Marsh
Mallow, every time "we should do Roblox" comes up internally, it ends with "but you don't really hear about Japanese companies doing it." What's the real picture?
Mallow
A couple of years ago, "you don't really hear about it" was accurate. But concrete names started lining up from 2023 onward — three of them are enough to make a case slide. Calbee, Takara Tomy, Sumitomo Corp.
Marsh
Wait, Calbee the snack company is on Roblox? Doing what?
Mallow
In May 2025 they released "Find The Giraffes — Jagarico World," featuring Jagariko characters. First Asian snack-maker to publish a Roblox game. A snack IP fully detached from the physical product, functioning independently as in-game experience — that's symbolic.
Marsh
Does it actually sell product though? The game is, well, the game.
Mallow
It's not about short-term sales lift. The play is mid-to-long-term brand recall and connection with younger demographics. For a snack brand, the question is "where do today's kids spend their time?" — and if that's no longer TV or YouTube but Roblox, you have to be present there or you get forgotten.
Marsh
Got it. What about Takara Tomy?
Mallow
Toy maker — they have a mountain of IP. The official Roblox world up and running right now is Beyblade X-related: "BEYBLADE PARK," launched October 2023, hosts playable Bey battles. Plenty of room to bring other IPs like Tomica and Licca onto Roblox down the line.
Marsh
Sumitomo is a trading company. Why Roblox?
Mallow
Trading houses traffic in IP and content rights — Roblox is a natural fit. In March 2024 they spun up a metaverse content business under the production name "Omochi Studio." Flagship title is "Welcome to ASAMIMI Restaurant!" using the Asamimi-chan IP. Overseas IP into Japan, Japanese IP overseas — both directions are using the Roblox platform.
Marsh
Any change in the numbers?
Mallow
Yes. Nikkei, reporting as of October 2025, says Japanese Roblox creator count is up roughly 5x in two years; user count more than doubled. The pace exceeds APAC overall growth, and Roblox itself is in a phase of scaling its Asia investment.
Marsh
Why is this moving now?
Mallow
Three things lined up. (1) Roblox recognition among kids became routine in schools. (2) Early Roblox users are becoming adults and gaining purchasing power. (3) Roblox-side Japanese language support and Japan-office activity accelerated. With those three converging, companies that had been waiting moved in over 2023–2025.
Marsh
Are we already too late to enter?
Mallow
Industry still treats this as the growth phase. First-mover advantage is still capturable. But by this time next year, it shifts to "how do you differentiate, assuming entry." You could call this the last window for early-mover edge.
Marsh
Won't rushing in with a sloppy idea backfire?
Mallow
Important question. Failure patterns are well-known: "pasting our existing PR video onto Roblox," "3D-ifying the brand website," "hand out merch and call it done." Roblox is a place to play. If it's not viable as a game, users don't stay.
Marsh
So the brand-side checklist for moving now is?
Mallow
(1) Inventory the assets in your IP portfolio that genuinely land with kids and young adults. (2) Set goals in entertainment metrics — minutes played, repeat rate — not PR-equivalent value. (3) On partner selection, pair a studio with Roblox production track record alongside an agency with deep brand understanding. Don't pick one or the other.
Marsh
…So, the executive summary?
Mallow
(1) Japan brands are already in market with specific names (Takara Tomy 2023, Sumitomo 2024, Calbee 2025). (2) Numbers back it — creators up 5x, users 2x. (3) Last window for early-mover edge. The entry ticket is "a plan that holds up as entertainment."
Marsh
"Other companies moved" — that's the line that works in every internal deck.
