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Credit: Warner Bros.Nintendo is developing a new theme park project, and despite its current partnership, Universal Destinations & Experiences has been overlooked for the upcoming project.
Nintendo, the Japanese multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is seemingly ready to step into the theme park industry with a fast-growing presence across the world, partly in partnership with Universal Destinations & Experiences. However, the video game mogul has overlooked Universal for its latest thrilling development, a series of theme park experiences inspired by the decades-old phenomenon, Pokémon.
Nintendo and Universal’s partnership
Nintendo has worked alongside Universal Destinations & Experiences to bring the breathtaking immersive land inspired by the Super Mario Bros. franchise, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, to life at Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Hollywood, and, soon, Universal Orlando Resort with the Florida-based resort’s latest expansion, Universal’s Epic Universe.
When SUPER NINTENDO WORLD opened its gates at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023, Nintendo stated: “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is conceived in partnership with Nintendo and the visionaries at Universal Creative to deliver exhilarating entertainment with innovative technological achievements inspired by characters and video games that have appealed to Nintendo fans for generations.”
However, a company owned by Nintendo has overlooked Universal for its latest theme park endeavor and has decided to partner with an existing Japanese theme park instead to bring all-new experiences inspired by the Pokémon franchise to life.
A new Pokémon theme park?
In a recent announcement, The Pokémon Company, headquartered in Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, revealed the formation of a new company: PokéPark KANTO LLC. The new company is set to be responsible for operating PokéPark KANTO—a new entertainment venture to be developed as a part of the existing Yomiuriland amusement park in Inagi, Tokyo, Japan—in cooperation with YOMIURI LAND CO., LTD.
“We’ll be creating a space where Pokémon fans from the world over can gather among the rich bounties of nature and enjoy the Pokémon experience together, beyond any boundaries of language, region, or culture,” stated The Pokémon Company in the press release announcing the exciting theme park development.
The very first Pokémon video games, 1996’s Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, take place in the fictional region named the Kanto region, while Yomiuriland — an area in which locals and visitors can still enjoy a rich natural environment — is located in the Tama Hills in Japan’s (actual) Kanto region.
The Pokémon Company — jointly owned by Nintendo, Game Freak Inc., and Creatures Inc. — is aware of this relation and stated: “As we embark on this new business venture, we chose the name PokéPark KANTO as a nod to both the first region in the Pokémon world and the site of this new park.”
But is PokéPark KANTO the only project The Pokémon Company and Nintendo have in their pocket?
New regions await, more Pokémon theme parks in the horizon!
In addition to the development of PokéPark KALOS in Japan, Nintendo has filed multiple trademarks in Europe, hinting at possible expansions of the Pokémon franchise in theme parks worldwide.
“PokéPark Kalos” — a fictional region inspired by France — is listed under trademark 018962248, while “PokéPark Paldea” — the fictional region inspired by Spain and Portugal — is filed under trademark 018962280 on the official European Union Intellectual Property Office’s website. However, both trademark applications are listed as “application under examination” at the time of publishing.
While it would be exciting to see more Pokémon-inspired theme park experiences come to life, these trademarks don’t mean more projects are currently under development in Europe and could only be a precaution taken by Nintendo to ensure that no other company uses the names in case the video game giant decided to move forward with the projects.
Universal Destinations & Experiences recently took a similar preventive move, ensuring the protection of the company’s beloved yearly Halloween event, Halloween Horror Nights, in the United Kingdom’s Intellectual Property Office by filing a trademark for the experience following the jaw-dropping announcement of a potential theme park and resort experience in the U.K.
However, as the project is still in its early evaluation stages, Universal cannot confirm that its U.K. theme park would carry out the company’s yearly Halloween Horror Nights tradition — nor confirm if the company would move forward with the project at this time.
But let’s circle back to Universal and Nintendo. Does the new Pokémon-inspired theme park mean that Nintendo will pull back from Universal?
Universal and Nintendo — more Super Mario Bros., less Pokémon
Fortunately, neither party has announced an end to their partnership with the development of the new PokéPark KANTO in Japan, meaning that SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and other possible theme park experiences inspired by the Super Mario Bros. franchise are still on the table for Universal theme park fans.
On the contrary, Universal Studios Japan recently blew fans away with the unveiling of the new immersive area inspired by Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Country, which is opening at the Japan-based theme park this spring. Additionally, a Donkey Kong-inspired roller coaster will soon be available at Universal’s Epic Universe in Orlando.
You can see the teaser for the new immersive area below or by clicking here.
If anything, The Pokémon Company’s partnership with Yomiuriland could mean we might see less of the Pokémon franchise at Universal. However, the popular franchise currently has no significant presence in Universal Parks worldwide apart from special appearances in seasonal events at Universal Studios Japan, like its debut in the “NO LIMIT!” Parade at Universal Studios Japan in 2023.
Inside the Magic will update you on any developments involving Universal Destinations & Experiences, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company.
Are you excited about the upcoming PokéPark Kanto in Japan? What would you like to see at this location? Share your thoughts and ideas with Inside the Magic in the comments below!