Nintendo is opening a Tokyo flagship store, marking the iconic Japanese company’s first-ever domestic retail outlet. During Nintendo’s latest Corporate Management Briefing, the president of the Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa, announced the game company would be opening a store in the Japanese capital in 2019.
The executive said that plans are set for Nintendo Toyko to be located in the tentatively named ‘Parco’, which is yet to be opened and will bow in the Shibuya district. The Nintendo store in Japan will have its own floor in a new department store and is targeted at teens and commuters.
“We are hoping [the store] will be a new point of contact between consumers and Nintendo that a wide range of people, regardless of age, gender, or experience with games can enjoy,” explained Furukawa.
The new store also hopes to attract shoppers to Nintendo Switch, which is struggling to draw a wider swath of users, according to Bloomberg. Last month, Nintendo cut its shipments forecast for the console, which can be used at home or on the go.
“In addition to selling products such as video game systems, software and character-based merchandise, we plan to host events and offer opportunities to play games, and are preparing to make this shop a new base for communicating Nintendo information in Japan. We will announce further details on each of these initiatives at a later date.”
Looking forward, Nintendo is also planning to open exhibits at Universal theme parks in Osaka, Orlando and Hollywood.
Additionally, the company is looking to participate in more e-sports tournaments, where gamers get together and compete in stadiums
Nintendo opened its first store in New York as Pokemon shop in 2005 in the city’s Rockefeller Centre, and has since rebranded as Nintendo New York.
Nintendo Tokyo is scheduled to open in the fall of 2019.