The Atari Hotels concept, inspired by the company behind classic video games like Asteroids and Pong, has taken a major step forward with the appointment of media and brand advisory firm Subnation.

Innovation and strategy agency GSD Group has selected Subnation as the marketing advisor, event partner and content producer for Atari Hotels.

Atari Hotels to showcase video-game culture

The news follows an announcement earlier this year that Atari had entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to create a ‘a one-of-a-kind hospitality experience’ revolving around the idea of celebrating video-game culture. It’s still early days, of course, but we already know that the concept will feature a ‘multi-use, cutting-edge gaming arena’, blurring the lines between the nostalgic and contemporary digital worlds.

“Atari Hotels is at the forefront of experiential hospitality, bringing together gaming and esports with today’s culture, including fashion, music, technology and art,” said Napoleon Smith III, managing partner at Atari Hotels / GSD Group. “Subnation knows how to bring these elements to life both on and offline. We’ve selected Subnation to collaboratively define and shape the unparalleled lifestyle that Atari Hotels captures.”

“We’re honoured to be Atari Hotels’ marketing partner and delighted to establish their brand and creative vision for the properties,” added Doug Scott, co-founder and chief managing director at Subnation. “Subnation is uniquely positioned to develop and execute innovative brand partnerships and apply our longstanding gaming and esports knowledge to what will become a must-experience destination and industry hub for the next decade and beyond.”

Taking experiential hospitality to the next level

Subnation has previously delivered experiential activations for brands like Marvel, Volkswagen and Amazon Games, as well as being the official cultural partner for prominent industry events such as E3 and DreamHack. It has also advised sports authorities and government bureaus like the City of Kissimmee and Visit Raleigh on how to build gaming and esports ecosystems.

The agency will now work alongside Atari Hotels’ managing agency GSD Group to apply this knowledge to developing the hotels’ brand identity through social media, website curation and an ecommerce storefront. In addition, Subnation is to oversee digital and physical brand partnerships and activations, from esports tournaments to influencer events.

Atari Hotels’ first two properties are scheduled to open in Las Vegas and Phoenix in 2022, with additional sites to follow in Austin, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle.