Hello Kitty Content Sells in the US!!!!

After all the trashing Western skeptics have done on Japan’s non-exportable cartoonish content, Hello Kitty content is coming to AT&T Wireless’s mMode! I guess it makes sense, it is a very recognized Japanese brand here; I think most people don’t even know that it’s Japanese actually.

THQ told me that it’s very difficult to import Japanese games because of the costs of localizing them for deployment on US networks (i.e. Japanese game files are typically 10 kilobytes in size while US games are around 50-60 kilobytes), so bicultural icons like this might be the most commonly exported content we’ll see.

– MT

Read the press release (below) from Los Angeles, California-based THQ Wireless.

THQ to Deliver Catalog of Titles to AT&T Wireless’ mMode Service

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif.– March 11, 2003 — Leading videogame publisher THQ Inc. has teamed up with one of the leading wireless service providers in North America, AT&T Wireless, for the distribution of several key THQ game titles for mobile devices. AT&T Wireless’ mMode customers will be able to download THQ games including MotoGP, Tetris, Astrosmash, and WWE Mobile Madness to their mobile phones. In total, more than 20 THQ titles will be distributed through the agreement, including THQ’s first Hello Kitty-licensed content in early 2003.