SAN JOSE — Atari is planning a series of hotels that will sport the name of the videogame icon, with hotel sites slated to include San Jose.
The gaming trailblazer vows that the hotels will meld its legendary brand with a unique destination that has a videogame theme.
Paris-based Atari is teaming up with developer True North Group and branding expert GSD Group to develop and launch the hotel chain.
“We are thrilled to partner with GSD Group and True North Studio to build the first-ever Atari branded hotels across the United States,” said Fred Chesnais, Atari’s chief executive officer. “Together we’ll build a space that will be much more than just a place to stay.”
The hotels will feature immersive gaming and entertainment experiences for all ages and game expertise, including the latest offerings in virtual reality and augmented reality, Atari said.
“When creating this brand-new hotel concept, we knew that Atari would be the perfect way to give guests the ‘nostalgic and retro meets modern’ look and feel we were going for,” said Napoleon Smith III, a branding expert and Hollywood producer.
Yet the venture could face plenty of challenges in the dynamic hotel market in the United States, opined Alan Reay, president of Irvine-based Atlas Hospitality Group, which tracks the California lodging market.
“This is going to be a challenge,” Reay said. “We’ll see if anything actually gets built. You are putting the newest technology in a hotel with one of the oldest technology names.”
