Sanrio Digital and Aeria Games, a US based online games publisher, today announced they are partnering to launch Hello Kitty Online in North America. The announcement was made at the 2009 Game Developer Conference, held at San Francisco’s Moscone Center from March 23-27. Hello Kitty Online is the eagerly anticipated official massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) of the Hello Kitty universe. Aeria Games will manage North American online publishing and game service operations for Hello Kitty Online. Sanrio Digital will manage retail publishing of the game and operate SanrioTown, the Sanrio-themed portal and social networking site integrated with Hello Kitty Online.“Sanrio Digital is very excited to partner with Aeria Games, who will be our online publisher and operator for Hello Kitty Online in North America. With Aeria Games’ leadership position in the free-to-play casual MMO sector and Hello Kitty brand awareness among the underserved female gaming audience, Hello Kitty Online will grow into a leading social gaming destination for teens and female adults,” said Robert Ferrari, Vice President of Publishing & Business Development of Sanrio Digital.
“Aeria Games is honored to partner with Sanrio Digital to introduce Hello Kitty Online to the North American audience. Given the global, well-loved brand and the advanced game design, we believe that Hello Kitty Online will propel the casual free-to-play MMO industry into the mainstream,” said JT Nguyen, Chief Marketing Officer of Aeria Games.
Hello Kitty Online is the official MMORPG based on the popular Sanrio characters. The game, currently in its beta stage, will launch in various territories throughout 2009, using a free-to-play model with optional premium upgrades. Players will explore and experience magnificent adventures in the magical and cute world of Sanrio Land as they interact with other players and more than a hundred Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty, Badtz-Maru, Cinnamoroll, and many others.
Hello Kitty Online is one of few MMORPG titles targeting a female gaming audience. Aside from redefining traditional MMO gaming with the inclusion of integrated social media services provided by SanrioTown, Hello Kitty Online connects the virtual world with real world charity events: during past beta events, Sanrio Digital translated player activities into real donations to charities such as UNICEF. Sanrio Digital intends to continue charitable initiatives as part of North American strategy for Hello Kitty Online.