Celebrating 15 Years of Outfit7: A Journey Shared with Our Community and Team

October 23, 2024

As Outfit7 marks its 15th anniversary, it’s more than just a milestone for us—it’s a celebration of creativity, connection, and community. Over the last decade and a half, we’ve grown from a small startup with a vision to create fun, engaging mobile experiences, to a global entertainment brand with over 24 billion downloads. This is thanks to the unwavering support of our fans, partners, and incredible team. From the launch of Talking Tom Cat in 2010 to the expansion of the Talking Tom & Friends franchise, we’ve created experiences that transcend screens, touch hearts, and inspire joy in millions worldwide.

“When Outfit7 first launched Talking Tom Cat, we never imagined the journey we’d then embark upon,” reflects CEO Xinyu Qian. “What began as a quirky idea became a beloved brand, connecting with fans across generations. Talking Tom & Friends doesn’t just entertain people, it builds connections. And those connections are what have carried us through all these years."

Our journey has always been about more than just creating games—it’s about crafting experiences that people can enjoy, remember, and come back to. Whether they’re playing a My Talking Tom game, watching an episode of Talking Tom Shorts, or diving into one of our newer titles like My Talking Hank: Islands. Through it all, we’ve never lost sight of one thing: it’s the fans who’ve made it all possible.

Creating Memories That Last

One of the most rewarding aspects of this journey is witnessing the lasting impact our characters have had on fans of all ages. Some players who discovered the Talking Tom & Friends universe in their younger years are still enjoying the newer iterations today, while many others have come to know our games as adults, finding moments of joy and connection in their daily lives.

“It’s humbling to know that our characters have been there as our players have grown up,” Xinyu shares. “We often hear from fans who tell us how they’ve been with Talking Tom from the start, and that means a lot to us.”

What’s kept Outfit7 going all these years isn’t just our ability to innovate, but our commitment to creating experiences that are meaningful to our players in all their versatility. It’s about more than just gameplay mechanics—it’s about the emotions and connections we spark. When we developed Talking Tom Cat, the character quickly became a symbol of playfulness and humor, offering light-hearted moments during players’ days. Similarly, My Talking Angela introduced elements of friendship and fashion, letting players nurture a character while expressing their creativity.

“Our approach has always been simple,” Xinyu explains. “We focus on making experiences that people can connect with. Whether it’s through laughter, nostalgia, or just a bit of fun during a busy day—we’re here to bring moments of joy.” The Talking Tom Shorts animated series, for example, is a perfect illustration of Xinyu’s point. Its success didn’t just stem from our games—it worked because we crafted stories that resonated with viewers of all ages, tapping into shared human experiences ranging from friendship to adventure.

Inspiration Through Innovation

At the heart of Outfit7’s success is innovation, and much of that innovation can be traced back to how we’ve redefined genres. “My Talking Tom, our first virtual pet app, was a breakthrough,” Xinyu reflects. “It redefined the virtual pet genre and set the foundation for what was to come. From there, we built upon that success with My Talking Angela, My Talking Tom 2, My Talking Hank, and more. We’ve secured a huge market share in that genre, and I think it’s fair to say that we have redefined it.”

Outfit7’s ability to extend Talking Tom & Friends beyond the virtual pet space into other gaming genres has been a key achievement. “Our third major achievement was successfully entering a second genre, runner games like Talking Tom Gold Run and Talking Tom Hero Dash, using the same brand,” Xinyu explains. “It’s rare for one brand or IP to succeed in multiple genres, but we did it. We’re number one in the Virtual Tamagotchi-style genre and among the top three runner games.” This success wasn’t just a fluke—it’s a testament to the adaptability and broad appeal of the Talking Tom & Friends brand.

The release of My Talking Tom Friends in 2020 marked another significant milestone. “The success of My Talking Tom Friends was a big moment for us, we made a revolutionary step within virtual pets mechanics” Xinyu notes. “We added open-world exploration into our typical Tamagotchi game play, which laid the groundwork for future projects like My Talking Tom Friends 2, Talking Tom Friends: World, and also the island exploration game play within My Talking Hank, showing that our brand could evolve and offer fresh experiences without losing the magic that made it special in the first place.”

Behind the Success: Our Team

Of course, none of this would’ve been possible without the incredible passion and creativity of the team at Outfit7. “Our team is at the heart of everything we’ve accomplished,” Xinyu notes. “Their passion, creativity, and dedication are what sets Outfit7 apart. Every game, every piece of content, every update—it’s all the result of incredible teamwork.”

For example, in My Talking Tom 2, our team enhanced the virtual pet gameplay within this sequel by introducing fun new features like the ragdoll for the first time, allowing players to grab Talking Tom and move him around freely. Features like these added breadth and depth to the experience and kept the game engaging for long-time fans and new players alike.

In more recent titles, like My Talking Hank: Islands, our team embraced the fresh in-game universe by introducing free-roaming gameplay. Players can explore the island at their own pace, creating a more immersive experience. This open-world approach allows for deeper interactions with animal characters, giving players the opportunity to befriend and bond with them in new ways. 'Our players are at the center of everything we do,' Xinyu emphasizes. 'We want to keep surprising and delighting them, and this level of freedom and connection is what keeps us moving forward.'"

“It’s been a privilege to work with such a dedicated group of people,” Xinyu adds. “No matter how big or small the project, the team always brings their best, and that’s what’s kept us moving forward.”

From our artists and designers to our engineers and marketers, every department has played a crucial role in shaping Outfit7 into what it is today. We’re proud of the culture we’ve built—a place where collaboration, innovation, and fun come together. We don’t take for granted how much we’ve learned from each other or the bonds we’ve formed along the way.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Our Fans?

As we look to the next 15 years and beyond, we’re more excited than ever about what’s in store. While Talking Tom & Friends has marked the success of Outfit7, we’ve been expanding our horizons, and exploring new ideas that will allow us to continue growing with our audience.

We are committed to pushing boundaries, not just in gaming but across all forms of entertainment. We’re not only expanding and enhancing the gameplay experiences in our mobile games with new ideas and technologies but also exploring more immersive approaches to storytelling. Our animated series, Talking Tom & Friends, has already accumulated over 113 billion views, and we’re now exploring potential big-screen adaptations to take that success even further.

“We’re always asking ourselves, ‘What’s next?’” he adds. “Our players grew up with us, and we want to keep growing with them, offering fresh experiences while also retaining that sense of fun and connection.”

We’re also working on entirely new IPs that we believe will resonate with both existing players and new audiences. Whether it’s about innovating in our domain of casual games with different characters and brands, or expanding our capabilities to create more sophisticated gameplays with fresh new perspectives, we’re always thinking about the next step.

A Shared Journey

Outfit7’s story has always been one shared among our team, our players, and everyone who has supported us along the way.

For now, however, it’s about taking a moment to celebrate—not just our accomplishments, but the journey we’ve shared with our players and the incredible team that’s brought it all to life.

Here’s to the next chapter of the Outfit7 story, and to the fans, partners, and team members who have been with us every step of the way.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

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