Universal Studios Japan has pushed back the opening of its Nintendo theme park in Japan.

As reported by Bloomberg, the opening of the area was scheduled for this summer, but the coronavirus outbreak has caused a postponement. Comcast NBCUniversal – owners of the amusement park – are expected to make a formal announcement in the coming days.

It is believed that the firm will still hope for a 2020 opening date as construction is nearing its end. The partnership between Nintendo and Universal was formed in 2015; the agreement will see Nintendo-themed areas placed within Universal theme parks worldwide.

Back on track

The hope for Nintendo is that sales for its products will be boosted as more consumers discover popular characters created by the Japanese firm. Initially, the Osaka-based park was set to open before the Tokyo Olympics 2020. However, the sports event is now set for 2021.

The theme park may be on the back burner for the time being, but Nintendo is able to take steps in the right direction in regards to its Switch hardware. In the near future, the Japanese firm believes that production for the console will return to normal, following the impact caused by the coronavirus.