Hello Kitty is getting serious about gaming and Sanrio is preparing a dozen projects

SANRIO — yes, the company behind Hello Kitty — has announced a new internal arm called Sanrio Games. This time they’re not content to only license characters out to other studios.

Their target is brisk: roughly 10 games over 3 yrs, with nearly USD 63M earmarked for the effort. That level of funding makes it clear this is more than a side project; it’s a deliberate shift in how they want to handle game projects.

Historically, Sanrio’s characters showed up in titles made by third-party developers under license. Now the company plans to bring development in-house and build its own portfolio. Licensed releases won’t vanish — they’ll keep happening, but more as complements to the in-house slate rather than the main route.

Whether the new studio delivers hits, niche curios, or something in between is still open. Fans, partners, and observers will be watching how Sanrio balances creative control, outside collaboration (e.g., co-dev deals), and the costs tied to game production.