In January 2020, Atari announced that the company is planning on building a chain of video game-themed hotels, complete with Atari logo and branding. Working in collaboration with GSD Group, an innovation and strategy company, the hotels will be constructed around the United States, with the first breaking ground in Phoenix, Arizona, and others lined up for Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Jose.
Atari and GSD Group have now released some images of the hotel planned for Las Vegas, which according to local news reports is tentatively slated to open sometime in 2022. The images of the Vegas hotel and other renders shared previously all feature some form of the classic and recognizable Atari logo decorating the front.
To date, there haven’t been a lot of specifics shared about the intended location of the hotel in Las Vegas or even when building is set to begin. Construction on the first hotel in Phoenix was expected to start sometime this year, but the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have put a damper on those plans.
Each Atari hotel is intended to provide an immersive and unique video gaming experience for visitors of all ages. The Las Vegas hotel will have an old-school arcade speakeasy, nightclub, themed restaurants and bars, and an interactive state-of-the-art esports menu.
Although reactions to the announcement of a series of Atari-themed video game hotels ranged from excitement to skepticism, the company thus far seems serious about this venture into the hospitality industry. Tom Ito of GSD Group has stated that a multi-disciplinary design team has been assembled with experts in fields ranging from hospitality to sports to digital experience design.
Fred Chesnais, CEO of Atari, shared this optimism. “I have seen the vision that GSD Group has for Atari Hotels, and they are poised to shatter the perception of what hotels can be. Atari Hotels will create…a groundbreaking experience that shares Atari’s legacy of innovation.”
Given the popularity of esports in Las Vegas, a gaming themed hotel seems like a logical next step for the city. And Atari, a company that helped pioneer arcade and home video game consoles in the 70s and 80s, is a prime candidate for such a move, benefiting from the nostalgia and loyalty of gamers who grew up with the brand.
Even to those who aren’t gamers or interested in video game pop culture, an influx of Atari hotels to major cities across the country might still be viewed as a positive addition for the economy. The hotels are expected to bring jobs to the cities, as well as tourists interested in the unique gaming themed experience offered by Atari.
Source: GSD Group Press Release (via Bleeding Cool)