Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[Legacy]

*cough* Minecraft *cough*

Fair enough (it wasn’t mentioned in the original quote).

Minecraft MAY be an exception. Game sales are somewhat unreliable for it (I’d argue) because a number of that is repeat purchases for separate platforms. However, Minecraft-statistics.net indicates a daily average of 200,000 active users (despite an all time total of 56m).

Once you start parsing video game audiences, things fall apart pretty quick. The $60 to purchase a single game can get 4 people into a movie. You also have to gauge actual interest in shelling out a lot more money for a vacation.

I’d bet a Minecraft attraction would be met with the same shrug as Jason Bourne.

 

[shiekra38]

The video game talk always devolves into an argument....Perhaps we should remain on Nintendo talk?

 

[Legacy]

The video game talk always devolves into an argument....Perhaps we should remain on Nintendo talk?

F-Zero is a Nintendo franchise that has only sold 5m units, but it could totally carry a park.

 

[youhow2]

F-Zero is a Nintendo franchise that has only sold 5m units, but it could totally carry a park.

I love these boards, but this level of snark and sarcasm being seemingly acceptable for some folks to use on people turns me all the way off. Can't we have discussions without all the unnecessary sass?

 

[Paulio]

I wonder what kind of retails and shops Nintendo World would offer at the planned land at various Universal parks within the Orlando Resort. I assume that since SNW would pertain his Mario and DK, it would need a Mario and DK-like restaurant. Mario would have something like a Burger or Pasta-like place and DK would have some bananas and some frosting along with it. Then if Legend of Zelda makes its way towards Islands of Adventure, LOW would have some potion juices and some Burgers. Then do the same for Pokemon and F-Zero as well. With each characters having their own brand of food, it could make the parks more interesting.

 

[JungleSkip]

I love these boards, but this level of snark and sarcasm being seemingly acceptable for some folks to use on people turns me all the way off. Can't we have discussions without all the unnecessary sass?

As a Philadelphian, I find no sass unnecessary

 

[fryoj]

I wonder what kind of retails and shops Nintendo World would offer at the planned land at various Universal parks within the Orlando Resort. I assume that since SNW would pertain his Mario and DK, it would need a Mario and DK-like restaurant. Mario would have something like a Burger or Pasta-like place and DK would have some bananas and some frosting along with it. Then if Legend of Zelda makes its way towards Islands of Adventure, LOW would have some potion juices and some Burgers. Then do the same for Pokemon and F-Zero as well. With each characters having their own brand of food, it could make the parks more interesting.

I wonder if the reason we never got a Kong Banana specialty beverage was because they knew they'd be doing one for DK.

 

[Alicia]

I wonder if the reason we never got a Kong Banana specialty beverage was because they knew they'd be doing one for DK.

You can at least get a banana Icee at Skull Island.




Also, Minions had a banana beverage, but it seems to have gone away this year.

 

[captainmoch]

Fair enough (it wasn’t mentioned in the original quote).

Minecraft MAY be an exception. Game sales are somewhat unreliable for it (I’d argue) because a number of that is repeat purchases for separate platforms. However, Minecraft-statistics.net indicates a daily average of 200,000 active users (despite an all time total of 56m).

Once you start parsing video game audiences, things fall apart pretty quick. The $60 to purchase a single game can get 4 people into a movie. You also have to gauge actual interest in shelling out a lot more money for a vacation.

I’d bet a Minecraft attraction would be met with the same shrug as Jason Bourne.

I'd disagree. Minecraft is one of the best selling games in recent years, is available on basically every platform that has a screen, and has both an adult/teenage fanbase and millions of young children who adore Minecraft. I work with young children very often and let me tell you, almost all of them play Minecraft. I'd argue it's nearly this generation's Pokemon. It'd definitely be a wider draw than something like Zelda, IMO.

 

[Mike S]

But is Minecraft big enough in the demo that books a trip to a theme park? It's still relatively new, so most of the the users are teens or young adults. I know there are a percentage of Minecraft players that would and could, but is it enough?

Kids begging their parents would be my guess.

 

[Mike S]

I'd disagree. Minecraft is one of the best selling games in recent years, is available on basically every platform that has a screen, and has both an adult/teenage fanbase and millions of young children who adore Minecraft. I work with young children very often and let me tell you, almost all of them play Minecraft. I'd argue it's nearly this generation's Pokemon. It'd definitely be a wider draw than something like Zelda, IMO.

Thankfully Zelda is still very likely due to the fact it’s included in the deal that got them Mario.

 

[captainmoch]

Thankfully Zelda is still very likely due to the fact it’s included in the deal that got them Mario.

I think the main things that make Zelda likely to me are:
1) There's a relatively small area in IOA that's just asking to be replaced by something, in which Zelda would be a thematic fit.
Or...
2) A miniland would fit in nicely with some of the other Gate 3 IPs (like LOTR).
I feel like if it weren't for that, Zelda wouldn't be likely at all. I'd argue it's on the same pop cultural level as something like Star Trek or Doctor Who, it could work as a miniland or a section of a land but anything more just doesn't have wide enough appeal.

 

[Brian G.]

Alright - let's bring this back to Nintendo talk.

 

[Andysol]

Alright - let's bring this back to Nintendo talk.

Thank you.

This thread, I swear. Every week all it takes is one comment about a video game and then we get 100 comments about every video game that I've never heard of getting thrown around as a "must have".

Might I suggest a new thread titled "Video game attractions that will never happen. Ever."

 

[quinnmac000]

Nintendo is the exception rather than the rule probably for video games in theme parks. It's similar to Disney creating a cruise line.

If you have a brand with deep appeal to families as a "lifestyle" type of brand, then you bring that crossover appeal to other types of ventures outside of your main markets.

Nintendo has a crossover appeal that Activision-Blizzard/EA/Sony/Microsoft/TakeTwo/Valve-Steam/Capcom/Sega/Squaresoft/etc. just don't have. If you look at that list of gaming companies (or corporations that own gaming divisions), none of them own properties that can rival Mario or Pokemon among the general public in terms of brand recognition and crossover appeal.

That's not to take away from the massive success of Activision-Blizzard or EA or TakeTwo games, many of which sell in the $100m+ range within days of release. It's just that none of them have developed successful crossover appeal that books or movies have in terms of merchandise/theme parks/etc.

I would argue Overwatch is the only one that has....but then again popularity for video games is extremely regional for the most part rather than international.

COD is popular over here in the US but is extremely unpopular in other places just like how Starcraft and a lot of those types of games are extremely popular in Asia but not at all in the US.

Bringing this back to Nintendo, Nintendo strength is its international popularity that really gives it a leg up. The length of stay in the market while remaining a universal household name increased the buy in I'm quite sure

 

[jrn14]

I'm so excited for Nintendoland because it will be aestically pleasing...

Unlike Minecraft which is hideous to look at. I find it so visually unappealing that I can't even fathom the idea of attempting it really... What happened to The Sims franchise.

 

[Ashhanbre]

As a Philadelphian, I find no sass unnecessary

You are from Philadelphia? Okay, that explains a lot.

 

[Mike S]

I think the main things that make Zelda likely to me are:
1) There's a relatively small area in IOA that's just asking to be replaced by something, in which Zelda would be a thematic fit.
Or...
2) A miniland would fit in nicely with some of the other Gate 3 IPs (like LOTR).
I feel like if it weren't for that, Zelda wouldn't be likely at all. I'd argue it's on the same pop cultural level as something like Star Trek or Doctor Who, it could work as a miniland or a section of a land but anything more just doesn't have wide enough appeal.

If Avatar can have a land so can Zelda. Just get rid of what’s left of Lost Continent for Hyrule and call it a day. Pokémon gets the big new build in park 3.

 

[Paulio]

If Avatar can have a land so can Zelda. Just get rid of what’s left of Lost Continent for Hyrule and call it a day.

Hyrule should be a major ride attraction instead of a show. The Lost Continent, for example, doesn't have a ride since its inception in 1999. The whole area really needs to go.

 

[JungleSkip]

You are from Philadelphia? Okay, that explains a lot.

:box: