Japanese entertainment giant Bandai Namco is accelerating its global expansion, with plans to increase the number of its Cross Stores fivefold over the next five years, according to Nikkei Asia.
Bandai Namco Cross Stores are multi-brand retail destinations featuring products from the company’s extensive portfolio of IPs (intellectual properties).
Merchandise includes Gundam model kits, One Piece game cards, Pac-Man collectibles, Tamagotchi digital pets and other character-based items. Each location also houses capsule toy vending machines and arcade zones, offering a hybrid retail and entertainment experience.
The company currently operates three Cross Stores overseas – two in the UK and one in the US – and aims to open approximately a dozen more by 2030.
Expansion plans include additional locations in the UK and the US and entry into new markets such as Hong Kong. The rollout is led by group subsidiary Bandai Namco Entertainment, with the UK marked as a key growth focus.
Bandai Namco Amusement Europe, another group unit, already operates more than 10 game arcades in the region and maintains a distribution network for gaming equipment and prize merchandise.
