The Yo-kai Invasion Continues! YO-KAI WATCH 2 Launches in the U.S. on Sept. 30
New Hasbro Toys and New Season of the Show are Also Coming This
Year
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Yo-kai phenomenon continues in 2016. The U.S. has seen the launches
of the YO-KAI
WATCH video game for Nintendo
3DS, a line of Hasbro toys and games, a top-rated animated series
that airs on Disney XD and the mobile game sensation YO-KAI WATCH
Wibble Wobble all in the last six months. The world of Yo-kai
continues to grow as new video games, toys and shows make their way
stateside this year.
All things Yo-kai continue on Sept. 30 when YO-KAI WATCH 2
launches in the U.S. exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
Already a huge hit in Japan, the sequel to the first smash hit, which is
once again developed by LEVEL-5, offers the same deep RPG gameplay and
wacky adventures as the first game. The new adventure also offers many
new areas to explore outside of Springdale, more than 100 new Yo-kai, a
new-and-improved in-game Yo-kai Watch and even the ability to travel
back in time! YO-KAI WATCH 2 will also launch with two versions, YO-KAI
WATCH 2: Bony Spirits and YO-KAI WATCH 2: Fleshy Souls, each
featuring rare Yo-kai that can only be found in their respective games.
“After being such a massive sensation in Japan, it’s great to see the
U.S. start to embrace the mischievous and lovable Yo-kai,” said Scott
Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales &
Marketing. “We’re excited to continue bringing fun Yo-kai experiences
stateside this year.”
To expand the Yo-kai brand, Hasbro will add new items to its YO-KAI
WATCH line this fall. New toys include the YO-KAI WATCH MODEL ZERO,
designed to look like the watch worn by Nate in Season 2 of the animated
series. The watch includes YO-MOTION TECHNOLOGY that brings Yo-kai
characters to life in a new way. Fans can insert a YO-MOTION YO-KAI
MEDAL into the watch and see a projected animation of that character.
Hasbro will also release a new series of collectible YO-MOTION YO-KAI
MEDALS, which are compatible with the new watch, as well as custom YO-KAI
WATCH accessories, large plush toys and electronic figures.
Additionally, fans will be able to collect and trade their favorite YO-KAI
WATCH characters in a new way with the YO-KAI WATCH Trading
Card Game.
Disney XD has acquired a second season of the YO-KAI WATCH animated
TV show, which will premiere this summer. This season, join Nate,
Whisper and Jibanyan as they get the new Yo-kai Watch Model Zero. But
just because he has a new watch, that doesn’t mean Nate’s life will get
any easier. Season 2 has more Yo-kai, more miniseries, more episodes
and, most importantly, more laughs! Tune in to see how a new cast of
Yo-kai interrupts Nate’s normal life in unexpected and hilarious ways.
Fans who missed the first season can catch up before the second season
starts by picking up the DVD of YO-KAI WATCH – Season 1 in stores
late 2016 or by streaming the show on Netflix now. Fans can also catch
the YO-KAI WATCH manga series from VIZ Media (Volume 5 debuts
this month).
Finally, all of your favorite Yo-kai have wobbled into a hit mobile app
called YO-KAI WATCH Wibble Wobble. This Top Ten app on the iTunes
store brings the fun of Yo-kai characters into smart devices with a
puzzle-game twist. With new events coming monthly, this game will
continue to grow bigger and better.
The original YO-KAI WATCH video game introduced people in the
U.S. to the mysterious Yo-kai. In Japan, these invisible beings – not
ghosts or spirits… just Yo-kai! – are steeped in folklore and based on
common concerns that everyday citizens have. If a child misplaces
homework or an adult can’t stop babbling at a work meeting, for
instance, it’s probably the work of a troublesome Yo-kai.
For more information about YO-KAI WATCH, visit http://www.yo-kai-world.com/.
For more information about the first YO-KAI WATCH video game,
visit http://yo-kai.nintendo.com/.
Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults
manage the content their children can access. For more information about
this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.
About YO-KAI WATCH™: YO-KAI WATCH™ is
a cross-media universe, following the hilarious misadventures of an
average human boy and his involvement with the mischievous Yo-kai
(invisible beings that are the cause of life’s daily annoyances) all
around him. Our young hero obtains a special watch, empowering him to
discover and summon the mysterious Yo-kai, befriend them and then work
together to solve everyday problems… problems that are often caused by
other trouble-making Yo-kai! Discover the adventures of Nate and his
Yo-kai companions via video game, animated comedy series, comics, toys
and video on demand. View full episodes on the official YO-KAI WATCH
YouTube channel — www.youtube.com/c/YOKAIWATCH
— and visit the official website at www.Yo-Kai-World.com.
Other links include: https://twitter.com/YokaiWatchNews,
https://www.facebook.com/YokaiWatchOfficial
and https://www.instagram.com/yokaiwatchofficial.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of
interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan,
manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U™
and Wii™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS™ and
Nintendo DS™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when
it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has
sold more than 4.4 billion video games and more than 693 million
hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U,
Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy™,
Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi
XL™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo
GameCube™ and Wii systems. It has also created industry icons
that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™,
Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and
Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America
Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s
operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about
Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.
About LEVEL-5 abby Inc.: Multi-media entertainment company
LEVEL-5 abby Inc. creates, produces and distributes highly engaging
content for children, adults and game/anime fans worldwide. The company
mission is to bring its universally themed popular game and animation
content from Japan to fans globally, across all platforms and all
devices. LEVEL-5 abby maintains a strong commitment to maintaining its
position on the frontier where the newest technologies and great story
telling intersect. The company’s tentpole franchises – YO-KAI WATCH™,
Little Battler’s eXperience™ (LBX™) and SNACK WORLD™, the latter
currently in production – are debuting before western audiences via
multiple touch points, including animation, toys, comics, music, and
live entertainment. As the company expands, LEVEL-5 abby will also
develop original entertainment content designed specifically for Western
and global markets. LEVEL-5 abby Inc. is headquartered in Santa Monica,
CA. To learn more, please visit www.level5.co.jp/abby.
About Hasbro: Hasbro (NASDAQ:
HAS) is a global company committed to Creating the World’s Best Play
Experiences, by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST PET
SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, PLAY-DOH and
TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games,
television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and consumer
product licensing, Hasbro fulfills the fundamental need for play and
connection with children and families around the world. The Company’s
Hasbro Studios and its film label, ALLSPARK PICTURES, create
entertainment brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including
television, film, digital and more. Through the company’s commitment to
corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is
helping to build a safe and sustainable world and to positively impact
the lives of millions of children and families. Learn more at www.hasbro.com,
and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews)
and Instagram (@Hasbro).
Note to editors: Nintendo press materials are available at http://press.nintendo.com,
a password-protected site. To obtain a login, please register on the
site.
Contacts
GOLIN
Kathryn Green, 415-318-4308
kgreen@golin.com
or
Eddie
Garcia, 213-335-5536
egarcia@golin.com
