The legendary video game company, Atari has just announced a deal it's made with GSD Group, an innovation and strategy agency, and producer Napoleon Smith III, "to acquire the rights to build video game-themed Atari Hotels in the United States, with the first location breaking ground in Pheonix, AZ later this year." The new hotels will provide guests with immersive experiences using technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality. Some of the planned locations will also include venues to host e-sporting events.
Phoenix-based real estate developer True North Studio is currently collaborating with Apple co founder Steve Woznaik's Woz Innovation Foundation to develop the first hotel, due to break grown later this year. According to Atari Hotels, additional developments are planned in Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Jose.
"We are thrilled to partner with GSD Group and True North Studio to build the first-ever Atari branded hotels across the United States. Together we’ll build a space that will be much more than just a place to stay,” said Fred Chesnais, CEO of Atari in a statement. “Atari is an iconic global brand that resonates with people of all ages, countries, cultures and ethnic backgrounds and we cannot wait for our fans and their families to enjoy this new hotel concept."
3 Comments
Great place for nerds to escape from their parents' basements...
this is about 20 years too late to capture nostalgia for atari, if retro tshirts from urban outfitters were anything to go by... why would anyone care if the hotel has an atari logo on it? if there is any potential for a gamers hotel, it's going to need to relate to existing games people are excited to play not a zombie company no one remembers except for its logo.
much like at&t the company no longer exists; only the name has been passed along between different ownerships who have apparently given up hope of building a viable game developer/publisher out of it.
what an inane and meaningless idea.
I admit I love this. It's adorable.
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