Tamagotchis, those tiny, beeping digital pets that took the world by storm in the late 1990s, have cemented their place in pop culture history.

The Birth of the Tamagotchi: 1996-1997

The Tamagotchi was launched in Japan in November 1996 and made its way to the international market by May 1997. Created by Japanese toy designers Akihiro Yokoi and Aki Maita, the device offered something completely new: a virtual pet that needed constant care, attention, and interaction to stay "alive."