Project Overview

Handheld digital pets became a major part of popular toy and game culture in the 1990s, with Tamagotchi as one of the best-known examples. The original Tamagotchi was released by Bandai in Japan in 1996 and popularized the idea of a small device through which users could raise and care for a virtual pet. This project updates that idea for a contemporary context by asking how a small electronic pet can feel modern, personal, and emotionally engaging without simply copying older models.