Nintendo factory to be turned into gaming museum

This iconic game-maker is creating a shrine for its legacy.

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo has announced that it will transform a factory where it once manufactured games into a museum preserving the company’s history. 

“Nintendo Uji Ogura Plant (Ogura-cho, Uji-city, Kyoto) and the land surrounding the building will be used as a new gallery to showcase the many products Nintendo has launched over its history,” Nintendo wrote in a press release. 

The company has been in talks since 2016 about “the possibility of building a gallery as a way to share Nintendo’s product development history and philosophy with the public,” the statement continues. “The Nintendo Uji Ogura Plant will be renovated to accommodate the gallery, a decision reached after taking consideration of The City of Uji’s plan of re-developing the nearby Ogura Station area.”

The Nintendo Uji Ogura Plant, known simply as the “Uji Plant,” was constructed in 1969 during a significant period of growth for the company, which began in 1889 as a handmade playing card business. 

Mario holding a medal
While Nintendo is primarily known today for its video game creations, it originated as a producer of playing cards.
AFP via Getty Images

Despite Nintendo being primarily known today for its video game creations — including “Mario,” “Donkey Kong” and consoles such as the Switch, Game Boy and Wii — the plant where its history will be displayed has primarily produced the company’s playing cards. It was also a onetime customer-service center for product repairs. 

The name “Nintendo Gallery” has been tentatively selected for the planned museum, which will showcase historic products, “exhibits and experiences.” 

Nintendo anticipates the gallery being completed by March 2024. 

Meanwhile, Universal Studios’ Nintendo theme park opened in Japan in March. The park’s opening had been significantly delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic; it was initially intended to open ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

source: nypost.com