Six Flags and Nintendo Announce Strategic Marketing Alliance

January 23, 2007, 7:11 am EST
Total comments: 11

Go on a roller coaster and say 'wheeee!' then take a break and play Wii.

Nintendo's Wii Video Game System Will Be the Official Gaming Console of Six Flags; Wii Gaming Stations at Six Flags Parks Will Offer Complimentary Game-Playing

NEW YORK, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Six Flags (NYSE: SIX) and Nintendo of America today announced a sponsorship and marketing agreement under which the Wii video game system will be the Official Gaming Console of Six Flags parks and Six Flags will offer complimentary game-playing at Wii Gaming Stations throughout select Six Flags-branded theme parks. In addition, the companies will collaborate on marketing initiatives, including a national sweepstakes promotion for Six Flags on Nintendo.com.

Nintendo's new Wii system became one of the hottest gifts this holiday. Consumers purchased more than a million Wii consoles in just the 44 days between U.S. launch and year end -- which represented every Wii console available at retail. As its popularity reflects, Nintendo's unique system brings gaming to the masses by providing something for everyone, from the most seasoned gamer to those experiencing video games for the first time.

"This agreement with Nintendo enables us to partner with a company, and a product, that has major relevance in the lives of today's families. When this audience is not in our parks, more often than not they are at home playing video games -- and now they can do both in one place as we continue to build Six Flags into a supermarket of entertainment," said Mark Shapiro, Six Flags President and CEO. "This alliance further illustrates our intent to partner with trusted and valued consumer brands that will increase our touch points and expand our reach."

"We look forward to continuing to build the Wii's leadership position in video gaming by making the system available to millions of guests who visit Six Flags every year," said Perrin Kaplan of Nintendo America. "The Wii system is dedicated to reaching a broad audience, and we look forward to sharing the ultimate gaming system with Six Flags guests beginning in

2007."

Talkback

AcefonduJanuary 23, 2007

That's a really sweet idea. Now they just need to establish a small Nintendo gift shop at Six Flags. What better parting gift than a Wii?

Piper_13January 23, 2007

Nintendo has always had a big presence at our Six Flags Park in Montreal, Canada (called La Ronde), with one of the main attractions being the Nintendo Megadome where one can play all the latest games and systems. This new agreement with Six Flags I suppose guarantees that we'll never be seeing any other system (*cough*PS3 / 360*cough*) there either...!

that Baby guyJanuary 23, 2007

This is a good starting step in a great direction.
Nintendo is reaching a consumer with leisure money to spend, in a place where they don't have deadlines, kids to pick up from school, or a half hour lunch break. I wonder how many people the entirety of six flags across North America takes in. I also wonder if people will have to wait very long to play a Wii. Anyways, this way the Wii and possibly the DS will reach perhaps thousands of people a day, without much cost from Nintendo. This is a great target audience for Nintendo, too. It is the people who can afford and are interested in exciting forms of fun. They need to be careful, though, as you'd probably want to avoid a game like Brain Age here. Nintendo should put arcade-ish games in these stations, like Wii sports or perhaps even Elebits if they can. And maybe showcase the VC, too, since everyone knows Sonic and Mario. This probably isn't the place for Red Steel or Zelda. Other games that would work well are Excite Truck, possibly Trauma Center (Though that depends on the area set-up), and even Rayman, in the plunger gun modes, especially.
This could give Nintendo a considerable boost if they play it right, and no market analyst would even understand where it would have come from.

Now, if Nintendo wants Brain Age to appeal to an audience, they'll have to try this somewhere else, where the target people also have leisure time, but aren't looking for the same type of excitement as an amusement park gives. I really thik they need to consider placing them in the waiting room of doctor's offices or at pharmacies personally. That's just me, though.

LouieturkeyJanuary 23, 2007

So will we see Nintendo characters next to the Looney Toons and DC characters soon?

BlkPaladinJanuary 23, 2007

Probally. That would be fun getting your picture with them.

KDR_11kJanuary 24, 2007

Hm, considering they just announced that Looney Tunes game I fear that might be what these units will be loaded with.

KaironCarmine Red, Associate EditorJanuary 24, 2007

Targetted, fun, playable... good marketting.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

segagamer12January 24, 2007

Now thats more like the aggressive can't egt away from their name Nintendo I used to know and love. I hope they can find more big deals like this because its abotu time Video games and Nintendo Games became one and the same again.