There are many reasons why Nintendo is such a unique brand, even within the grandness of the gaming industry. First off, they are one of the “early publishers” who are still around today and, most importantly, are still relevant. They have dominated multiple console generations, including the one we’re currently in, and the gaming icons they’ve created over the years have been recognized by people all over the world. That’s why they’re able to have stores dedicated to their franchise. However, those stores are limited in where they are. However, a new store has been announced: Nintendo San Francisco!
That’s right, Nintendo San Francisco! This will be the first Nintendo-themed store within the western part of the United States. Currently, the only store of this nature is located in New York City. The store doesn’t just house Nintendo merch, though. Instead, the place is known to be a hub for gaming arrivals and special events. For example, there are times when special Nintendo Directs can be viewed from the store, or when a big gaming release happens; they do special giveaways to those who come to the store. Thus, for San Francisco, getting such a place for themselves is special.
If nothing else, the new store can be seen as another attempt by Nintendo to broaden its exposure across the world. Japan has multiple Nintendo stores, including the original Super Nintendo World theme park. The US has a theme park in Hollywood, with one in Orlando coming next year. Getting another store out would bolster attention to The Big N in a nice way. Plus, it adds some nice “symmetry” in that there’s a Nintendo store and a Nintendo theme park that are not too far from one another.
This doesn’t even touch upon the movies that they’ve already released or are in the process of making. If anything, Nintendo shouldn’t stop there, as there are other places within the United States and beyond that could easily make bank via the fans who are always up for getting Nintendo-themed merch.
For example, just within the United States, Chicago would be an excellent location given its population and how it hosts many comic book conventions over the course of a year. C2E2 is one of the biggest in the country and always has Nintendo cosplayers and gamers in attendance.
No matter what, Nintendo is doing the right thing by expanding its visibility, and we could see more of this in the future.
