Nintendo New York
The Nintendo New York store in 2006 (as Nintendo World) | |
Subsidiary | |
Industry | Distribution, retail |
Founded |
November 16, 2001 (as The Pokémon Center) May 14, 2005 (as Nintendo World) February 19, 2016 (as Nintendo New York) |
Headquarters | New York City, New York, U.S. |
Products | Nintendo products, video games, and merchandise |
Owner | Nintendo |
Website |
www |
Nintendo New York (previously known as Nintendo World and The Pokémon Center) is the flagship specialty store of video game corporation Nintendo. Located in New York City at Rockefeller Center at 10 Rockefeller Plaza, the two-story, 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) store opened on May 14, 2005.[1]
The store sells a wide variety of Nintendo video games and merchandise, including apparel, hardware, and accessories that are exclusive to the store, such as Japanese Mario character plushies, and special guides to games, such as GoldenEye 007 and Super Mario Galaxy. The store includes Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and Pokémon sections. On the second level of the store, there are kiosks with various Wii U games running, allowing anyone to play. In addition, there are Nintendo 3DS stations available for use and play.[2]
Nintendo New York regularly holds tournaments and shows for new games, giving early releases and prizes to winners. In addition, they've held screenings for multiple official Nintendo broadcasts, most commonly Nintendo's annual main E3 presentation. This was first done for the Wii's debut at E3 2006, and since E3 2010 a screening event has been held at the store every single year, except for E3 2016.
History
The space was formerly Pokémon Center New York, which opened on November 16, 2001. It ran until January 2005, when it closed for remodeling, and it reopened as the Nintendo World store 4 months later.[1]
On September 25, 2005, developer Shigeru Miyamoto visited the Nintendo World store to commemorate the release of Nintendogs and the 20th anniversary of Super Mario Bros..[3]
On July 10, 2010, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii visited the Nintendo World store to commemorate the release of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.[4]
On November 1, 2010, the Nintendo World store re-opened after a three-week makeover that included various upgrades, including the addition of new Nintendo DSi systems, adjusted lighting, and an expanded museum area.[2] Part of the makeover included getting ready for the 25th anniversary celebration of Super Mario Bros. on November 7, 2010.[2] Guests to the celebration included Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé and Shigeru Miyamoto.[5]
On November 17, 2012, the Nintendo World store had a big launch event for the Wii U, and had hundreds of people in attendance. Reggie Fils-Aimé (who also grew up in the NY area) also made an appearance in the event.[6]
From November 21, 2014 until January 15, 2015, anyone with a copy of Pokémon Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire could receive an Eon ticket for their individual game to have an in-game encounter with Latias or Latios, depending on their version of the game. Once the Eon ticket had been obtained, it could be passed on to other players with a copy of the game for free via StreetPass.
On January 19, 2016, the Nintendo World store was closed for renovation and re-opened its doors on February 19, 2016, with new features in the store.[7][8][9][10][11] On its re-opening, the store was renamed "Nintendo New York."[12][13][14]
References
- 1 2 Sarrazin, Marc-André (April 21, 2005). "Nintendo World Store Opening Party — Nintendo Spin". NintendoSpin.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- 1 2 3 Schreier, Jason (November 1, 2010). "Photos: New York's Nintendo World Store Sports Slick Makeover". Wired. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ↑ James Ransom-Wiley (September 25, 2005). "Shigeru Miyamoto at Nintendo World". Joystiq.com.
- ↑ JC Fletcher (July 1, 2010). "Yuji Horii at Dragon Quest IX launch event". Joystiq.com.
- ↑ Thomsen, Michael. "Mario Turns 25 at the Nintendo World Store in New York". IGN. Archived from the original on November 12, 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ↑ Madden, Orla. "Reggie Surprises Nintendo World Store Campers 24 Hours Before Wii U Launch". Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- ↑ "Nintendo's flagship store reopens with a new name and new look". Engadget. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ↑ "Live from the Nintendo New York store reopening". Nintendo Inquirer. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ↑ "Nintendo NY Reopens in Rockefeller Plaza on Friday, Feb. 19; Photos Available on Business Wire's Website and AP PhotoExpress". Business Wire. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ↑ "The Nintendo NY Store Has Now Reopened". My Nintendo News. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ↑ "Nintendo NY opens its doors to fans from around the world". Polygon. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ↑ "@nintendoNYC". Twitter. 2016-01-15. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ↑ "15-Foot Gaming Screen Part of Nintendo World Store's Major Renovation". GameSpot. 2016-01-06. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ↑ "Nintendo World Store Getting Big Renovation". IGN. 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
External links
- Official website
- Archive copy of The Pokémon Center's official website at the Wayback Machine (archived November 18, 2001)
- Archive copy of Nintendo World Store's official website at the Wayback Machine (archived April 6, 2005)