Bandai's Tamagotchi virtual pet is seeing another rise in popularity, with its first UK store opening up in London's fashionable Camden market.
The brand became one of the hottest-selling items of the '90s and was relaunched in 2019. The BBC reports that global sales more than doubled between 2022 and 2023.
While your typical Tamagotchi retains the same basic design, the device has come a long way since it launched in 1996.
"Now you can connect with friends, you can play on Wi-Fi and download different items, and that's really combating that sense of fatigue that you might have gotten with some earlier models," Tamagotchi brand manager Priya Jadeja told the BBC. "When we relaunched, we thought it would be a very millennial-focused relaunch. But it's being introduced to kids who've never had this sort of device before - it's really exciting to see them embracing it."
Tamagotchi Shop is located within the Bandai Namco Cross Store in Camden, London. "It is the first of its kind to arrive in the UK, with lines including Tamagotchi Original, Tamagotchi Connection, Tamagotchi Uni, and Tamagotchi Nano," says the official website.