By Jon Scarr
Seeing Mario on the big screen is one thing. Walking through Super Nintendo World or introducing a young child to him through a My Mario toy is something else entirely. Nintendo is finding ways for people to connect with its characters without ever turning on a console, and it's far from the only company doing it.
XBOX announced its new XP division on October 8, bringing movies, television, merchandise, live experiences, and partnerships together under one organization. For years, PlayStation has adapted its games for film and television and expanded into collectibles and clothing. Between them, these companies are bringing familiar game worlds into parts of our lives that have little to do with playing games.
Some of these projects have become enormous hits. Others haven't worked out nearly as well. The Halo television series, for example, lasted just two seasons. For me, the question is whether these movies, products and attractions offer something beyond the character or logo on the box.
Nintendo Has Built an Entertainment World Beyond Consoles
For decades, Nintendo has turned Mario, Zelda, and its other characters into household names. Now people can visit those worlds, bring pieces of them home, or introduce the characters to children who haven't learned to use a controller. Nintendo has found several ways to do that, and they don't all depend on a new game coming out.
Nintendo Parks and Stores
Super Nintendo World brings the Mushroom Kingdom into the real world at Universal parks in Japan and the United States. You can step into Mario's colourful surroundings, ride a Mario Kart attraction, and explore spaces inspired by the games. The Japanese park has expanded to include Donkey Kong Country, too.
Seeing familiar locations and characters all around you is part of the appeal. You don't need to recognize every game reference to enjoy the park.
Nintendo NEW YORK and Nintendo SAN FRANCISCO offer exclusive merchandise and events. Nintendo also has stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka. Its museum in Japan takes visitors through the company's history, with exhibits and interactive experiences that celebrate its games and earlier products.
Canada is getting a new version of that experience on October 17, 2026. EB Games Canada's flagship location at 267 Yonge Street in Toronto will open a permanent, 1,500-square-foot Nintendo space. Visitors will find Nintendo Switch 2 demos, displays, photo opportunities, and merchandise, including selected My Mario products. It's a store-within-a-store, not a standalone Nintendo shop, but it's another chance to enjoy the characters away from home.
My Mario and Nintendo's Digital Experiences
My Mario is an especially interesting part of Nintendo's expansion because it starts with very young children. The collection includes wooden blocks, plush toys, books, and clothing. The free Hello, Mario! and Hello, Yoshi! apps let children interact with the characters on compatible devices, including Nintendo Switch systems. There are short stop-motion videos on YouTube as well.
A Mario plush or picture book gives parents a way to share a character they grew up with before their kids are ready for the games.
Nintendo Music and Nintendo Today! give longtime fans other ways to stay connected. Nintendo Switch Online members can listen to game soundtracks on phones and tablets or through the official Nintendo Music Web Player on a computer or laptop. The service also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Nintendo Today! brings Nintendo news, videos and other updates to a mobile app. You can check in on Zelda or Mario without turning on a console.
Mario Movies and Zelda's Next Step
The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide in 2023, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie passed $1 billion in 2026. That's a huge audience for Mario outside video games. Those are box office totals, not profit figures.
The next major test is the live-action The Legend of Zelda film, scheduled for April 30, 2027. Nintendo is producing it with Arad Productions. Sony Pictures is co-financing and distributing the film. I find that partnership interesting. Nintendo and PlayStation compete for gaming customers, but Nintendo and Sony Pictures can work together to bring Link and Zelda to theatres.
PlayStation Takes Its Franchises Into Film, TV and Collectibles
PlayStation has focused much of its entertainment expansion on stories and characters from its games. PlayStation Productions has brought The Last of Us, Uncharted, Twisted Metal, and Gran Turismo to film or television, with each franchise requiring a different approach.
The Last of Us is probably the clearest example. Joel and Ellie's story already had a following on PlayStation, but the HBO adaptation can stand on its own. You don't need to know Naughty Dog's game to understand their relationship or the dangers of the world around them.
Uncharted brought Nathan Drake's adventures to cinemas and earned more than $400 million worldwide. Twisted Metal became an action-comedy series, and Gran Turismo followed the true story of a gamer who became a professional racing driver. None of those adaptations could simply copy the structure of the games and expect the same result.
The next wave is already taking shape. Prime Video’s God of War series now has Dave Bautista set to play Kratos after the production recast its lead. PlayStation Productions also has a Helldivers movie starring Jason Momoa scheduled for November 10, 2027. Neither has premiered, so their success is still an open question.
PlayStation Merchandise and Collectibles
PlayStation's expansion extends beyond the screen. Its merchandise and licensing business includes clothing, toys, collectibles, and everyday products. In 2025, PlayStation outlined a merchandise strategy that included fashion collaborations sold through retailers such as Zara and H&M.
We've covered PlayStation merchandise on 4ScarrsGaming, including McFarlane Toys figures inspired by God of War and Helldivers 2. The LEGO PlayStation set recreates the original console and controller, complete with hidden Gran Turismo and Ape Escape scenes.
PlayStation has reached into music and fashion, too. Its collaboration with LISA includes a limited-edition DualSense controller and a separate collection of clothing and accessories. PlayStation later delayed availability details for some of that merchandise, though the controller's planned October 30 release remained in place. We've also gone hands-on with the Genshin Impact Limited Edition DualSense controller, another collaboration where the details matter to collectors.
There's a public side to PlayStation's expansion as well. At FAN EXPO Canada in Toronto, it brought Marvel's Wolverine activities to the convention and set up a separate PlayStation installation downtown. Fans could take photos and see the characters represented outside the games themselves.
XBOX XP Brings Entertainment Under One Division
XBOX's new XP division brings together work that was already happening across several teams. Kayleen Walters, previously president of Mojang, now heads the division after overseeing Minecraft's growth into movies and licensed products.
XP covers four businesses. XBOX Pictures handles film and television. XBOX Products manages merchandise and licensing. XBOX Places covers live events, attractions, and other experiences, and XBOX Partnerships works with brands and creators. The idea is to coordinate entertainment work involving the same franchises.
There was plenty to bring together before XP existed. XBOX launched its Game Studios Shop in May with merchandise from Halo, Forza, Gears of War and Fable, joining its existing franchise stores. August brought a separate XBOX Gear store for branded apparel and collectibles. In Canada, the XBOX and IKEA YXSTABY collaboration arrived October 1 with nine furniture and accessory designs, including a thumbstick-shaped stool and D-pad cushion.
XBOX's 25th anniversary offers other examples of that approach. Its Fanta collaboration put Halo and Call of Duty characters on drink packaging alongside a prize promotion. The XBOX FanFest tour is scheduled to visit Toronto on November 6, 2026, taking the anniversary celebration directly to Canadian fans.
Minecraft's Entertainment Success
A Minecraft Movie earned about $960 million worldwide in 2025. The film brought Minecraft's blocky worlds and familiar creatures to cinemas. You didn't need to have played the game to follow what was happening.
Minecraft's merchandise business is substantial too. XBOX reports that its consumer products operation has become a multibillion-dollar business with more than 250 licensees. LEGO sets and other construction toys are a natural extension of a game where creating and building are central to the experience.
Fallout provides another kind of success. Its Prime Video series uses the games' retro-futuristic world, dark humour, and dangerous wasteland to tell stories that viewers can follow without knowing every reference. Amazon reports that the first two seasons have surpassed 100 million viewers worldwide.
There are more adaptations and partnerships planned, including work involving Call of Duty and Diablo. But XP is new, and Minecraft's achievements don't tell us how those future efforts will perform. For now, XBOX has reorganized a business with existing successes, not demonstrated the results of its new structure.
Merchandise Is Changing How Fans Experience Games
Movies get the box office headlines, but merchandise can remain part of a fan's life long after a film leaves theatres. A toy gets played with, a shirt gets worn, and a collectible can sit on a shelf for years. Those are different kinds of connections from watching an adaptation once.
Nintendo has products aimed at young children and adults who grew up with its games. PlayStation can offer figures and apparel tied to its characters and console history. Minecraft toys let children carry some of the game's creativity into the living room.
A LEGO Game Boy that recreates the original handheld has a much stronger connection to gaming history than an ordinary product with a logo printed on it. That's the kind of detail I like seeing in game merchandise. I appreciate an item that reminds you of a specific game or a part of your gaming life.
Nintendo's Collaborations Reach Everyday Products
Nintendo doesn't have to manufacture every Mario toy or piece of clothing itself. Companies such as Build-A-Bear, LEGO and Uniqlo already know how to make those products, and Nintendo brings the characters people recognize.
Nintendo teamed up with plenty of familiar brands in 2026. Build-A-Bear Workshop brought back its Super Mario collection with Bowser and Yoshi plush toys and outfits for Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach. Crocs released character-themed clogs and Jibbitz charms, and Uniqlo Canada sold graphic T-shirts for adults and children inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
The movie also brought new toys to store shelves. Spin Master's Hatchin' Yoshi turns the character's appearance in the movie into an interactive hatching toy. JAKKS Pacific created figures, playsets and plush, with a second wave of toys announced later in the year. Even Kinder Joy eggs carried Super Mario collectibles at U.S. retailers.
Mario even found his way onto products you might use every day. Lush released bath bombs, shower gels and other body products, with an in-store event at Toronto's Eaton Centre. Old Spice put movie characters on personal-care products, and Bubly introduced themed sparkling water packaging and a movie-pass promotion in Canada.
Not every promotion made it to Canada. General Mills offered Mario-branded cereal, snacks and Yoshi cookie dough in the United States, and Dippin' Dots offered a U.S.-only Galaxy Pop promotion with collectible cups and spoons. Canadian moviegoers had their own collectibles through Cineplex and Landmark Cinemas, including character popcorn containers, cups and themed concessions.
XBOX and Hallmark Bring Gaming Into Collections
XBOX has another example of gaming history turned into something you can build. Mattel Brick Shop's original XBOX set recreates the console and Duke controller with 3,509 pieces. Inside are miniature scenes from Halo: Combat Evolved, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Psychonauts. It's an interesting companion to the LEGO Game Boy and PlayStation sets already discussed here.
Hallmark's 2026 Keepsake ornaments bring Nintendo, PlayStation and XBOX onto the Christmas tree. There are Nintendo ornaments featuring Fire Mario, Yoshi, Link, Oatchi and Blathers, plus a Halo Warthog and Minecraft designs. The original PlayStation console ornament even has a light and the familiar startup sound. We've covered Hallmark's gaming ornaments closely at 4ScarrsGaming, and I like the idea of bringing those gaming memories out again each holiday season.
Merchandise Needs More Than a Famous Name
Still, a large range of products doesn't prove every collection sells well. Minecraft has publicly disclosed sizeable licensing results, but we don't have comparable financial figures for every Nintendo and PlayStation product. It's better to judge individual merchandise on what it offers fans than assume every new collaboration is a commercial hit.
Price matters, too. A small plush toy and a premium LEGO set offer very different ways to enjoy a franchise. Not every fan wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a collectible, and nobody should need to own merchandise to prove how much they love a game.
For me, the interesting products are the ones that have a reason to exist beyond the brand name. A carefully recreated console, a character figure with recognizable details, or a set you can build with family can offer something enjoyable on its own.
Big Successes Come With Real Challenges
Mario and Minecraft have already demonstrated how commercially successful game adaptations can become at the box office. The Last of Us and Fallout have also found television audiences, without requiring viewers to play the games first. But recognizable characters and impressive numbers don't guarantee that every adaptation will succeed.
Paramount+ didn't continue the Halo television series after its second season in 2024. That doesn't mean Halo can never work on television. But a famous franchise alone wasn't enough to secure another season.
Adapting a game means deciding what needs to stay and what has to change. The Last of Us can carry much of its drama through characters and relationships. Mario needs energy, colour, humour, and a sense of adventure. Neither approach would necessarily suit Halo or every other game waiting for an adaptation.
When I reviewed The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I loved the colourful planets, Brian Tyler's music and Benny Safdie's Bowser Jr. Yoshi was a lot of fun, too. My biggest complaint was how quickly the movie moved past Rosalina and some of its more personal scenes. I had a great time watching it, but I wanted more from those characters.
Measuring Success Beyond the Box Office
Selling a lot of movie tickets doesn't mean every fan enjoyed the film. A television series can earn praise without attracting the same crowd as a blockbuster movie.
Box office figures tell us how much money came in from ticket sales, not how much a movie earned after its costs. Television audiences are measured differently, and a merchandise announcement doesn't tell us how many products people bought. Stores and attractions don't always publish their visitor figures either.
And just because someone enjoys a movie doesn't mean they'll buy the game afterward. The same goes for merchandise. A familiar character isn't a guarantee that someone will buy it.
What This Expansion Means for Gamers
As someone who grew up with video games, I love seeing familiar worlds outside a console. We can watch them in theatres, visit them at theme parks, listen to their music or share their characters with younger family members.
I especially like the idea of different generations discovering the same characters in their own ways. A parent who remembers Mario on the NES can enjoy a movie with a child who knows him from a plush toy. Neither experience replaces playing the games, but both can create memories of their own.
I don't want every successful game turned into a television series, clothing collection and attraction. Not every game benefits from the same treatment. Some stories are memorable because you're the one exploring, making decisions or finding your way through a difficult situation.
It All Comes Back to the Games
A Mario movie has to work as a movie, and a LEGO set should be fun to build. I'd rather see a Zelda film that captures the adventure I love than another adaptation made just because the franchise is popular. The same goes for merchandise. Give me something more than a familiar logo.
More movies and collectibles don't mean Nintendo, PlayStation or XBOX are leaving games behind. We haven't seen evidence of that. These projects exist because people connected with the games first.
The games are still the reason those characters and worlds matter to me. Everything beyond them should offer a new reason to enjoy them, not just another reason to spend money.
Jon Scarr
Enjoying our coverage? Add 4ScarrsGaming as a Preferred Source on Google.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. Please stay respectful and on topic.