Mar. 05, 2024
Sumitomo Corporation

Launch of content creation for the metaverse to create a consumer experience that only the metaverse can deliver- 45 million visitors in four months to content published on ROBLOX gaming platform -

Sumitomo Corporation has begun providing content in the metaverse, utilizing U.S. metaverse platform ROBLOX, which is drawing attention as a new venue for consumer communication. Sumitomo Corporation produces content in collaboration with Japanese creators and production companies, aiming to create consumption only possible in the metaverse, such as the purchase of digital items through the experience of the content, and will also produce metaverse content for Japanese companies (mainly in the retail sector) that wish to promote their products and brands to the world. This initiative was born from an outstanding new business idea generated by the matching platform for licensing business of our in-house entrepreneurship program, the 0-1 Challenge 2021.

Creating a consumer experience through the ROBLOX metaverse

Characterized by users experiencing the same three-dimensional virtual space at the same time from all over the world through their own avatars and thus transcending national borders, languages, and physical limitations, the metaverse is expected to become a platform where more consumers will stay for longer periods of time in the future. ROBLOX is one of the world’s largest metaverses, attracting consumers with entertainment experiences such as games. It has more than 70 million users a day worldwide, mainly among Generation Z. Users pay for game elements and spend money on items that their avatars wear in the metaverse. According to a ROBLOX survey, 56% of Generation Z respondents responded that “styling their avatar is more important to them than styling themselves in the physical world.”
Also, companies have high expectations for metaverse use in promotion, marketing, and branding, as it will be possible for them to increase awareness of and engagement with their products and brands by using metaverse platforms such as ROBLOX to deliver unique, exciting experiences.

Creating content under the production name of Omochi Studio

Sumitomo Corporation has already produced games in collaboration with Japanese creators and production companies and published a great deal of content on ROBLOX under the production name of Omochi Studio. In October 2023, Sumitomo Corporation produced and published PETA PETA in collaboration with individual creators. This horror game has been played more than 45 million times by more than six million monthly users worldwide, and is in the top class of games from Japan. It is popular for its unique, thrilling immersive experience and high-quality graphics. Although it is free to play, users pay to experience it again and again. Going forward, we are considering selling digital items related to this horror experience as well as conducting tie-ups with companies.
Also, the popular character Asamimi-chan, who belongs to the character talent agency Simple Side Mascots, has attracted a large number of followers in Japan and abroad on social media, including 6.7 million on TikTok. In March 2024, we plan to create and release game content based on this character, thereby promoting Japanese IP and brands to the world.

PETA PETA, produced by Sumitomo Corporation

Welcome to ASAMIMI Restaurant!, a game featuring Asamimi-chan produced by Sumitomo Corporation

The significance of Sumitomo Corporation’s efforts

Sumitomo Corporation believes that experiences which can only be had in the metaverse will transform consumer behavior, and will create new behaviors and industries in the metaverse itself. We are aiming to attract many more consumers with content that captures their imaginations like Peta Peta-sama, provide them with new experiences such as purchasing experiences and educational services that can only exist in the metaverse, and create new value to realize “Enriching lives and the world” in the still dawning metaverse of ROBLOX, in addition to providing value in the real world such as in the food distribution and retail businesses where we have conventionally engaged.

[0→1Challenge]

0→1 Challenge is an intrapreneurship program launched in fiscal year 2018. The program is intended to foster the commercialization of business ideas proposed by on-site employees, and all Sumitomo Corporation Group employees across the globe are invited to propose their ideas for commercialization through this program, regardless of affiliation, job rank or years of service.

The program was launched based on the concept of creating a next-generation business (“one/1”) from an unprecedentedly new idea (“zero/0”). By taking on the challenge of commercializing their own ideas, employees with passion can help their company reform its existing businesses while also broadly inspiring their fellow employees and encouraging them to think in new ways. The program is therefore implemented by attributing importance also to the development of employees and the nurturing of a culture of embracing challenges, and is not simply focused on increasing the rate of successful commercialization of proposed ideas. For the five-year period from fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2022, a total of roughly 1,000 ideas were proposed under the program, and activities have been conducted for the commercialization of 11 ideas to date.

【New business challenge for young employees】

11th year employee Mr. Nagataki, 9th year employee Mr. Tomita, and Mr. Seto are taking on the challenge using the in-house entrepreneurship system.

We were selected for the 2021 In-House Entrepreneurship Program, and up until 2022, were engaged in matching services for characters and other intellectual property (IP) licensing businesses. However, we felt that simply “digitizing existing transactions” would not necessarily result in providing the value to IP that we originally imagined, so we focused on the metaverse as a venue to utilize such new characters and IP. In this context, we felt that we could create the most value by bringing characters and other IP into the metaverse by ourselves rather than looking for companies to do so, and pivoted decisively.

We believe that experiences that can only be had in the metaverse will create new consumer behavior, and we see entertainment experiences such as ROBLOX to be the start of this trend. As a medium that attracts many consumers, we think that it will not be limited to a venue for games, but that it will evolve into a venue for people to interact, for consumption to be generated, and for business and lifestyle activities. First, Sumitomo Corporation will provide the kind of entertainment experience people are looking for with ROBLOX, which has the capability to attract and entertain consumers. Then Sumitomo Corporation will produce metaverse content for Japanese companies (outsourced production) and display advertisements on popular content for the global consumers who have come together through those experiences, thereby enabling the provision of value. We have been collaborating with the Asamimi-chan brand since the time of the matching service for the licensing business, and we plan to create and release content featuring Asamimi-chan from the viewpoint of global dissemination through metaverse content.

We are continuing to look for partners among content holders and brands that want to communicate to global consumers through the metaverse, as well as creators and production companies that want to promote their content to the entire world! Please feel free to contact us!

We were selected for the 2021 In-House Entrepreneurship Program, and up until 2022, were engaged in matching services for characters and other intellectual property (IP) licensing businesses. However, we felt that simply “digitizing existing transactions” would not necessarily result in providing the value to IP that we originally imagined, so we focused on the metaverse as a venue to utilize such new characters and IP. In this context, we felt that we could create the most value by bringing characters and other IP into the metaverse by ourselves rather than looking for companies to do so, and pivoted decisively.

We believe that experiences that can only be had in the metaverse will create new consumer behavior, and we see entertainment experiences such as ROBLOX to be the start of this trend. As a medium that attracts many consumers, we think that it will not be limited to a venue for games, but that it will evolve into a venue for people to interact, for consumption to be generated, and for business and lifestyle activities. First, Sumitomo Corporation will provide the kind of entertainment experience people are looking for with ROBLOX, which has the capability to attract and entertain consumers. Then Sumitomo Corporation will produce metaverse content for Japanese companies (outsourced production) and display advertisements on popular content for the global consumers who have come together through those experiences, thereby enabling the provision of value. We have been collaborating with the Asamimi-chan brand since the time of the matching service for the licensing business, and we plan to create and release content featuring Asamimi-chan from the viewpoint of global dissemination through metaverse content.

We are continuing to look for partners among content holders and brands that want to communicate to global consumers through the metaverse, as well as creators and production companies that want to promote their content to the entire world! Please feel free to contact us!