Atari seems to be making moves on their plans to launch a franchise of video game themed hotels… Why is this happening again?
Atari has recently revealed renders of what they expect their licensed hotel franchises to resemble, and I can’t help but think this is actually from CD Projekt Red’s library of concept art for upcoming game Cyberpunk 2077. Towering above the scene in one particular render is the hotel itself, a giant Atari logo, while back down on ground level a Night City-like plaza of screens, neon lights and arcade games recreate a Vegas strip whereby casinos are replaced with retro classics.
But can you really see yourself booking into a Las Vegas hotel just to play asteroids? If I want to play asteroids I can just type “asteroids online” into google and be delivered some sort of functioning clone that gives me what I want, and I don’t have to deal with the migraine-inducing neon expressway all around me to accomplish it.
Guests can enjoy the latest in video games, experience cutting-edge immersive entertainment, purchase exclusive Atari Hotels merchandise, and play the night away in retro-style gaming arcades. A speakeasy and fully equipped nightclub will be available for adult guests, as well as themed restaurants and bars. Atari Hotels delightfully plays with the themes of retro-futurism, pop culture, and nostalgia — offering fun for the whole family.
https://atarihotels.com/news
Isn’t this just what we have all wanted? To dine at the foot of a shrine to the old God of video gaming before dropping a few ecstasy tablets and raving the night away to the Centipede soundtrack?
“From our virtual interactive world to the physical locations, every element of Atari Hotels will offer a unique and authentic experience for everyone.” — Shelly Murphy, Managing Partner, GSD Group.
https://atarihotels.com/news/gsd-group-partners-with-global-design-firm-gensler/
Call me sceptical, but nothing about drinking too much at a speakeasy before calling in a few local ladies of the night and vomiting all over the Galaga cabinets really jumps out as the authentic Atari experience to me.
Ground was expected to be broken on these projects sometime this year, however, with global complications, no date has been attached to the project in their latest update. Atari paints a pretty picture with their renders and expectations, but for now at least, if I want to wander around a neon-strewn jungle of concrete and billboards there’s only one month to go before Cyberpunk 2077 releases.
