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Tamagotchi Was Small, But The Consequences Were Large

But more importantly, Tamagotchi was also one of the first video games to be sold, especially for girls. When consoles like Nintendo were first released, according to Crowley, they were placed on the shelves only in the boys’ section of Toys “R” Us. With Tamagotchi, the opposite happened. It was against the hyper-masculinity that is linked to video games in the past, he says.

“Tamagotchi provided an opportunity for people who have not been neglected over the past decade in the video game industry,” says Crowley.

Ironically, it did, based on popular opinion at the time, and still exists today. It was a toy that enticed girls through feminine traits — such as the genetics of mothers or the idea of ​​contraception. For girls to be allowed to play electronic games, they need to be careful.

“Tamagotchi really shows how people lived when it came out,” Crowley says. “So on the one hand, we were finally giving it to the girls, and on the other hand, we were saying, ‘This is what girls do, this is appropriate.'”

Past and Future Virtual Reality

If it weren’t for the first time, Tamagotchi was the first example of a video game that blurred the lines between the digital world and the real world, or real reality.

In 1997, Finnish smoker and sociologist Teuvo Peltoniemi issued a sad Tamagotchi warning in South China Morning Post: “Real facts are new drugs, and Tamagotschi are the first waves. It is not the only habit that will go away. [Tamagotchis] is a good example of the possible threat that the real world will, in the future, be a real problem of dependence on aid that needs help. “

As a professional addict, Peltoniemi became increasingly concerned about seeing children sitting at Tamagotchi at school and at a table. In his work, he used Tamagotchi to demonstrate how children and adults can make extreme responses to characters.

“Tamagotchi, I think, was the first small tool accessible to ordinary consumers where you can find the real thing, and most importantly, it loves the way people feel and care,” Peltoniemi told WIRED.

“People fell in love with their Tamagotchis because they, in a sense, had a relationship with the digital animal, to the point where people saw that they had enough human form to perform after death,” he continues.

For others, the Tamagotchi retained his interest even as he grew up. Kim Matthews, 32, from Australia, is one such person. As a child, her “tama” was one of her favorite dolls. In old age, it is still the case, even though it now has its share of troubles. She was given her first Tamagotchi on her eighth birthday and immediately fell in love – competing with her friends to see who could save their longest life.

“Unfortunately, one day my first Tamagotchi went with me to swim in the pool,” says Matthews. I was devastated.

With a group of 71 Tamagotchi recruited throughout his life, Matthews still struggles to explain why he cares so much, even after 25 years.

“I just think they are clean,” she laughs, explaining and Marge Simpson meme. “Maybe it’s something of the ’90s kids’.”


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