Post by: StrikerObi on February 06, 2005, 08:53:57 AM
According to a job posting on Nintendo’s corporate website, the company is planning to open a concept retail store in New York City’s Rockefeller Center. The retail outlet sounds like a cross between a store and an exhibition of current and future products, similar to Nintendo’s GameFront at the Panasonic Center in Tokyo.
The store is said to be a "state-of-the-art" facility designed to highlight new products and show visitors the ultimate in game-play experiences. It’s very likely that Nintendo will showcase upcoming titles and hardware in this store far before they are available to purchase and before other stores such at EB start displaying them.
This is a pretty surprising move for Nintendo. The company previously has only sold its products through other retailers, with the only exceptions being its private company store and a tiny handful of Pokemon Center locations across the globe (one of which is located in New York City). If this flagship store is a success, there is a possibility that Nintendo could expand its retail outlets, similar to what Apple Computer has been doing.
Update: After browsing around the Pokemon Center website, we stumbled across this interesting news. The Pokemon Center NY, located at 10 Rockefeller Plaza, has closed down for major renovations. According to an announcement on the Pokemon Center website, the store will cease to be a "Pokemon Center" and become a one stop shop for all the latest Nintendo products, opening in the spring of this year. So it looks like Nintendo is actually replacing their Pokemon Center with this new store.
Post by: Plugabugz on February 06, 2005, 09:07:23 AM
Post by: Bill Aurion on February 06, 2005, 10:16:49 AM
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on February 06, 2005, 10:21:07 AM
It shall be called... Spaceworld. HAHAHAAHAHBBBBBEQGWGWQA
Post by: pyrokamileon on February 06, 2005, 10:36:38 AM
Post by: PaLaDiN on February 06, 2005, 10:39:58 AM
Post by: KnowsNothing on February 06, 2005, 11:11:45 AM
I'm all for the floating city idea though.
Post by: joshnickerson on February 06, 2005, 11:20:15 AM
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on February 06, 2005, 11:34:31 AM
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Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
LA already gets E3. Show SF some love.
YES, something for the BAY AREA, PLEASE nintendo!
In fact, buy-out Treasure Island!
Post by: xts3 on February 06, 2005, 02:40:10 PM
Post by: Bill Aurion on February 06, 2005, 03:09:38 PM
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on February 06, 2005, 03:14:14 PM
Post by: Robageejammin on February 06, 2005, 03:14:45 PM
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on February 06, 2005, 03:49:31 PM
Post by: Bill Aurion on February 06, 2005, 04:13:51 PM
Post by: Bartman3010 on February 06, 2005, 04:35:09 PM
Post by: Mario on February 06, 2005, 08:12:38 PM
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Originally posted by: xts3
They should be focusing on making games not setting up stores. They will need a lot of killer apps to sell the revolution: No killer app software = no sale.
Yes, because the developers over in Japan are the ones setting up this store, get back to work Shigeru!
Post by: Kirby_PopStar on February 06, 2005, 08:51:45 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: xts3
They should be focusing on making games not setting up stores. They will need a lot of killer apps to sell the revolution: No killer app software = no sale.
Nintendo has various different departments that do many different jobs. That's like saying Nintendo shouldn't have a magazine because it distracts them from making games.
This idea is one of the smartest things Nintendo has done for a LONG time. Genius... In a good spot to start too. I could see this being like the Apple Computer Stores which were in select places at first, but then began to pop up everywhere because it was such a hit. This gives consumers the chance to enter a Nintendo environment and see Nintendo things that maybe they normally wouldn't pay attention to; thus bringing Nintendo back into their lifestyle. Remarkable idea, really.
Post by: Gremio on February 07, 2005, 12:13:49 AM
If this turns into the Apple Store thing it'll be a dream come true. Had a heck of a time finding any Apple Products in my city having to drive to some far off, private store located in the basement of a large building. But now.. not even a half hour drive got me my shiny new iPod and a plethora of other things I'd been meaning to get.
A similar situation is happening with Gamecube and Gameboy Advance products. Can't seem to find them anywhere. Yeah, sales are not so hot in the overall picture, but considering all that any store seems to have on the shelf are 1st party titles and a few recent releases (and it's been like that here for WELL over two years, even when Xbox and GCN hardware sales were closer in number to each other). It's about time Nintendo opens up a store displaying all their prodcuts. According to the GS in my area, Viewtiful Joe 2 isn't available for the GCN and the Super Mario Advance games are ALL out of print.
Post by: Deguello on February 07, 2005, 12:59:05 AM
Post by: BiLdItUp1 on February 07, 2005, 08:00:17 AM
Post by: Avinash_Tyagi on February 07, 2005, 08:08:49 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on February 07, 2005, 08:20:13 AM
I assume you mean if this becomes a chain of sorts with multiple locations. Otherwise it only provides demos to people in New York which doesn't really accomplish much. And even if they branch into several locations EB and Gamestop are still going to be more widespread and thus able to get demos out to a larger group of people.
I think the best way to distribute demos is through Nintendo Power. Nintendo has complete control over it and it's easily available to everyone.
As for the store itself well I don't like in New York so what do I care. A Nintendo store is a cool idea but I wouldn't want Nintendo to seriously consider their own store as the ideal way to distribute goods. If there was a chain realistically I would have to wait until it expanded into Canada, and then into BC (east always gets it before west), and then into the smaller cities since Vancouver would get it first for the province. So if Nintendo decides to limit pre-order bonuses or demos or obscure items like component cables to their stores then myself and a lot of us are out of luck. Having a novelty store in New York is kind of cool but widespread chains that are already in place is what Nintendo should focus on.
Post by: Avinash_Tyagi on February 07, 2005, 08:25:11 AM
Post by: Pale on February 07, 2005, 09:59:17 AM
Post by: nickmitch on February 07, 2005, 01:04:03 PM
Post by: Gamefreak on February 07, 2005, 04:54:21 PM
Post by: MysticGohan24 on February 07, 2005, 04:56:16 PM
Post by: Deguello on February 07, 2005, 07:36:30 PM
Anyway, Ian, since it would be a Nintendo store owned by Nintendo and whatnot, they would not need to worry about contract gabbledegook with EB for demo units AND would not have to worry much about competitor vandalism, like what happened during the Xbox/GC launch. Also, demos and stuff would get there sooner because it would come directly from the source. Imagine being able to play the E3 demo of everything at anytime since Nintendo would just keep those discs from E3 and use them in the store.
Post by: RABicle on February 08, 2005, 04:45:03 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on February 08, 2005, 06:20:47 AM
Sounds great... except for the fact that I would likely have to take an hour trip to downtown Vancouver to play it. Or possibly Seattle instead. It's a cool idea but it can't outright replace the demo units at EB. It's just too inconvienent for them to limit their demos to a specialty store.
Post by: Tuxedo.Bond on February 08, 2005, 06:26:14 AM
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Originally posted by: MysticGohan24
Bah, Forget Georgia. We get nothing in Florida
We get plenty of hurricanes, hah, um, take that New York!
And not competing because someone other store starts to sell the same products is ridiculous, if a store just wusses out every time some one competes, then they wouldn't be in business.
Post by: thepoga on February 08, 2005, 07:23:45 PM
Post by: Shift Key on February 08, 2005, 08:48:58 PM
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Place bets that this won't hit Europe/Australia for a long time
Bwahahaha, I fell off my chair laughing at that. What are the odds on "Never" going for, because that seems to be the most likely bet!
