Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[Brer Oswald]

I think a lot of people here underestimate Pokemon because they don't see how kids are into this. The merchandise and attraction opportunities here are massive and I can tell you right now any kid who was around when the games started coming out will come. Not all of my friends are into Harry Potter - but every single person I knew in high school and know in college now would kill for an immersive Pokemon experience. I don't even care about the brand that much but I see it's absolutely filled with potential.

People here REALLY underestimate Pokemon. I have friends who hate Nintendo and play PC/PS4 but have a 3DS just for Pokemon. Hell, I took like a 3 year hiatus from the series and thought I would never get back into it, yet something as simple as Pokemon Go resparked my interest in main series Pokemon.

 

[JungleSkip]

Pokémon is clearly popular.

If, and I have no idea if it has been, Nintendo is being moved to Park 3, I would not be surprised if it was because Universal wanted to add a substantial Pokémon presence to the land.

 

[ArchieAndrews]

I think my biggest thing that holds me back from thinking they'll do Pokemon, is I feel the atmosphere in Pokemon isn't emphasized enough to make it into a land. It could be super popular, and they could do stuff like Pokecenters, but it wouldn't have the wow factor of something like Hyrule.

Harry Potter didn't do just well because it was popular, it's because it felt so massive and otherworldly. Pokemon I think the love for the series comes from the Pokemon themselves, gameplay style and the nostalgia factor for older people. I think that doing a ride, having mascots and maybe some shops theme'd around this are the best ways to appeal to that.

Maybe they'd do it for a mini land, because it would be a popular franchise and it would be easy to nail but for a theme park land, it just doesn't seem to have much of note for a major section. I think of it more in the terms of something like the Simpsons area of Universal Studios.

 

[JungleSkip]

I think of it more in the terms of something like the Simpsons area of Universal Studios.

Sure, but that's still a pretty substantial area. A ride, a few shops, a restaurant, and a smattering of photo ops would still make bank.

I do agree Hyrule would make the most sense as a full land, but I don't think either property would be given a Diagon Alley-type of experience.

 

[ArchieAndrews]

Sure, but that's still a pretty substantial area. A ride, a few shops, a restaurant, and a smattering of photo ops would still make bank.

I do agree Hyrule would make the most sense as a full land, but I don't think either property would be given a Diagon Alley-type of experience.

I know it is, but I mostly was trying to express that the idea that it will be the main land of the park is a bit overblown in my mind.

I also think they could get something of Diagon Alley like proportions with Zelda if they want, Hyrule Castle Town could lend itself very well to an immersive experience. I've honestly always thought of Zelda as a fairly atmospheric game. It also could have the same level of references and small details as something like Potter too. Hyrule Castle itself as an icon is really amazing as well.

 

[JungleSkip]

I know it is, but I mostly was trying to express that the idea that it will be the main land of the park is a bit overblown in my mind.

Oh, there's absolutely no way Pokémon is the main land of Park 3. If Nintendo is fully moved there, I full expect it to be the flagship property, but Pokémon itself wouldn't be.

I also think they could get something of Diagon Alley like proportions with Zelda if they want, Hyrule Castle Town could lend itself very well to an immersive experience. I've honestly always thought of Zelda as a fairly atmospheric game. It also could have the same level of references and small details as something like Potter too. Hyrule Castle itself as an icon is really amazing as well.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm a Zelda fanatic. It's by far my favorite game series of all time, and it could be the whole park and I'd be happy. But Zelda just isn't Harry Potter. It's not popular enough for that, as much as it pains me to say it. If it happens, I expect it to be no bigger than whatever Pokémon ends up getting, if anything.

 

[Mike S]

Pokémon is clearly popular.

If, and I have no idea if it has been, Nintendo is being moved to Park 3, I would not be surprised if it was because Universal wanted to add a substantial Pokémon presence to the land.

That's probably what @Marni1971 was getting at like some speculated. Kills me that we'll have to wait even longer now for anything Nintendo as I was perfectly fine with the USF Mario plan :frustrated"

Oh, there's absolutely no way Pokémon is the main land of Park 3. If Nintendo is fully moved there, I full expect it to be the flagship property, but Pokémon itself wouldn't be.



Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm a Zelda fanatic. It's by far my favorite game series of all time, and it could be the whole park and I'd be happy. But Zelda just isn't Harry Potter. It's not popular enough for that, as much as it pains me to say it. If it happens, I expect it to be no bigger than whatever Pokémon ends up getting, if anything.

Just look at what they were going to do with Mario. I could easily see the same treatment for Pokémon and Zelda.

 

[JungleSkip]

That's probably what @Marni1971 was getting at like some speculated. Kills me that we'll have to wait even longer now for anything Nintendo as I was perfectly fine with the USF Mario plan :frustrated"

I could be wrong, but I'm not expecting us to wait much longer at all, if that's the case.

Just look at what they were going to do with Mario. I could easily see the same treatment for Pokémon and Zelda.

I don't think either would receive the same amount of attention. 2 E tickets and a D ticket is a lot of rides. If Pokémon and Zelda got sublands, I'd expect one big ride for each, and maybe a flat ride or something to accompany them.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Oh, there's absolutely no way Pokémon is the main land of Park 3. If Nintendo is fully moved there, I full expect it to be the flagship property, but Pokémon itself wouldn't be.



Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm a Zelda fanatic. It's by far my favorite game series of all time, and it could be the whole park and I'd be happy. But Zelda just isn't Harry Potter. It's not popular enough for that, as much as it pains me to say it. If it happens, I expect it to be no bigger than whatever Pokémon ends up getting, if anything.

Really? Zelda is pretty huge in the gaming community, and that community would at the very least rival HP. I'm certain Mario is bigger than Harry Potter

 

[IzzyB]

Really? Zelda is pretty huge in the gaming community, and that community would at the very least rival HP. I'm certain Mario is bigger than Harry Potter

See it is comments like this one and the other person who said Pokemon will the the anchor IP of the 3rd park that go too far.

HP and Star Wars are on their own level. There is no IP that has the multi-generational and merchandising potential as what these two IPs have. Nintendo will be good and it will draw crowds in, don't get me wrong. I also think a ride and a shop would do well for Pokemon. But these IPs are not going to be HP level. The Mario/DK part of the park will be the most popular part of all the Nintendo IPs that they do. And don't get me wrong, it will do VERY well. But it just won't be HP level. Very few IPs have the reach of HP and SW.

 

[JungleSkip]

Really? Zelda is pretty huge in the gaming community, and that community would at the very least rival HP. I'm certain Mario is bigger than Harry Potter

Mario may be in the same league Potter, but Zelda is nowhere near there. The highest selling single Zelda game only sold about 8.5 million copies and the series overall has sold 75 million copies. Compare that to Potter's most successful book (Philosopher's Stone, 107 million copies) and the entire series (450 million copies), and it's easy to see that Potter has a far more reaching effect than Zelda could even dream of.

But it just won't be HP level. Very few IPs have the reach of HP and SW.

I disagree that Mario isn't at that level. It may be slightly below it, but to say it's nowhere close is not the case.

 

[Brer Oswald]

See it is comments like this one and the other person who said Pokemon will the the anchor IP of the 3rd park that go too far.

HP and Star Wars are on their own level. There is no IP that has the multi-generational and merchandising potential as what these two IPs have. Nintendo will be good and it will draw crowds in, don't get me wrong. I also think a ride and a shop would do well for Pokemon. But these IPs are not going to be HP level. The Mario/DK part of the park will be the most popular part of all the Nintendo IPs that they do. And don't get me wrong, it will do VERY well. But it just won't be HP level. Very few IPs have the reach of HP and SW.

Mario is the mascot of gaming as a whole. Harry Potter is the mascot of one book franchise.

 

[Mike S]

I could be wrong, but I'm not expecting us to wait much longer at all, if that's the case.



I don't think either would receive the same amount of attention. 2 E tickets and a D ticket is a lot of rides. If Pokémon and Zelda got sublands, I'd expect one big ride for each, and maybe a flat ride or something to accompany them.

I could see only one E Ticket as well but the rest of the lands would easily be on the same level as Mario.

 

[JungleSkip]

Mario is the mascot of gaming as a whole. Harry Potter is the mascot of one book franchise.

Potter has still outsold Mario overall. Mario series sales are estimated at 400 million units, while Potter is around 450 million. Also, gaming is far more niche than reading, and it can be said that Harry Potter is the face of a generation of readers.

I could see only one E Ticket as well but the rest of the lands would easily be on the same level as Mario.

I don't see that, but this is a lot of speculation happening.

 

[Mike S]

Mario may be in the same league Potter, but Zelda is nowhere near there. The highest selling single Zelda game only sold about 8.5 million copies and the series overall has sold 75 million copies. Compare that to Potter's most successful book (Philosopher's Stone, 107 million copies) and the entire series (450 million copies), and it's easy to see that Potter has a far more reaching effect than Zelda could even dream of.



I disagree that Mario isn't at that level. It may be slightly below it, but to say it's nowhere close is not the case.

I'd say Pokémon is on that level too.

Mario is the mascot of gaming as a whole. Harry Potter is the mascot of one book franchise.

Mario is the most well known icon of gaming and the mascot for Nintendo. It's semantics but still a bit of a difference.

 

[JungleSkip]

I'd say Pokémon is on that level too.

I would not. Definitely above Zelda, not at the Mario level. Pikachu is a global icon, but the series as a whole definitely isn't near the same level.

 

[IzzyB]

I disagree that Mario isn't at that level. It may be slightly below it, but to say it's nowhere close is not the case.

I will give you it is the closest IP I can think of. If I had to do them it would be...

HP/Star Wars

Mario (Nintendo)






Every other popular IP.

 

[Mike S]

I would not. Definitely above Zelda, not at the Mario level. Pikachu is a global icon, but the series as a whole definitely isn't near the same level.

The gap is quite large now that I look at it. It's also easy to notice that throughout this list there are franchises that might sell better than Nintendo's but wouldn't translate as well to a theme park.
List of best-selling video game franchises - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[ArchieAndrews]

I don't think either would receive the same amount of attention. 2 E tickets and a D ticket is a lot of rides. If Pokémon and Zelda got sublands, I'd expect one big ride for each, and maybe a flat ride or something to accompany them.

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Nintendo Land planned for Universal Studios (based on what we heard at least) only going to have one E-Ticket Mario ride? I thought the other stuff was related to F-Zero and possibly Yoshi (which technically is Mario, but he has kinda become his own thing).

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm a Zelda fanatic. It's by far my favorite game series of all time, and it could be the whole park and I'd be happy. But Zelda just isn't Harry Potter. It's not popular enough for that, as much as it pains me to say it. If it happens, I expect it to be no bigger than whatever Pokémon ends up getting, if anything.

I think that the best thing they could do to get another Diagon Alley tier section is using Zelda, and not only that I personally feel that Zelda has a fair shot at attracting a decent size crowd. I have no doubt it will be smaller in comparison to something like Harry Potter, but I think it's big enough to have a shot at being a bigger section or maybe the bigger area of NintendoLand or whatever they choose to call it.

The fanbase is also fairly dedicated to the series, which is a good quality. The amount of LoZ merchandise in existence is absolutely insane. It also as I said before could have similar strengths to what made Diagon Alley so well executed.

I see what you mean though, I'm not sure if they will use it. But I think it would be a smart choice, though I might be a bit biased.

The gap is quite large now that I look at it. It's also easy to notice that throughout this list there are franchises that might sell better than Nintendo's but wouldn't translate as well to a theme park.
List of best-selling video game franchises - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Looking at this, I do see that LoZ might be a bit smaller than I originally was thinking. Maybe I'm just being too optimistic.

 

[quinnmac000]

I don't think Universal wants everything to be Potter popular but rather have multiple properties together together that surpass Potter's popularity. Its better for crowd control in the end. Having a park with Zelda, Mario, Pokemon, etc is stronger and will essentially have better crowd disperal than a park that just has Mario and the rest of the lineup not popular