Yeah Nintendo could sell so much more if they popped their own stores up, but it's crazy that Nintendo who doesn't offer any other products (like MS does or Sony could) can have such a popular store.
This reminds me that Sony used to have a flagship store in New York City at 550 Madison Ave. My favorite part was the massive
PlayStation Lounge situated underground. It felt very much like the Sony equivalent to the Nintendo NY Store. There was a plentiful stock of PS3 and Vita games, a display showcasing every generation of PlayStation with their respective redesigns, and even a section in the back dedicated to a specific game. On one of my excursions into the city, it was modeled after
Uncharted 3, decked out with crates as the seats in front of each television. I was back there again a few days after the Vita launched. There were kiosks propped up with the system and Sony MDR-XB500 headphones. The brief experience I had playing
wipEout 2048 sold me on the game and pair of the headphones. The bass-heavy soundtrack was translated by an affordable set of headphones ($50!) so well that it created a new level of immersion I had been lacking with my brand new Vita. The last time I was able to shop around at the old location was in the later summer months of 2013. On the multiple televisions displayed behind the checkout counter, there was a continuous loop of Sony's E3 conference playing! The infamous "Used Games" slide was recognizable from any angle.
To my dismay, Sony sold the building during its restructuring earlier in the decade and moved to
Sony Square NYC on 25 Madison Ave. I have not been to it, yet, but it does not seem to include PlayStation as significantly based on the photos.
