My thoughts on why arcades died and how they could come back

[J T]

I posted this in response to this article at Kotaku, but I thought it would be worth discussing here.



What made arcades great was the social comraderie.

Joining up with a buddy in NBA Jam and talking absolute smack to any and all chumps that dared challenge you (regardless of your talent). Knocking off a line of Street Fighter II contenders in a smashing winning streak. Watching and learning as someone deftly maneuvers through a wave of bullets in Raiden and cheering them on.

The industry seems to think that arcades died out because consoles began to equal or outmatch the graphics of their arcade counterparts, but that's not what really happened. Arcades died out because people stopped going to them. Now I know that kind of sounds like silly circular reasoning, but hear me out. You went because that's where your friends were at and it gave you something to do together that was fun. There was kind of a breaking point when there just weren't enough people to there to warrant going, so everyone collectively stopped and arcades died.

The industry's response was to introduce a bunch of arcade machines that gave you experiences your home consoles could not. In other words, arcade machines added on a bunch of gimmicky peripheral crap that allowed you to pretend you were skiing, riding a wave runner, pedaling a bicycle, or riding on a skateboard. The trouble was, the majority of these games were just curiosities. They didn't add to the social nature of arcade gaming. In fact, they took away from it. There's no way you can play a game like Final Furlong, the horse racing simulator, and not be mercilessly (and justifiably) ridiculed by your peers. You just can't.



If arcades want to come back now, they need to provide a social experience that is enhanced by face-to-face interaction that wouldn't be replicable online. You need to be able to brag, high five, talk smack, watch and learn, etc. They also need game developers willing to create arcade exclusive titles, like the new Canabalt 2 player. That's the kind of stuff that would get me back out into the arcades again, and I think it's why most of us miss them.

[Balasubbie]

Interesting points, and true, to some extent. A retro shop in Dublin added an operative SFII cab and the promise of tournaments to its inventory and the place is now the darling
of the city's scene. I mean, why'd anyone want to play a nearly twenty year old game if not for the social experience? You can get a home version for the price of a cup of coffee, so it's certainly not strictly gameplay related.

[Bradtemple87]

I just had an arcade conversation with a buddy a couple days ago explaining some of what you mentioned. I miss being a kid watching the older gamers play.

[k.vlaros]

You're right... that is circular logic! "The value of arcades is social interaction. People stopped going to arcades because people stopped going to arcades." Still, though, I'm with you and the above example of a crusty old SF cab and organized tournys (with at least some advertising and some loud music and maybe snacks or a raffle) is something that would draw me out in to public gaming again.

And now that there is an ample population of "adult" (used in quotes because, well, have you read the posts on most gaming message boards) aged gamers, I for one would like an IPA with my Virtua Cop!

[hashiriya1]

The industry seems to think that arcades died out because consoles began to equal or outmatch the graphics of their arcade counterparts, but that's not what really happened.

That's the reason I stopped going. I can say the same with all of my friends who I gamed with back then.


I was in 6th grade when Street Fighter II was released in arcades. My friends and I did everything we could to play. We'd scrounge up loose change during the week, and play on the weekends. As time went on, local liquor stores and pizza joints got SFII machines and we were playing daily. This went on until SFII hit the home consoles. When SFII came out for SNES, my friends and I who always went to the arcades or liquor stores to play SFII stopped going. We just gathered at people's houses instead. All of our rivals and allies we knew at the arcades did the same. We still went to the arcade if we wanted new competition but everybody knew each other at the local arcades. We started seeing them disappear as consoles became stronger. The only time we went to arcades now is if there was a new Street Fighter game that wasn't released on consoles yet. By the time arcade-perfect Street Fighter ports were being released on the PS1, there was no reason to pay-per-play when we can play as much as we want at home.

As someone who experienced the arcade fighting game era at its peak, I can say that I prefer online play with people around the world than just being limited to people in my immediate area. Sure, I met lots of people playing at arcades, but those were just acquaintances who I never saw again once arcades died. The existing friends I went to arcades with as a child are still around and we still play fighting games (among other games), only now we play online or at each others' houses. It's nice to reminisce about the good old days, but this is life and things change.

As far as Japanese arcades, my experience with them has been very different . I was a regular a several arcades but that camaraderie you make with people in American arcades is almost non-existent. There were other regulars and we see each other all the time, but nobody really talked to each other. That's just how people are over there. Which is why in Japanse arcades you are not standing/sitting side-by-side with your rival, he or she on the opposite side of the cabinet. In most cases, you don't even know who you fought. Arcades are alive and kicking in Japan, but if you actually go to one you see why. Most of the people are high school kids playing UFO catchers, rhythm/gimmick games. Adults are playing race horse management simulators, soccer management simulators, card games, and all ages are playing non-gambling pachinko, slot, and other medal games to win prizes. Street Fighter IV is in the corner collecting dust. If you're lucky, you'll see a bunch of guys playing Tekken 6.

[jfrost]

Charge less for coins.

[MidnightRider]

While we're on the subject of arcades, not too long ago I was watching some episodes of the Icons series, that played on G4, from Emuparadise. From what I could piece together out of it, was there was a huge surge in popularity of arcades in '81, due to Pac-Man, but by the end of '82 after the crappy 2600 port, and after a temporary resurgence of popularity with Ms. Pac-Man, arcades started dieing out by the thousands.

Anyone know, or know a good site, or book, or something that explains what happened from there? I mean when stuff like Marble Madness, Gauntlet, Double Dragon, Final Fight, Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat hit, did arcades reopen, or did they just make what was left more popular to visit?

[the King]

For those of us in our early thirties/late twenties(the Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat players) what we remember was at the tale end of the arcade era anyways. Arcades did die because you could play Pacman or Donkey Kong at home once the NES hit. Donkey Kong on the 2600 wasn't even close to same game as what you played in the arcade. but that all changed with the NES. You still had the social aspect at home with your friends, it was just at someone's house instead of at the arcade. Arcades as they were are never going to come back. It's just one of those things as technology advances it's usefulness ran out like travel agents or movie rental stores right now.

[Jrecee]

What do we call dave and busters?

I think arcades can return, but they have to be more than just arcades. There has to be more incentive to go to them. I saw the post about the arcade in brookfield where you pay $15 to get in and all the games are free. It seems like a step in the right direction, but what if it was $10 to get in, and they served alcohol and pizza? What if there were lounges with couches, and live music on the weekends? I'd go somewhere like that.

[the7k]

Charge less for coins.

The way I see it, the best way to make money with arcades these days is to think outside the box. Maybe have rooms set up for PC/console LAN parties. Sell some product. Charge a cover fee.

And, ya know, figure out a way to get people in. Anything to get people in. Tournaments, contests, catered food, beer pong, whatever works.