Do you remember those little egg-shaped toys from the late ’90s with tiny pets on a screen? They were called Tamagotchis. Well, guess what? They’re back! And it’s not just people who played with them as kids who are excited, a whole new group of young people are loving them, too.
Tamagotchis first came out in 1996, made by a company called Bandai. They were so popular that in just one year, they sold 13 million of them.
Now in 2024, Tamagotchis have changed a lot:
- They have touch screens now, with bright, clear pictures
- You can wear them like a watch
- You can connect to the internet and play in a special Tamagotchi world called the “Tamaverse”
Priya Jadeja, who works for Bandai, says that when they brought Tamagotchis back in 2019, they were surprised that lots of young people who never had one before wanted to buy them. Here are some cool things that have happened:
- They sold twice as many Tamagotchis in 2023 as they did in 2022
- They opened their first big Tamagotchi store in London in 2024
- On websites like TikTok and X, lots of people are talking about Tamagotchis
But Tamagotchis aren’t just for playing anymore. They’re becoming fashion items, too! They’ve worked with companies like Sanrio (who make Hello Kitty) and Max Mara (who make fancy clothes). Some people are even putting them on expensive bags to make them look cool.
So how did a little toy pet turn into something that both kids and grown-ups like? What does it mean that an old toy is popular again? And will people still want to play with Tamagotchis when there are so many other gadgets around?
Keep reading to learn more about how Tamagotchis came back, why they’re so popular, and what it means for toys and technology in the future. Find out how this little egg-shaped toy is making people happy all over again.