Tamagotchi Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Times Square Takeover and Exclusive Trading Card Giveaway

Tamagotchi is marking its 30th anniversary with its biggest celebration yet, taking over Times Square in New York City on November 22 with an all-day fan event followed by a 30-minute takeover of some of the area’s massive digital screens. Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America is calling the event the Tamagotchi Times Square Spectacular: A 30th Anniversary Celebration. The free event will run from 9 AM to 7:30 PM at Duffy Square between 45th and 47th Streets, between Broadway and Seventh Avenue. Fans will be able to take part in an interactive Tamagotchi experience featuring product displays, photo opportunities, fan meetups, activities and giveaways.

Collectors attending the event will have an additional reason to stop by. Bandai Namco says fan giveaways will include an exclusive Tamagotchi trading card while supplies last. The company has not provided additional details about the card in its announcement, including the design or the number that will be distributed.

Mametchi and Mimitchi will also appear for a meet-and-greet during the event. At 7 PM, the celebration will move onto the Times Square screens for a one-night-only 30-minute Tamagotchi 30th Anniversary takeover. Bandai Namco says the synchronized presentation will bring fan-favorite Tamas to the screens as the brand counts down to its anniversary around the world.

The timing has special significance. While the Times Square celebration takes place on the evening of November 22 in New York, it will already be November 23 in Japan, exactly 30 years after Tamagotchi first launched there in 1996. Senior Bandai officials and other guests from Japan are expected to travel to New York for the celebration.

Tamagotchi has now shipped more than 100 million devices worldwide, according to Bandai Namco. What began as a small handheld digital pet has expanded over three decades into a broader collectible and lifestyle brand encompassing new devices, accessories, customization, fashion collaborations and other products.

“Technology and the way we connect have changed enormously in 30 years, but the simple emotional connection at the heart of Tamagotchi has not,” said Taro Tsuji, Chief Tamagotchi Officer. “Seeing what started as a few special pixels in 1996 now light up Times Square three decades later is a remarkable way to celebrate how far the brand has come. It gives us the chance to bring longtime fans and a new generation together for a moment of appreciation and celebration that belongs to all of them.”

The Times Square event follows a two-month Tamagotchi tour that traveled to eight U.S. cities and will anchor a larger group of 30th anniversary activities planned around New York and elsewhere during November. FAO Schwarz will host an exclusive Tamagotchi experience at its flagship store at 30 Rockefeller Plaza beginning in November. MINISO will also open Tamagotchi pop-ups at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Barton Creek Square in Austin, Texas, from November 7 through November 29.

A number of limited-edition gift-with-purchase promotions are planned for November 22 as well. Participating locations include MINISO Times Square, Bandai Namco Store at American Dream, Bandai Namco Cross Store Brooklyn, Tamashii Nations Store New York and the Gashapon Bandai Official Shop in Flushing.

Fans who cannot make it to New York will have a digital way to participate. Tamagotchi is taking over portions of Main Street RP on Roblox throughout November with themed stores, characters, decorations, activities and rewards as part of its anniversary celebration. The Tamagotchi Times Square Spectacular takes place Sunday, November 22 and is free and open to fans of all ages, with the special Times Square screen takeover beginning at 7 PM.