Do you think a comeback for the american arcade is possible?

[toredauei]

I love arcade style gameplay and it depresses me that I missed out on the age of arcades in the states. Do any of you think that a comeback is possible and under what circumstances? Why has the japanese arcade scene survived so long?

[Hatta]

I certainly won't go to an arcade that costs more than $0.25 per play. I don't see why arcades don't realize this. Sure at $1/play you get 4x the cash per play. But at $0.25 per play, I'll play 20x as much.

Make it dirt ass cheap to play, and I'll end up spending more money than I think I will, just because each game is a negligible amount. If it costs any significant amount at all, I'll just play video games at home.

[gtmtnbiker]

I totally agree with what Hatta said. From a business view point, I can't comment if $.25 per game is enough to cover expenses and still earn a profit.

When I was growing up, arcades had better games and higher video quality. I'm not that you would see that difference anymore with the advances made in home video console gaming.

The other advantage of home gaming is the ability to play online against friends/strangers.

[jfrost]

Really, I've always wondered that, why the arcade scene seems to thrive in Japan despite all odds and not in the rest of the world.

I think it does have something to do with Japanese culture, but alluding only to that seems to be a lazy explanation.

In my experience, the arcades that still exist generally don't seem to push their strong points. For instance, I have never seen any shmup whatsoever in an arcade (not even one by SNK). Most games are fighting games or Metal Slug (which is awesome, but not everything).

Edit: I think the price of the play has a lot to do with one of the arcade's strong points. At $0.25 a play, it's much more likely that someone will come and play with you, even if it's a stranger. At $1, you're alone on the machine. If arcades want to emphasize single-player games, they're always going to lose against home consoles.

[Ack]

Actually, it's because up until the Wii's release, Japanese arcades could offer games that couldn't easily be brought to home consoles without specialty controllers. In fact, that's one of the reasons they survived while ours died out. Once home consoles were capable of producing arcade-quality gaming, the American arcade died out because we could play the things we wanted, and to get the really crazy stuff, an arcade owner or distribution company would have to pay exorbitant fees for shipping, on top of higher maintenance fees and the like. So American arcades weren't bringing in enough money and fell by the wayside.

Japanese arcades don't pay nearly as much, since their machines are housed there or in China. And since the original production companies are there and running many of the arcades(so costs are even less since they're not having to buy from a separate party), and their land area is so much smaller than the US, maintenance centers won't have to necessarily travel as far and there would be fewer, so lower rates would be ok. So, Japan starts making bigger machines to compete with home consoles. Now with the Wii's release, Japanese arcades are starting to suffer, hence why we've been hearing about closings of Sega and Namco arcades.

It may also have to do with the nature of the American arcade vs. the Japanese arcades. American arcades are generally dark, and were frankly often very dirty and seedy looking locations found in malls or strip-malls. Japanese arcades are often very large, well lit, and sponsored by major corporations who know that spending money on appearances can help you attract customers and make more money.

So no, I don't see the American arcade ever making a comeback.

[Hatta]

I can't comment if $.25 per game is enough to cover expenses and still earn a profit.

Unless your machines are saturated, I don't think it will make much difference. Cheaper games make people play more, so you earn more, up until the point when the machine is never unused. Only then does it make sense to raise prices.

American arcades are generally dark, and were frankly often very dirty and seedy looking locations found in malls or strip-malls.

But the atmosphere is the best part. Personally, I'd love to go to an arcade with a liquor license. That would make cheap games even more viable, as you can make up the difference on drinks. I see plenty of pool halls that serve drinks, so an arcade ought to work too. Unfortunately there's still that bias that video games are for kids.

[BigTinz]

no

[Ack]

But the atmosphere is the best part. Personally, I'd love to go to an arcade with a liquor license. That would make cheap games even more viable, as you can make up the difference on drinks. I see plenty of pool halls that serve drinks, so an arcade ought to work too. Unfortunately there's still that bias that video games are for kids.

That, and one spilled beer can cause you to lose a machine...

[nickfil]

But the atmosphere is the best part. Personally, I'd love to go to an arcade with a liquor license. That would make cheap games even more viable, as you can make up the difference on drinks. I see plenty of pool halls that serve drinks, so an arcade ought to work too. Unfortunately there's still that bias that video games are for kids.

That, and one spilled beer can cause you to lose a machine...

and yet dave and buster's thrives. I think the american arcade just needs to be rebranded and remarketed. Just having an arcade isn't working anymore. You need to make it appeal to adults more as the average age of gamers rise. D&B is an example of that. Booze. Food. Games. Even though the prices are high and most of the people there are kinda douchebags... it is really fun getting trashed and playing time crisis.

Plus, i feel like most arcades in America didn't get a lot of newer machines. Once they open, that is pretty much it. I would love to play some house of the dead IV special, but i can't find one locally. I think there is only one in America out in Nevada somewhere.

[DCsegaDH]

I love arcade style gameplay and it depresses me that I missed out on the age of arcades in the states. Do any of you think that a comeback is possible and under what circumstances? Why has the japanese arcade scene survived so long?

I miss arcades too,I'm 23 so I grew up when MK and SF was ruling the scene.I remember people lining up playing MK3 and I was in the opposite side playing Virtua Fighter 2! The arcade scene in Japan is different because it still has demand for 2D and that's was wrong in the USA,it costs too much money to keep up the newer technology and the price for each play will go up and I don't think people will pay a lot for something they play for that short of time.I don't think it will go back to being popular again,but at least you have the choice of building a Mame or buying a real arcade cabinet if you can find a cheap deal.