Reggie Fils-Aime on Super Mario Bros. movie, current strategy with collaborations
From the collaborations with Vans, Uniqlo, and LeSportsac in the fashion world to the recent crossover Mario + Rabbids title to the Super Nintendo World project with Universal Studios, it might be hard to remember a time when Nintendo seemed reserved in terms of joint ventures.
However, in a recent interview with Mashable, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime reasons that the company’s early experiences licensing its properties left a long-lasting, negative impression on many of Nintendo’s developers.
He explains:
“That Super Mario movie from the 1990s … left a really bad taste in the mouth of our developers . . . I wasn’t with the company [at that time], but as I joined I heard some of the horror stories.”
Fils-Aime makes clear that part of the problem was Nintendo’s lack of hands-on development with the movie. Now, with the company more open to collaborations once more, Nintendo is focused on playing a brand champion role:
“What’s different is that as we do these relationships today, we very much are the brand steward . . . That’s what makes these so special. When you have that care, it really shows in the execution.”
Moving forward, Fils-Aime hopes that future collaborations will surprise fans and give them an opportunity to enjoy Nintendo’s properties outside of gaming experiences:
We want our fans to celebrate their love for our intellectual property beyond being able to play those games, and we’re thrilled that we’re able to deliver on that.
