On Thursday, April 26th, 2018, TOMY Company, Ltd., (Representative Director, President and COO Kazuhiro Kojima/located in Katsushika, Tokyo) will release the next-generation soccer robot SOCCERBORG, the newest addition to the Omnibot series of robot toys that is able to realistically play soccer. The robot will be available at the standard retail price of JPY 4,500 (8% tax not included) in toy stores and toy sections of department stores/mass retailers in Japan, online stores and Takara Tomy Mall, the company’s official online shopping site: http://takaratomymall.jp/shop/. After initial release in Japan, the product will be consecutively released for sale in 10 countries and regions throughout the world(*1) including Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.

Soccer has become a highly popular sport in Japan, with soccer being chosen as the number one profession that new 1st graders(*2) want to do in the future again this year, and more than 40% of teenage boys saying that they enjoy soccer(*3). With an increasing number of opportunities to see international matches, soccer is becoming an even more familiar sport as time goes on. In light of the increasing popularity of soccer, this product was developed so that users can enjoy playing realistic soccer using robots in the comfort of their own home.

The next generation RC (radio controlled) soccer robot SOCCERBORG was created for soccer fans throughout the world. Elements such as the sense of speed, differing types of shot from the left and right feet, ability to dribble and tackle the opponent (competing one-on-one for the ball) and ability to play in teams are all incorporated to ensure exciting game play for all soccer fans.

The robots were designed in particular to shoot and dribble, which are the two most unique and exciting features of soccer. The most important feature is the SOCCERBORG’s ability to shoot. Using the dedicated controller (RC), players can use the right leg for a ground shot or the left leg for a chip shot, and scoring goals with the chip shot gives players a sense of exhilaration and excitement that they could not experience with conventional models. Furthermore, attachment of the blades not only enables players to dribble the ball, it makes game play more exciting as players can make feint moves or tackle the ball from other players. Users can turn any location in the house, such as the living room floor or table top, into an exciting soccer stadium where thrilling matches are played.

Participants in the preliminary monitoring investigations(*4) commented that, “dribbling and shooting is fun”, “doing real chip shots makes me feel as if I’m playing soccer myself”, “it’s fun to play with more than one person and playing in groups increases communication” and “it’s fun to move around a humanoid robot yourself”, and 11 out of the 12 children who were asked whether they would prefer a different popular toy or SOCCERBORG answered they would choose the SOCCERBORG.

Soccer Borg enables all people irrespective of age, build, sporting ability or nationality to enjoy the thrills of playing soccer. With their humanoid shape and realistic uniforms, SOCCERBORG brings a new level of enjoyment to the sport of soccer.

*1) 10 Countries and regions throughout the world: Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, France, United Kingdom, Germany, America, Canada. *Specifications may differ depending on the region.

*2) Kuraray Co., Ltd. 2018 “Favorite professions of New 1st Graders – Boys”, No. 1 was professional athlete (20.5%), with soccer chosen as the top sport (54.9%)

*3) White Paper on Leisure in Japan, 2017. (Published by Japan Productivity Center, Leisure Time Research Division) Participation rate of respondents playing soccer once or more a year (male respondents)

*4) Researched by Takara Tomy

＜SOCCERBORG Product Features＞

The next generation RC soccer robot SOCCERBORG was created for soccer fans around the world. With its speed, ability to take different shots from the left and right feet, dribbling and tackling skills, it features a wide range of elements that soccer fans will love whether playing one-on-one or team matches.  

■Features

①Smooth operation! 2.4GHz Radio Control Provides Fast Responsiveness!

The dedicated controller which is modeled on the shape of soccer spikes can be used to move SOCCERBORG forward and backwards, rotate left and right, and shoot and dribble the ball, realizing smooth and fast responsiveness and movement (2.4GHz radio was adopted for improved operability). Users can quickly change the direction of SOCCERBORG by pressing a rotate button, while holding down the forward or reverse buttons

②Shooting and Dribbling Actions Reproduce the Exciting Features of Soccer!                                             

SOCCERBORG is designed to be able to accurately “shoot” and “dribble” accurately, two of the main characteristics of soccer. The left and right shooting feet have different shaped shoes for different purposes, with the right foot used for ground shots while the left is used for chip shots (however, intended chip shots may become ground shots due to the position of the ball). The blades enable smooth dribbling, and changing the left and right blades to different heights enables players

not only to dribble but also to use feint moves to trick opponents or to tackle the ball from them.

Using the blades to dribble and tackle, and using drop shots to score the deciding goal provides

a unique level of enjoyment that users cannot experience with other toys.

③Transform Your Home into a Stadium! Play Against Multiple Players！

Users can play one-on-one or in teams with multiple players. As each robot is paired with its own remote controller, players can make teams of up to 11 robots on each side without radio interference. With simple rules of the highest scoring team winning, matches are a thrilling experience not only for the players but also for those watching, irrespective of age, gender and prior experience playing soccer.

* SOCCERBORG is for indoor use only. Use on a household floor or tabletop. Do not use outside.

＜What is the Omnibot Series?＞

Omnibot is the name applied to the full-scale line of home robots created by TOMY in 1984. From the beginning, TOMY was committed to launching robots that made the idea of “a life with a robot” more accessible to people. Later, the company created a variety of robots including Armtron and Verbot/KI*KU*ZO from the TOMY Robot series and i-SOBOT, an advanced Omnibot. In 2014, TOMY rebooted the Omnibot series as a line of next-generation entertainment robots, and its releases have included Hello! MiP, a robot which can be controlled intuitively just by using hand gestures and without touching it; Hello! Zoomer, a robotic puppy that understands human language; Robi Jr., and Motto Nakayoshi Robi Jr., personal talking robots specializing in communicating with humans; OHaNAS, a cloud-based talking robot jointly developed with NTT Docomo; Takusanoid, an interactive robot that can be programmed with 50 different actions; and My Room Robi, a personal talking robot that reacts to environmental changes in the room, which have all been met with a favorable reception. Eighteen products from the series have been released on sale since 2014.

＜　SOCCERBORG Product Outline　＞

Fireball Red

SRP: JPY 4,500 (tax not included)

Canary Yellow

SRP: JPY 4,500 (tax not included)

Wall Black

SRP: JPY 4,500 (tax not included)

Kick-off Set

L) Matador Red　　R) Liberty Blue

SRP: JPY 8,500 (tax not included)

*Contains two Soccer Borg robots.

Japan National Team Version Also Released

Japan National Team Version SOCCERBORG

SRP: JPY 5,000 (tax not included)

Includes limited edition red soccer ball!

Product Name : SOCCERBORG

SRP　　 ： Single: 3 Types JPY 4,5000 each (tax not included)/Japan National Team Version:

JPY 5,000 (tax not included)

  Kick-off Set: JPY8,500 (tax not included)

Launch date in Japan : Thursday, April 26, 2018

Recommended Age : 6 years and up

Package Contents : SOCCERBORG Single/Japan National Team Version: Robot, controller, ball, 2 blades,

A and B goal sheets, sticker, user manual

  Kick-off Set: 2 Robots, 2 controllers, 2 balls, 4 blades, 2 A and 2 B goal sheets, sticker, user manual

Dimensions : W 125 mm × H 95 mm ×D 75 mm　(Robot size)

Batteries Required : 5 x AAA alkaline (not included)　　（Robot requires 3, controller requires 2）

Sales Target : 200,000 units per year (globally)

Sales Channels : Toy stores and toy sections of department stores/mass retailers in Japan, online stores, etc.

Copyright : © TOMY

Website : http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/omnibot/soccerborg/

*Japan specifications. May differ to specifications for other countries.

World SOCCERBORG Cup featuring YouTubers to be held in June!!

◎Details : 8 YouTuber teams will compete in a tournament to find the winning team, which will then play an exhibition match against a team led by former Japan national team player Nobuhiro Takeda.

◎Date : June 2018 (exact date to be confirmed)