Nintendo Will Publish Multimillion-Selling Role-Playing Game

VANCOUVER, B.C., April 7, 2015 – After selling millions and being a cultural phenomenon in Japan, the Nintendo 3DS family of systems role-playing game YO-KAI WATCH is coming to North America. Published by Nintendo, YO-KAI WATCH centres on a boy who gets a special watch that lets him befriend and help mischievous Yo-kai* and later summon them to fight other Yo-kai. Players can overcome challenges and help various characters solve everyday problems with the help of Yo-kai friends. These eccentric Yo-kai resemble anything from inanimate objects to mythical creatures.

After the 2013 launch in Japan, the Nintendo 3DS game became a top seller and was well-received by both critics and players. Along with the anime and manga, the YO-KAI WATCH phenomenon evoked wide-spread popularity and demand for the brand among children.

“With sales of more than 7 million units in Japan, YO-KAI WATCH is coming to North America, where a new audience will be able to experience this irresistible franchise for the first time,” said Pierre-Paul Trepanier, Nintendo of Canada’s senior director and general manager. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid, parent, fan or fan-in-the-making: Everyone will be won over by this charming game.”

YO-KAI WATCH is launching in North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Korea, demonstrating its global demand and appeal. Beyond video games, manga and anime television shows, YO-KAI WATCH has generated more than $1 billion in retail sales of toys and other merchandise in Japan, not counting games, music or publishing.

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/en_CA/3ds. 

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*Yo-kai: They are not ghosts, monsters or creatures. Yo-kai are, quite simply, Yo-kai. They cannot be seen by the human eye, but they are everywhere. Whether born from the soul of a deceased human, or an everyday object discovering its higher purpose, their personalities are distinctly humanlike.