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Rumor: Universal Studios Reportedly Cancels Plans for Pokemon and Zelda Park Attractions
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it was only cancelled in America, it's still happening in Japan, where it will probably be bigger. So I dunno why the uproar
Same, really hope there is no substance to this rumour. A Zelda ride is my idea of heaven.
Because it'd go from "extremely unlikely to visit but still technically feasible" to "never gonna happen ever."
So yeah disappointing.
Imagine a suped up Pokemon Go experience where you actually see the Pokemon around the park and can play Universal Pokemon Snap and interact with things in the environment (similar to what they do with the interactive wands in Diagon Alley) and even catch Pokémon.
Imagine a fancy go kart track with sensors on the ground that act as boosters for you, and a 3D or projection screen that will cycle through random items you can use on the other racers. Throw a banana and the closest driver behind you will have there seat shake - maybe a slight wobble of the steering wheel. A grease slick would slow the person down. A shell would make a player come to a safe stop for a second with some seat shaking.
Imagine one of those interactive rides, where you are Link riding Epona and using your gadgets as you travel along the ride. It could even be like some of the attractions where you compete with other players for a high score.
These are things that need to exist by the time I'm a father. Come on Universal, dream bigger darling.
Imagine a fancy go kart track with sensors on the ground that act as boosters for you, and a 3D or projection screen that will cycle through random items you can use on the other racers. Throw a banana and the closest driver behind you will have there seat shake - maybe a slight wobble of the steering wheel. A grease slick would slow the person down. A shell would make a player come to a safe stop for a second with some seat shaking.
Imagine one of those interactive rides, where you are Link riding Epona and using your gadgets as you travel along the ride. It could even be like some of the attractions where you compete with other players for a high score.
These are things that need to exist by the time I'm a father. Come on Universal, dream bigger darling.
Harry Potter is Warner Bros, which has a huge presence at Universal Studios.
Rowling has a much bigger influence there, and it was originally going to Disney until Disney refused to build the train Rowling insisted on. Universal has no choice in the partnership with WB on Harry Potter as part of that deal, but they may not want to get caught having to make a separate partnership with WB to use material from Detective Pikachu in an attempt to keep the park from looking like the "old" version of Pokemon. Focusing on properties Nintendo controls in their entirety makes sense in that respect, especially if they're trying to keep costs down by cutting back. In that sense, choosing Pokemon as one of the properties to cut out is a more understandable choice. Zelda's a stranger one in some ways but they might be going all in on Mario and ignoring all other properties for now.
They just missed the opportunity to sell a billion plushies.
But all that said, I suspect the problem isn't that they don't think Pokemon will make money. Rather, it's possible that the licensing fee requested may be too high. They might have decided that it wasn't worth it at that particular price.
But all that said, I suspect the problem isn't that they don't think Pokemon will make money. Rather, it's possible that the licensing fee requested may be too high. They might have decided that it wasn't worth it at that particular price.
I'd imagine something like what Disney does with their Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game. They have packs of playing cards you can buy and they have portals scattered throughout the park where you can battle Disney villains with the cards. Do this with Pokemon cards.
This stings but I can live with it knowing that it would have probably wound up being two motion simulator rides that last a minute and thirty seconds with a massive gift shop as the exit. That's all Universal seems interested in these days, anyways.
Plus, hey, we still have Mario and Luigi stuff to whine abo- I mean, look forward to.
Plus, hey, we still have Mario and Luigi stuff to whine abo- I mean, look forward to.
You do know they're building a full Mario Kart track dark ride and a Donkey Kong mine cart roller coaster for the Mario park, right?
Yup, that stuff all sounds great too! Let's just keep in mind though that these are definitley exceptions to the design philosophy that Universal has been using over the last few years. I wouldn't be surprised if these were the extent of the physical coaster-like attractions and we instead wind up with more Fast and Furious: Supercharged/Simpsons Ride/etc. motion simulators for the other Nintendo Land attractions.You do know they're building a full Mario Kart track dark ride and a Donkey Kong mine cart roller coaster for the Mario park, right?
I wish we could count on more dark rides though. A Luigi's Mansion dark ride with a Men in Black/Toy Story style blaster element would be fucking aces.
No big loss, they'd just be cheap vomit inducing screen based rides like all of their other rides.
Universal are clearly prioritising more important Nintendo properties for the Orlando park. Like Chibi Robo or 1-2 Switch.
A bit sad by this news if confirmed true.
I guess Nintendo might be still unproven in traditional media which is holding back the expansion plans. This will be easier to sell once the Detective Pikachu and Mario movie drop. Also following up from the Tokyo Olympics and the Japan Parks.
Regardless, in mind the sales potential from the stores should be insane, especially considering the average product is sold at a much higher price than traditional theme park stores.
I guess Nintendo might be still unproven in traditional media which is holding back the expansion plans. This will be easier to sell once the Detective Pikachu and Mario movie drop. Also following up from the Tokyo Olympics and the Japan Parks.
Regardless, in mind the sales potential from the stores should be insane, especially considering the average product is sold at a much higher price than traditional theme park stores.
This was never part of the official plan to begin with, so it's not like it's really cancelling anything. Always was a loose rumor.
The original plan only called for Super Nintendo World. I bet after opening the 4th park, they will revisit these ideas.
Also, not sure I believe Comicbook.com either. I'll wait till an actual theme park insider like Alica Stella says something.
The original plan only called for Super Nintendo World. I bet after opening the 4th park, they will revisit these ideas.
Also, not sure I believe Comicbook.com either. I'll wait till an actual theme park insider like Alica Stella says something.
O god yes. My most anticipated movie for 2019 (after SW IX)
Yes
But it's fun to panic
Credible sources have been saying for a while now that screens are generally going to be deemphasized in Universal's attractions going forward, starting with the Potter coaster.
I hated the Jimmy Fallon ride. Ugh.
There's no line, just a virtual line. So we check that out. It says like right now is available. So we go in and it's empty. Awesome! Then we get a people card.... And go upstairs and it's packed. We wait in the lobby area for like 45 minutes watching unfunny clips of Fallon. Then they call our colour and we now stand in a line... for like 25 more minutes. We get in and sit in a giant bench and wait another ten minutes cause they gotta make sure everyone's done their belt up... and some people haven't. After all this, it's a goofy 4D ride that lasts like 5 minutes.
It was the longest line we waited in by far, and a very middling ride. We never would have bothered had the virtual line not implied there's no wait. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Thinking about this rumor some more...
I feel like Pokemon Land is an eventuality, but it may not happen for close to 10 years. There's too much money to be made from the IP, and honestly it has always transcended video games as a big multimedia brand. They could have this completely separate from Super Nintendo World and be fine, because it is a big enough draw on its own.
Zelda on the other hand I think works better as a small land expansion to Super Nintendo World in the new park. From what Fantastic Worlds sounds like, it will essentially be multiple "worlds" each with mini lands tied to the IP. So for instance, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley combined would be a Harry Potter World encompassing two lands. We can assume that this will be how Super Nintendo World is broken down. There will be a large Mario land with the Mario Kart and Yoshi attractions, then an adjacent Donkey Kong land that is smaller and contains the mine cart ride. I think something similar but for Zelda may be the way to go.
I feel like Pokemon Land is an eventuality, but it may not happen for close to 10 years. There's too much money to be made from the IP, and honestly it has always transcended video games as a big multimedia brand. They could have this completely separate from Super Nintendo World and be fine, because it is a big enough draw on its own.
Zelda on the other hand I think works better as a small land expansion to Super Nintendo World in the new park. From what Fantastic Worlds sounds like, it will essentially be multiple "worlds" each with mini lands tied to the IP. So for instance, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley combined would be a Harry Potter World encompassing two lands. We can assume that this will be how Super Nintendo World is broken down. There will be a large Mario land with the Mario Kart and Yoshi attractions, then an adjacent Donkey Kong land that is smaller and contains the mine cart ride. I think something similar but for Zelda may be the way to go.
Or more likely, they fast-track the whole thing. Universal likely still has the license, they're just not confident about making a massive change to the park based on it. Pokemon becoming a gigantic film franchise probably changes that outlook.
What I don't understand is why they don't make a Universal Monsters Land. It's gotta be one of their biggest and most recognizable IP, and they just sit on it. No other park would have anything like it.
Best to remember that both Pokemon & Zelda attractions were never actually announced and that you honestly can't cancel something that was only speculation.
At any rate, even if they do do a Zelda/Pokemon area, it likely wouldn't be until after they start work on the 4th part/Mario World area
At any rate, even if they do do a Zelda/Pokemon area, it likely wouldn't be until after they start work on the 4th part/Mario World area
Its impossible to believe that if they have the rights to do it they would choose not to considering its the biggest IP on the planet + has a high budget film out + new game gen + is a perfect fit catering to both kids and nostalgia fuelled adults.
They either haven't got the rights for Pokemon thus can;t do it or do have the rights and are doing it
They either haven't got the rights for Pokemon thus can;t do it or do have the rights and are doing it
I'm guessing, because it was replacing kids zone, that the Pokemon lands attractions were aimed at very young children and they realized that doing Pokemon in this way would be a mistake.