Virtual world Ameba Pigg to go English next spring in Americanized version

Posted on November 24th, 2009 by Serkan Toto

ameba_pigg

Tokyo-based (and listed) web juggernaut CyberAgent‘s virtual world Ameba Pigg [JP] has proven to be a veritable success here in Japan since its launch this February. The company says there are now 1.5 million members in the virtual community, with an undisclosed number of those coming from Non-Japanese-speaking countries (the service is Japanese only).

But next spring there will be an English version of Ameba Pigg, on Facebook. This means Cyberagent chose to go a different path this time after launching a stand-alone English version of its other hit virtual community Pu-pe Girl soon after the Japanese original was live.

ameba_pigg_screen

CyberAgent says they will “Americanize” Ameba Pigg by offering users more possibilities to change the look of their avatars and selling virtual clothing tailored to American users (CyberAgent is said to currently pull in about $1 million in sales of virtual items from Ameba Pigg per month). In addition, the avatars will be able to interact in environments such as the virtual version of Central Park in New York, as opposed to districts like Shibuya in Tokyo, for example, where Japanese users can interact.

Another CyberAgent property, virtual pet game meromero park, was largely left unchanged (design-wise) when it made its way to Taiwan last year (background on Asiajin). Interestingly, the same is true for the English version which was launched on Facebook, too (in August this year). So why CyberAgent now apparently decided to streamline and take the “Japanese feel” away from Ameba Pigg is beyond me, but many Japanese web companies think that’s the way to go to get international users (the final design of the English version hasn’t been shown yet though).

Check out this video to get a taste of the cutesy feel of the Japanese original:

Via Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]

Serkan Toto

Dr. Serkan Toto is a German based in Tokyo. Like us, he is passionate about introducing Japanese IT to the rest of the world. Full-time, Serkan works as an independent web industry consultant for hedge funds, venture capital companies and start-ups worldwide. He is also a writer for mega tech blog network TechCrunch, covering Japan-related technology and web trends. This is Serkan's website. Follow Serkan on Twitter here.

Tags: Japan, News, USA // 27 Comments »

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  • Kaidwyer

    im english i wanna join hellp plz

    • guest00

      English one on FB as “Ameba Pico Virtual World”. You can also play it on stand alone website at pico.ameba.net! If you want to sign up for the Japanese one to go pigg.ameba.jp and just use Google translate to get through the sign up. There is also English guides for it on Live Journal.

      • http://twitter.com/akky Akky Akimoto

        Yes, we also covered some news of the English version. Please check,
        http://asiajin.com/blog/tag/ameba-pico/

      • Larajanesalcedo

        i hate this game ameba pigg i can’t understand

    • Rebex

      if u still havnt joined then it easy it on facebook and mochigames etc oh by the if u dont know what is called its ameba pico

  • Rina

    Can i play these coz’ it’s english Version the one whose original is sooo .. i can’t
    understand!!!!

  • Abegail

    you are pico crazy no apllication crazy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • anne42

    yeah i know that it will be americanized…and so what if that happens…all of us know that most of the players of ameba pigg are japanese peoples so we still can’t get along with them!!..do u guys get what i mean?

  • Nadinechaaban

    i cant understand that ameba pigg is in jp i am in english im from england

  • http://www.facebook.com/jhenarobryan Jhenaro Bryan Quinto Flores

    AAAAAAAAAAA ICANT OKAY IT ON FB

  • http://twitter.com/giemimi gie

    this my home…am mimi.tsuke^-^

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Twinkle-Nathalie-de-Leon/100000698485138 Twinkle Nathalie de Leon

    Cant wait to play Ameba Pigg ameba pico was bored so im ready to feel the Fun :D

  • Clovebuth

    Ameba Pico world is  American version but there is some people like Indoniesian and asian so ya but there is alot of English people

  • Guest

    I hate how ameba pupe girl has a bunch of girls wearing fur, japanese are shallow materialist whale and dolphin eaters.

  • http://www.facebook.com/justinerisalin.rellin Justine Risa Lin Rellin

    i like ameba pigg put i cant undersatand it i wish they were an english version

    • http://twitter.com/akky Akky Akimoto

      Ameba Pico is the English version.
      http://pico.ameba.net/

      • Helmi

        that version is already gone (shutting down)

  • mina

    hmmm..ic..must be so hard to understand 4 english ppl..its hard to understand 4 me also im japanese tho..

  • bob marley.

    Bro. It’s been 3 years. When will it me americanized?!

    • BOB MARLEY.

      be*

      • asa sass

        it already opened. now it’s closed.

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