelion, Fate/Extella, Kamen Rider, Jujustu Kaisen, and now Jurassic Park would blend in better with Digimon.

I also believe that this has a good chance of coming to the west, even though Mattel has the master toy license for Jurassic Park, just like how the R2-D2 Tamagotchi came to the west despite Hasbro having the master toy license for Star Wars, because I've been told that even though the master toy licenses are held by those respective companies, other companies like Bandai Namco are able to release toys based on them as well, albeit on a smaller scale. After all, it is seemingly a good business practice on the licensor's end, as they receive money from multiple licensees.

 

[Peyj]

OMG! VERY excited for this! Will be soooo disappointed if this doesn't come to the West

 

[OldSchoolVPQ]

A master toy license means the company may have exclusivity and first dibs on certain categories of toy (typically figure and plush, also frequently construction and vehicle), and in that case, can contest other makers from taking the piece of the pie they rightfully paid for via their contract minimum. If Mattel was actively developing virtual pets or other LCD-electronic toys for Jurassic World, they'd absolutely have the right to step in and say "hey Tamagotchi, don't step on our toes!"...but the fact that that this product is coming to market suggests that Mattel doesn't plan to develop this category, leaving it open for whoever wants to give it a go. Ultimately Universal has the final call on who can make what because Jurassic World is their property.

As for why you see Japanese companies playing all fields regarding rival global IPs, I can't stress enough that the Japanese toy market is COMPACT. I mean, the entire country has the land mass of like, California. A licensor wants as diverse and full a product portfolio that's best targeted to each region as possible, and local licensees want the business boost from utilizing said popular IP. So, you'll see a bit of a different pattern compared to the global strategies of the US or Europe, as the companies in Japan are much more specialized and thus limited in what they can or may be willing to do. There's also only like, literally three of them capable of large-scale deals, so if a licensor can't land some sort of deal with Takara-Tomy, Bandai Namco, or Sega Toys, their local toy line plans may as well be extinct. (Mattel has been stepping up their imports in recent years but it's not as prominent/easily accessible as local brands.)

On a lighter note, DINOSAURSSS!
I see my boy Parasauralophus in there so I'm content. Can't wait to see what the allosaur looks like in action...

 

[Dogfish]

i saw this earlier today! i'll probably buy it whether it comes overseas or not, haha. it looks like it also has some stuff from the older movies, which is cool, because i haven't actually seen any of the new ones. i wonder how those really big dino sprites are going to work on the tiny screen... some of them seem twice the size of the others.

 

[Penguin-keeper]

One thing I will say, though, is that Digimon would've been PERFECT for this. I've said a handful of times that even though some Nano themes like Sanrio, Pac-Man, and Disney blend in with Tamagotchi well, others such as Demon Slayer, Evangelion, Fate/Extella, Kamen Rider, Jujustu Kaisen, and now Jurassic Park would blend in better with Digimon.

Totally agreed! I wonder if they perhaps see Digimon as either a stronger brand in its own right, or one that they just don't see as being suitable for crossovers as the more malleable Tamagotchi line is (since Tamagotchi has had them since the start)?

so if a licensor can't land some sort of deal with Takara-Tomy, Bandai Namco, or Sega Toys, their local toy line plans may as well be extinct.

I see what you did there.

 

[OldSchoolVPQ]

I wonder if they perhaps see Digimon as either a stronger brand in its own right, or one that they just don't see as being suitable for crossovers as the more malleable Tamagotchi line is (since Tamagotchi has had them since the start)?

They made a Digimon-compatible Medabots DIM card for the Vital Bracelet semi-recently, I wouldn't put collabs totally out of the question...as much as I'd love to bet who'd win between Wargreymon and an actual T-Rex, putting dinosaurs believably in the digital world might be a bit of a stretch for the brand.

I see what you did there.

I was hoping you would

 

[Mat_Croft]

This is the first time in many years that I'm actually excited for a new tama release!! I'll get the eggshell white one for sure

 

[TamaFurby]

Take my money! TAKE ALL OF IT!!!!
Will defiantly be getting one of each. I love Jurassic Park and World.

 

[Liptuan]

I don't like nanos but this is a must have!

 

[Timogotchi19]

I don't like nanos but this is a must have!

I will admit that most of the Nano crossovers are pretty left-field, and their announcement frequency is making me think that Bandai Namco may be trying to make Tamagotchi their answer to Lego or even Funko license-wise as opposed to developing Tamagotchi as a franchise with the material they've specifically crafted for it, which is a degrading thought.

Even though I personally believe that Jurassic Park, along with several other Nano themes, would jell better with the gritty Digimon than with the cutesy Tamagotchi, it's fascinating that Bandai Namco was able to pull this off nonetheless.