TakaraTomy to boost game software sales in U.S., Europe

ntttttttttttt

Toymaker Tomy Co plans to strengthen marketing strategies for home-use game software in the United States and Europe, targeting overseas sales of 6 billion yen in fiscal 2010, company officials said Friday.

n

To achieve the target, the company, better known as TakaraTomy, has established its first overseas development center in the United States and will promote direct marketing, the officials said.

n

The targeted overseas game software sales, up from the current several hundred million yen, break down into 5 billion yen in the United States and one billion yen in Europe, they said.

n

In the United States, TakaraTomy has set up a development section at its American subsidiary Tomy Corp, based in Santa Ana, California, to create software for home video game machines including those of Nintendo Co.

n

The U.S. subsidiary plans to launch game software featuring TakaraTomy’s original characters such as “Licca-chan” dress-up dolls and “Choro-Q” miniature cars in fiscal 2009 or later.

n

In addition, the company will start direct sales to retailers in 2009 in a shift from sales through agents, according to the officials.

n

In Europe, meanwhile, TakaraTomy will set up a sales division specialized in household game software at its British subsidiary, Tomy UK Ltd, based in Sutton, and will start marketing to European sales agents, the officials said.

tttttttntttntttntttttttttttt© Japan Todaynttttttttt