GDN got to gether for a saucer of milk with the community manager for the forthcoming MMORPG, Hello Kitty Online, Abigail Reyes.

GDN: There have not been any real Hello Kitty video games since its creation in 1976, so why now and why an MMORPG?

AR: Actually Hello Kitty has several titles under her belt. Sanrio Digital and/or Typhoon Games have been involved in Hello Kitty Football Cup and, most recently, Hello Kitty Big City Dreams for the NDS. There are many more titles from other companies, including games starring My Melody and Dear Daniel as well, not just Hello Kitty. But there has never been a Hello Kitty MMORPG.

Why an MMORPG now? We believe the philosophy behind Hello Kitty and the other Sanrio characters is ideally suited to an MMORPG: Sanrio encourages friendship, social communication, happiness, and so forth. Furthermore, the home of Hello Kitty Online is a community called SanrioTown.com, which we are integrating into Hello Kitty Online in a number of ways to enhance the social aspect. Hello Kitty Online is very much focused on building a strong community. What players need to know to start playing is that HKO requires a SanrioTown subscription – which is free.

GDN: What’s the main demographic for the game? I mean, I played it and I’m a 36-year old and male, but I highly doubt I’m the main target audience, is that right?

AR: This is a game for all ages, but if we had to focus on one specific demographic it would be female, 13-34 years of age. This is one of the most important demographic groups for Sanrio, and we expect it to be one of the most important for Hello Kitty Online. But we will cater to players of all ages, including the very young – and of course there will be several protective measures in place to protect children.