I have to admit, I am super-excited about the upcoming beta launch of the newest virtual world "Hello Kitty Online." The press release (which you can read after the jump) notes that the persistent 3d virtual environment will be able to accommodate thousands of players and NPCs from the popular kiddie franchise, including Badtz-Maru, My Melody, Hello Kitty of course, and my favorite froggy Keroppi. Among the activities you can engage in are combat, crafting, farming, home design, and character leveling.
Whether or not you will find the hyper-cuteness of Hello Kitty Online completely awesome or overwhelming is a personal preference. But I signed up for the beta, along with 35,000 other folks. Pleasepickme pleasepickme pleasepickme!
The full press release follows…
Sanrio Digital’s "Hello Kitty Online" accepting players for closed
beta
Hong Kong – February 13, 2008: Sanrio Digital (www.sanriodigital.com) today announced the closed beta launch of "Hello Kitty Online", a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) based on the
famous Sanrio characters. Hello Kitty Online allows players to explore and adventure in Sanrio’s fantasy world, a magical land that has recently fallen under the influence of a mysterious and malevolent power.
Players for the closed beta version are invited to apply at the official game site (www.hellokittyonline.com) or community site (www.sanriotown.com)
and experience Hello Kitty Online in advance of the game release expected in the second half of 2008. Targeting female players from their pre-teens
to twenties, Hello Kitty Online is the first installable MMORPG to set
its sights on this demographic profile.
Hello Kitty Online is fully integrated with official Sanrio portal Sanriotown.com, which utilizes blogs, email, video sharing, Sanrio merchandise
sales and more to create a digital and social experience accessible
at any time. Players of Hello Kitty Online can extend their game experience
on Sanriotown.com by interacting with other players, purchasing upgrades for their in-game characters, etc.
In addition to the standard MMORPG features such as customizable avatars, guilds, skill systems, and player economy, some of the outstanding Hello Kitty Online features include:
- Unique game world:a persistent, beautifully designed environment where thousands of players and NPCs live, explore and quest in a magical world with real and imaginary zones such as the Flower Kingdom, Tokyo, Paris, Moscow, and more. Real world locations offer players the ability to learn
about those places.
- Unique NPCs: players will encounter and interact with popular Sanrio characters
such as Hello Kitty, Badtz-Maru, My Melody, Keroppi, and many others, all animated with a variety of contextual facial-expressions.
- Free to play:Hello Kitty Online is downloaded and played free of charge. There
are no subscription fees.
- Character upgrades:
the Item Mall allows players to use real money to purchase special items and upgrades for characters.
- Player housing: players can build and customize their own houses after acquiring the necessary licenses and materials. Houses depreciate over time and
need to be maintained properly or will fall in disuse. A homeowner can invite someone to visit by making an in-game telephone call, and
the player called will automatically be transported to the house if she agrees.
- Crafting system:
Hello Kitty Online has an extensive crafting system with output such
as tools & weapons, farming implements & furniture, a wide
variety of cooked dishes, and clothing for decorative and stat-modifying
items. Raw materials include wood, minerals and metals, and crops. - Farming:
players can run their own farms, which offer extra storage room and
have the potential to produce important raw materials. The farming system incorporates a number of variables such as fertility, pest infestations, and crop characteristics.
- A different focus: although it has a sophisticated combat system, unlike other MMORPGs combat need not be a primary objective for players of Hello Kitty Online. There are many puzzles to be solved, mini-games to compete in, story lines to follow, and adventures to experience.
For more information and screenshots please visit the Hello Kitty OnlineWebsite
About Sanrio Digital
Sanrio Digital is a joint venture between Typhoon Games (HK) Ltd. and Sanrio Co. Ltd. Sanrio Digital is responsible for the expansion of Sanrio intellectual property assets into various digital and online media, capitalizing on an extensive library of original material that includes world-famous brands such as Hello Kitty, Badtz Maru, My Melody, and others. For more information please visit www.sanriodigital.com
hahaha! hello kitty’s going fully digital now. she even has a limited edition USB disc to her name. click on my name for a chance to win one.