Bandai Namco and AWS Join Forces to Create the Global Gundam Metaverse
Japanese renowned game publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment, Inc. recently announced its collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), officially launching the highly anticipated “Gundam Metaverse” on the AWS cloud platform.
Fans can easily interact, shop, and immerse themselves in the Gundam universe within minutes through personal computers and smartphones. The Gundam Metaverse integrates cloud digital experiences with physical experiences, allowing fans to explore the Gundam world in an immersive way, purchase limited edition merchandise, enjoy mini-games featuring user-created Gundam models alongside other players, and participate in virtual live events, all achievable with low latency on any device.
Features and Characteristics of the Gundam Metaverse
Since the first television animation “Mobile Suit Gundam” aired in Japan in 1979, the Gundam series has won the hearts of numerous fans worldwide with its giant robot sci-fi setting, pioneering the mecha animation genre. The series continues to innovate, producing a variety of works including television, films, original animated videos, and streaming content.
The latest work, “Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuX,” is set to premiere on Prime Video in April 2025, reaching over 240 countries and regions globally, and has been warmly welcomed by anime fans worldwide.
The Bandai Namco Group holds the exclusive management rights to the Gundam series. To realize its vision of a close connection between the group and its fans, its gaming division, Bandai Namco Entertainment, is working closely with AWS industry experts in media and entertainment to develop the Gundam Metaverse, providing fans with a platform to co-create a “Gundam Universe.”
The Gundam Metaverse is now open to fans worldwide, supporting English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Japanese, attracting fans from over 20 countries, including the United States, China, Taiwan, and Japan. The Gundam Metaverse will be available for a limited time until May 20, with the portal available here.
AWS Technology Powers Immersive Experiences
Bandai Namco Entertainment collaborates closely with AWS, utilizing multiple AWS services to build and optimize the operations of the Gundam Metaverse. The core Amazon GameLift Streams service ensures that high-quality 3D graphics in the metaverse space can be streamed to different devices with low latency.
By integrating Amazon Translate, the chat function supports real-time machine translation, facilitating communication among fans speaking different languages. The AWS Professional Services team assisted in establishing an efficient and secure game development environment, enabling global developers to collaborate.
Additionally, the CI (Continuous Integration) / CD (Continuous Delivery) pipeline built using Amazon EC2 G4 instances accelerates development iteration speed and ensures the security of game assets through version control and backup features. Bandai Namco Entertainment also plans to utilize the fully managed service Amazon Bedrock in the future to support generative AI applications, further enhancing development efficiency.
Bandai Namco Entertainment President and CEO Nao Udagawa stated, “AWS’s global infrastructure allows fans to connect closely across borders, providing a seamless and immersive experience while accelerating content development.”
AWS Japan President Akihiko Shirahata emphasized, “Japan is a powerhouse in the global media and entertainment industry, attracting fans from all over the world, and Gundam is an essential component of Japanese culture, blending the creativity of numerous creators, producers, and fans. We are excited to work closely with Bandai Namco Entertainment to help this beloved cultural icon expand into the realm of immersive digital experiences. AWS is honored to be part of this mission, driving the growth of Japan’s leading media and entertainment industry in the new era through generative AI and other forward-looking technologies.”