A unique combination of companies has partnered to bring Super Mario Party to hotels and IKEAs across China, according to a new report. The partnership includes not only Nintendo, but also Tencent, in addition to both IKEA and Holiday Inn hotels. As a result of the partnership, Super Mario Party will be available to hotel visitors, both in their lobbies and via Nintendo Switches in visitor rooms, as well as in IKEA showrooms.
The report comes from Niko Partners industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, which shared details about the partnership on Twitter. Ahmad explains that 24 different Holiday Inn locations in China will take part in the promotion. A photograph of one of Holiday Inn's lobby stations shows a setup with controllers and television, as well as a variety of official Nintendo promotional material.
A second photo that Ahmad shared shows a Nintendo Switch hooked up in a family's living room, replete with all manner of IKEA furniture, of course. It's not quite an example of what an IKEA show floor will look like with a Nintendo Switch promotional setup, but it conveys the general idea. These setups will be fully playable to IKEA visitors and their families. Ahmad says that IKEA has 12 locations across China that will have showroom setups for Super Mario Party.
Ahmad goes on to point to two specific reasons why the Super Mario Party promotion is notable. He first mentions that domestic tourism is climbing right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic limiting international travel. As such, a hotel promotion like this seems to be a lucrative opportunity. The second point that Ahmad makes is that China doesn't have a console gaming culture like Japan or the United States. As such, discovering consoles at regular locations like hotels or IKEAs can help introduce people to what Nintendo's offering.
As for Tecent's role in the partnership, Nintendo has a standing agreement with Tencent in order to help sell Switch consoles in China. As such, this promotional campaign was very likely put together by Tencent to encourage Nintendo Switch sales on Nintendo's behalf. The partnership is in place due to the challenges of entering the Chinese market.
The Nintendo Switch promotion in China's Holiday Inns and IKEAs is just a temporary arrangement, naturally. It'll officially last until the end of August. If it's successful, however, it could mean further partnerships, whether they're with Nintendo or other video game companies. That said, starting with Super Mario Party is an interesting choice.
Super Mario Party is available now on Nintendo Switch.