Nintendo is doing some big things in 2016.
The company is launching its first smartphone app, Miitomo, next month. Its next console is slated to be unveiled later this year. Popular franchises like Pokémon are celebrating major milestones and releases in other series are expected.
The first big step Nintendo has taken this year is a different kind of experience. Fans lined up as early as 6:30 a.m. the day before to be the first to enter Nintendo New York, the company’s rebranded store that opened its doors yesterday.
Formerly known as Nintendo World, the NYC location closed in January for a monthlong renovation period. When it re-opened, Nintendo promised that its Rockefeller Center mainstay would come with an updated look and modern innovations.
Some of the changes are immediately obvious: The first-floor registers have been relocated to the west wall of the store, and the upstairs alcove has been completely torn out. This helped to open up the space, as well as make Nintendo NY adaptable. In particular, all of the display cases have been put on wheels so that they can be easily moved around, either for a fresh look or to make room for events. The Pokkén Tournament regional finals in March will be the first major test of this modular design.
