[Photo] Mario Outlet Building 1 to be Reborn as a Gaming and Anime Complex

[포토] 게임·애니 복합 공간으로 거듭날 마리오 아울렛 1관

gamemeca • Kim Hyung Jong 게임메카 김형종 기자 2026.04.29 18:05 UTC+9

AI Summary

Mario Outlet is transforming into an IP cultural hub starting May 1st. Major gaming firms like Sega and Square Enix will host pop-up shops and exhibits. The venue features interactive zones, retro museums, and enough merchandise to drain your wallet.

Mario Outlet is undergoing a transformation. From May 1st, it is set to evolve into an IP-based cultural complex, teaming up with the MGM IP Universe 2026. Head up to the 5th floor of Mario Outlet Building 1, and you will find a host of gaming and content giants—think Sega, Koei Tecmo, Square Enix, SAMG, and Makestar—all setting up shop to sell their merchandise and offer interactive experiences.

I managed to get a sneak peek at the 5th-floor pop-up stores before the grand opening, and frankly, my wallet is already trembling. The sheer volume of merchandise is designed to test your willpower, though the hands-on events are the real draw. A special shout-out to the 'Sega: The History of Fun' mini-museum, where retro treasures like the Dreamcast are waiting to hit you right in the nostalgia.

▲ The Mario Outlet Building 1, soon to be a new IP-based cultural complex (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Stepping onto the 5th floor, it is immediately clear this is gamer territory (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth collaboration cafe (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Plenty of menu options to peruse (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Just look at the brilliance of these cocktails (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ The Sega pop-up store (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ A glimpse of the various merchandise on offer (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ It is not just Sonic, of course (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Yakuza makes an appearance too (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ The place is packed with popular game series like Persona (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Square Enix takes center stage, dominated by Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy 7 (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Neatly arranged, adorable plushies (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Figures of the main cast, including Cloud and Yuffie (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Over in the Dragon Quest zone (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ It is absolutely teeming with those charmingly vacant-looking Slimes (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ You can even get some hands-on time with titles on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ The Koei Tecmo store, inspected personally by CEO Hisashi Koinuma (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Plenty of goods from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dynasty Warriors, and Dead or Alive, but (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ The real highlights are the heroines from the Atelier series (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Plus, there is a spread of Makestar albums (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ And the bold presence of Catch Teenieping is quite something (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Guaranteed to put your savings to the test (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Finally, the Sega mini-museum (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ From obscure vintage machines and titles (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ It is rare to see such treasures on display (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Things get a bit more familiar here (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Featuring the Sega Saturn and (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Virtua Cop, famous for that 'somebody help me' line (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ The Sega Dreamcast, a console many of us will fondly remember (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Even the Shenmue title is here (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ A truly faithful and jam-packed exhibition (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Sega CEO Shuji Utsumi is also taking a look around (Image source: Gamemeca)

▲ Mario Outlet has truly created a space filled with history and culture (Image source: Gamemeca)

마리오 아울렛이 오는 5월 1일부터 MGM IP 유니버스 2026과 함께 IP 복합 문화 공간으로 변화할 예정이다. 마리오 아울렛 1관 5층에는 세가, 코에이 테크모, 스퀘어 에닉스, SAMG, 메이크스타 등 여러 게임 및 콘텐츠 기업이 입점해 관련 상품을 판매하고 체험형 공간도 선보일 예정이다.

개장에 앞서 마리오 아울렛 5층 현장에 들어가 팝업스토어를 살필 기회를 얻었다. 현장에서는 수많은 관련 상품이 구매 욕구를 부추겼으며, 체험형 이벤트의 면모 역시 확인할 수 있었다. 특히 '세가: 더 히스토리 오브 펀' 미니 뮤지엄에서는 '드림캐스트' 등 고전 기기들이 방문객들을 반기며 향수를 자극했다.