is the average arcade going bankrupt because of computer and gaming systems?
 

Do you think there is still a big market for in town arcades? Or do you think they are now downsizing to clubs, bars and beach towns?

defintly
only gambling in bar have a future

there is a big market... but not for "average" arcades. :winkwink:
I'm performing a "small" test in two cities but can't explain more till next year.

The ones in the city here in Brisbane are always packed. Although i think they'd be wise to diversify a little.

They're still pretty big in suburbia. The kids see it as a meeting place more than anything. They deal dope and talk about the next party, etc.

I worked in the arcade business for 25 yrs as an electronic tech.
It is a dieing industry for sure.

It's inevitable that as the technology gets better at home than in the arcades things will change but there will be a few that stay around and do well if they are smart...

I think internet gaming cafes are the future

DH

In the 80's I always remembered arcades as having cool games because they appeared better, the sound was cool and screens were large.

Kids now adays have games on better TV's, better graphics, and games where they can sit down and play for hours without having to start from the beginning each time.

What would work these days is like a bar type thing but for teens. Have some arcade games, tvs, pool tables, air hockey tables, and then have some hot 21 yr old girls serving drinks and shit. Teens have an almost endless cashflow with todays average parents.

There are lot's of those type of places where I live :glugglug

Average? No. But even here in hillbilly land, there's guys who opened up a computer-driven arcade. Bunch of gaming machines, big screens, multi-player fun - and it's a safe, supervised place that parents can drop off their kids, and return for them later, with a sign-in / sign-out process for safety.

My step son has all the major game machines, and more games than you can shake a stick at (I'm a PlayStation 2 / Ratchet & Clank / GranTurismo 3 fan), but he still likes to go to this spot and interact with his peers.

In this example, it's much like online porn - innovation prospers, a lack of it, dies...

Cough cough... Game works?

yea something like that

So long as dope dealers need to launder their money, they will need cash based businesses as fronts.

So average size arcades still have some years ahead of them :Graucho

If your interested in innovation you have got to check this out. Its a LAN gaming center except they have 73 inch projector screens and go all the way up to a 13 foot screen. Your favoraite computer and video games on a 13 foot screen!

On top of it they have a 360 degree globe they are working on. This shit is definately innovative. If I had the time and money I know where I would be investing it right now.

Nearly 10 years ago I visited a virtual reality "cave" at Argon national labs. They had 3D glasses you wore. That was very impressive stuff -- and that was back in the days the original Doom was top of the line.

There is some serious potential here. I suspect with about $10,000 you could set something like this up. Too bad the people with patents will be the ones making all the money :ak47:

Nobody is going to pay 50 cents per play for a game that is just as good at home as it is in the arcade.

But how many people have in their homes those games where you sit on the bike to steer, or ride the jet ski, or shoot with a gun, or something like Dance Revolution?

Once you add that physical aspect, that's something you'll have to go to the arcade to expierence.

Look around, it's these games that people play the most there.

Of course it's cool shit - it's in New Hampshire (where I'm from) :thumbsup

Don't let the "Mount Shasta" bit fool you, I'm only in California for the Gold :winkwink:

The hottest game now is Duunscape played online.

I was watching my kid play it the other day and there were 57,000 kids dueling together.

I never even heard of it.

Gambling have future . Not arcades

That is why arcades will always be here. :) Most arcade games cannot be replicated for home use, and when it is, it's not the same feeling.

<shhh...>

yes, gamecenters are very lucrative.

thats why i bought the domain gamecenters.com earlier this year. perfect combination of offline & online. money machine.

</shhh....>

:winkwink:

The arcades which have seen trade drop have already closed.

The ones which are still open are mainly used to launder money.

I came very close to setting one up a few years ago.. But it's a hard biz and you have to know what you are doing and defiantly need to do more than just the gaming end. I used to be a heavy gamer and at the same time I was thinking of it, a few of the guys I used to play online with, started their first one.. They now have three in cali. ixcafe.com

lol so I guess it's the same old deal you can think about it or you can do it.. :1orglaugh However to my defense at the time I had way too much going on and I couldn't of done it anyway.

On its own, game arcades are a dying breed, now having one with a batting cage will keep it in business for years to come.