Heroz has dabbled with games outside the likes of chess and backgammon. Earlier in 2016, it worked with the Pokemon Company to make Pokemon Co-master, a figurine-battling board game for smartphones that (according to Nikkei) didn't do so well. The startup is hoping that Bandai Namco's expertise will help ensure a hit.

Heroz' expertise in traditional (and cutesy-character based) games could ensure it's well-placed to develop for Sony's incoming Project Field product. This card-reading smart pad is designed to bridge the gap between digital and physical cards games. The first title announced for it was Yokai Watch -- a Bandai Namco game. It might be too early to join the dots, but eh, that's not stopping us from doing exactly that.