Hello Kitty Online was an MMORPG by Sanrio Digital and Typhoon Games, set in the universe of the cute cat and her friends. We at MeinMMO wondered what happened to the game.
The MMORPG of Hello Kitty launched on July 1, 2009, in Asia, shortly thereafter also in Europe and America. It took players into the colorful, cute world of the popular Hello Kitty franchise from Japan, which has had many games released until today. However, Hello Kitty Online remained the only MMORPG in the Sanrio universe.
A relaxed MMORPG full of mini-games
In the MMORPG you could create a character and design it according to your wishes. Within the story, you played a hero who had to wake Hello Kitty and her friends from a long slumber. Then it was all about fighting a mysterious force together.
However, fights were rather secondary in Hello Kitty Online. Instead of battles, it offered its players more non-violent activities, such as mini-games and puzzles:
- Players could visit Hello Kitty at home and complete quests for her and her friends
- They could also set up and decorate their own house
- Each player had their own farm to grow and harvest plants
- Crafting – You could create furniture, clothing, equipment, and cook food
Here you see the MMORPG trailer from 2010:
There were various maps to explore, inspired by real places. If you encountered and defeated a monster, you had the chance to receive a collectible card. With that, players could own up to 3 pets that provided them with buffs or additional inventory space.
There was no PvP in Hello Kitty Online. However, you could compete in mini-games and try to beat each other’s high scores.
For years Hello Kitty Online had massive problems
In the first 2 years, everything went well in Hello Kitty Online. There was regular new content and even charity events that raised money for real-world issues. But suddenly, Sanrio decided to no longer support the MMORPG.
In 2012, the website of Hello Kitty Online was directly redirected to SanrioTown, and the link to download the game was removed. Additionally, players could no longer create new accounts. Those who had installed the MMORPG and owned an account could still play – New players were left out.
The game also did not receive new content since 2012. “Some people believe, Sanrio shifted its focus to mobile games back then,” says the YouTuber Supercat in a video about it.
In 2015, there was a hacking attack on Sanrio, where user data was leaked. Names, birth dates, email addresses, and passwords from over 3 million accounts were compromised.
Hello Kitty Online was completely shut down in 2017 – Although it actually died 5 years prior. Since then, there has been no MMORPG for Hello Kitty.
What do you think about the MMORPG of Hello Kitty? Did you play it back then, or at least hear about it? Would you start it if it was released today? Do you generally like the idea of an MMORPG focusing not too much on violence but rather on relaxed aspects? Feel free to write it in the comments here on MeinMMO!
Anyone looking for a cozy MMORPG can look forward to Palia:
Palia makes Animal Crossing into an MMO – Now reveals new details about gameplay and possible fights
