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Space Pirate Nithiel wrote on 2014-08-23 10:29
Do you think arcades can make money in the modern gaming environment?
From what I have seen looking around, some arcade consoles can cost upwards of $20,000. One machine alone would take 40,000 plays to pay off. Now you need about 30 of those. Plus a building. Plus electricity. Plus employees. Etc. Etc.
Can a business that lives off quarters survive in a world where nearly every house in the country already has one or more gaming devices?
I mean, you occasionally see a bowling alley or a restaurant with a game room, but I can't remember the last time I saw a full out arcade, wall to wall games, black lights, etc.
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Froglord of DESTINY!!! wrote on 2014-08-23 11:29
Actually, japan has some of the biggest arcades devoted to test and preview games before they hit consoles or pc.
It's one of the best ways to showcase new games to the public. Ninentdo does this a lot, they host their own arcades for new upcoming titles and platforms.
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Osayidan wrote on 2014-08-23 13:04
It can work, but you need to take a more modern approach.
Instead of decrepit arcade machines that belong in a museum have more modern installations with changeable games, and be equipped to run small LAN parties and that type of thing for doing events to attract crowds. Also have a good location for your building (near colleges/highschools or in the middle of town possibly). Basically a social gaming hangout.
It also doesn't have to entirely run on quarters, charge a flat fee per game title you want to play at your table.
Also food. Gamers want food. Give it to them in exchange for currency.
You should also have some classic arcade machines just to give it that atmosphere but don't focus your business on those, but paying 20k for them seems ridiculous. You can probably buy them pretty cheap (relative to 20k) from those bowling alley places who have probably had them since the late 80's and don't care anymore.
I don't know if that can still be called an arcade, but it achieves the same goal: bunch of people coming to one place to hangout and play videogames for more money than they're worth.
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Qnjo wrote on 2014-08-24 12:19
I don't think that arcades work outside of Japan anymore. The only ones in my country are 15-20 years old and people go there only to play pool or air hockey nowadays. What's getting more popular though, is what Osayidan talks about: bars with retail gaming consoles where you can play Mario Kart with friends or sit back while drinking a beer and watch half-naked ladies fight in Dead or Alive.
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BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2014-08-25 10:15
Quote from Osayidan;1242442:
.
http://www.daveandbusters.com/default.aspx
They're a chain of bars with food, alcohol, arcade games, and ticket prizes.
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Splatulated wrote on 2014-09-02 09:10
Quote from BobYoMeowMeow;1242777:
http://www.daveandbusters.com/default.aspx
They're a chain of bars with food, alcohol, arcade games, and ticket prizes.
come too canadaaaa
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boonhobo wrote on 2014-09-02 22:40
They are in Canada