Modern game technology has developed to the point where it is highly complex and full-featured. Graphics engines and SDKs such as Unreal Engine and Unity can build almost anything. Many Japanese companies are boldly going beyond the scope of games to apply it.
According to Nikkei Asia, Japanese companies are giving popular SDKs such as Unity and Unreal Engine “extended life.” These tools account for about 70% of the traditional game development market. They support complex digital twin projects, such as the construction and civil engineering giant Taisei Corporation, which since 2020 has used such technology to recreate virtual versions of specific urban areas to propose large-scale urban redevelopment proposals to municipalities.
Cluster, a Tokyo startup, uses a game engine to build a community-driven disaster prediction platform. The system simulates high-impact natural disasters such as floods, allowing residents of cities such as Sendai to report potential dangerous areas in a virtual environment. Cluster CEO Naoto Kato said that the company mainly applies Metaverse technology to industrial and public service projects.
Another Metaverse application is virtual kimono sales. Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Store uses VRChat on the Unity platform to create and sell 3D kimonos, allowing in-game avatars to display traditional Japanese clothing. The platform was originally launched in 2014 for Oculus Rift users, providing a 3D world for VR user interaction; in 2025, Daimaru Matsuzakaya recreated a 3D version of the Iwami Kagura performance art for Ejin City, attracting thousands of viewers within a week, about 20% of which came from overseas. Louis Okazaki, head of the Daimaru Matsuzakaya Metaverse project, pointed out that such virtual goods can provide an alternative source of income for e-commerce eroding the traditional department store business.