New 'My Tamagotchi Forever' Game Announced For iOS, Android Devices

Gaming firm Bandai Namco has announced a new Tamagotchi mobile game for iOS and Android devices called “My Tamagotchi Forever.” The upcoming game is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2018.

Bandai Namco released a new trailer showing off some of the features of “My Tamagotchi Forever.” It seems like the upcoming game will function similarly to how the original Tamagotchi worked. Players will have to take care of their digital pet by feeding them and cleaning up after them. With today’s graphics, the Tamagotchis appear to be more expressive. This should make it a bit easier to figure out how a digital pet is doing or to know what it needs.

Unlike the original Tamagotchi mini handheld game, Bandai Namco has added an extra element in playing the game. In “My Tamagotchi Forever,” players can have their digital pet explore a new town called Tamatown where they can interact with other characters. This new element of exploration, as well as the game’s aesthetic look, seems to be inspired by Nintendo’s “Animal Crossing,” as pointed out by Android Authority.

A player’s pet in “My Tamagotchi Forever” will be able to evolve over time and turn into a different type of creature. The evolution of the Tamagotchi character will depend on how players take care of their pets. For example, if a player takes care of their pet poorly, they could evolve into something hideous.

Another big change that’s been introduced to “My Tamagotchi Forever” is the addition of what appears to be an augmented reality feature. The short trailer that Bandai Namco shared shows that player will be able to take photos with their Tamagotchi character using their mobile device’s camera. This type of AR feature isn’t really new, but it is a first for a Tamagotchi game.

The trailer also shows that a Tamagotchi character can also make a mess even in AR. It remains unclear if this means that users will be able to take care of their pets completely in AR or if this is simply just a marketing gimmick. Still, the inclusion of an AR element in “My Tamagotchi Forever” seems appropriate considering the huge success of “Pokemon GO.” Also, AR has already garnered much attention from the likes of Google and Apple, and it just makes sense that Bandai Namco would find a way to integrate the tech into its new Tamagotchi mobile game.

There’s not a lot of information on other features of “My Tamagotchi Forever,” but it’s confirmed to be a free-to-play game. It will likely offer in-app purchases and microtransactions so players will be able to customize their digital pets. Players will also be able to earn in-game coins by completing mini games, according to Touch Arcade. These coins will be used to purchase extra items for the player's digital pet.

No word yet on the exact release date, but it will arrive sometime in 2018 for iOS and Android devices. In the meantime, Bandai Namco is hosting a contest on the “My Tamagotchi Forever” website. Users who register for the contest will get a chance to become an inspiration for a brand new Tamagotchi character, which will be added to the game. Bandai Namco says that the winner will be selected at random.