It was May last year when we first heard the announcement that Nintendo would be partnering with Universal Studios to create a Nintendo theme park. Well now we have confirmation that the theme park will be coming to Universal Studios Japan in 2020, right around the time Japan hosts The Olympics. The park will take up the event space of Universal Studios Japan, the same area for attractions like Harry Potter World.
2) The plan is to expand the theme park in Osaka with an attraction area focusing on Mario. (Universal did this with Harry Potter before.)
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) March 5, 2016
For those who were speculating that the theme park would be based on multiple Nintendo Properties (like a real-life Nintendo Land), it looks like the park will be Mario themed. It’s interesting to wonder what exactly Nintendo will do for this theme park, especially since it cost 350 million dollars. Perhaps there could be some interactive rides, new Nintendo VR experiences, sneak previews of upcoming games. Nintendo’s has four years they probably got something good.
4) Busy start of 2016 for Nintendo. See the picture below for details (from Sankei: https://t.co/NRejTXGL6Q) // end pic.twitter.com/EMHunhgYFa
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) March 5, 2016
The plans Nintendo has for this theme park look very ambitious. It will be exciting to see what will be in the theme park and whether we’ll ever have it here in the US.