Do you run or own an arcade?

I want to know how many people here actually own arcades. I guess curiousity sparked after seeing people who own a heavenly number of cabs in that "candy cab" thread, I took the hint that some of these people might have their own arcades in operation and I want to see how many actually do. So without further ado, I bid you to leave your comments in this thread and vote in the attached poll.

A lot of us have machines fro home use.... But I don't think anyone runs an arcade...

No. I always dreamed of having one, but only if I was already quite wealthy and did it for fun. Being that I am on the east coast and serious arcades are few and far between. Once the flood season is finally over and my grandmother moves I will purchase my first cab.

I used to be the manager of a Flushing arcade during the 2nd half of 2003.

Didn't know which choice that would fall under, so I didn't vote...

Nope, I would like have to some cabs in my house for my own use, but, I don't have room now. Maybe when I get my own crib...

An arcade that I knew existed for at least twenty years just shut down and boy was it in a sad state the last time I visited.... The NEXT GEN consoles have finally killed the arcade scene completely...
There was a time when the ARCADE scene would always stay a step ahead of console development for at least one and a half to two years but the gap closed in rapidly.
What about the interactive stuff?? Without adult supervision this stuff would get vadalized and abused.Unfortunately we live in a SUE HAPPY society so real creativity goes out the window in favor of less complex gadgets which in turn have people losing interest quickly.
A classic arcade would fail because that would cater to those in their thirties and fourties and no need to further esplain.
They have one guy in our area that throws private kiddie parties at an Arcade Machine Repair Warehouse he has which is probably ideal because you don't have to worry about the kids breaking the machines no matter how rough they are. He also rents and sells to the public which I gather is successful because he's been around for 15 years or longer... I guess his lack of integrity contributes to his longevity as well.
-BB

Nope. I'd like to but I'm always seeing arcades close so I couldn't afford it. One I used to go to at a mall just recently got closed and it had great fighting games in there .

If I ever won the Lottery (impossible since I don't play), I'd open an arcade and keep it going until all the money is gone.

Just like the farmer.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the MAME MACHINES aka ROM Madness....
This stuff has all but killed the arcade scene as well..
I've played PAC-MAN and Mr.DO! via ROMZ like when this stuff exploded onto the scene a couple of years back and those 8 bit games appeared to have translated perfectly back then.
-BB

I plotted out a business strategy to open an arcade, even found some space to lease out, but it would be just too costly on my part to keep an arcade up and running.

I think the combination of the Next Gen power, piracy, the introvert nature of the average gamer, and niche only appeal have killed arcades.

The Next Gen provides impressive graphics and elaborate story lines that rival blockbuster movies. Arcade games cannot compete with the complexity of console/PC games. Arcade games have to be quick and simple, no 20-40 hour masterpieces.

Piracy really hit the arcade market hard. Why drop 25-50cents a play when I can just download the ROM and play for free, whenever I want. Also with the inclusion of clients like Kaillera killed the need to go visit the arcade to get human competition.

The introvert nature of the gamer ties directly with the first two points. The gamer is typically not a social person and would perfer to remain home, then go out. So if the gamer can get amazing console/PC games, download the latest ROMs at no cost, and get competition via online, why would they feel the need to go out and interact with other gamers? Even the few arcades I visit now no one ever talks, they just stoicly play the game and maybe say "good game."

Lastly, arcade games cater to such a niche audience. Look at arcade games prior to the crash. Pac-Man, Frogger, Space Invaders, Breakout, Donkey Kong, Galaga, and so on. All these games had something in common, mass appeal. There were more then just gamers playing, but the casual person on their lunch/coffee break, having a few drinks at the bar, and while waiting for their table at a restaurant. So now past the crash and focus on the "fighting game era." The games were simple on the surface, but dedicated gamers mastered them very quickly and forced out any casual person, because of the rentless whuppings the gamer (us) would put on the casual gamer. In conclusion, I really haven't met a person who didn't like Pac-Man, but you'd be hard pressed to run into a random person on the street who enjoys a game of KOF02.

So yeah, arcades are in a sad state of affairs and I don't know what can be done to reverse it. The "new" arcade was the LAN gaming, but know with high-speed internet readily available and affordable, the LAN centers are going by the way side.

I still say that Lazy Opps destroyed the industry more than anything else.

People get into it because they think it will be easy money.....

norton9478 said:

I still say that Lazy Opps destroyed the industry more than anything else.

People get into it because they think it will be easy money.....

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There is some truth here as well. I've had the displeasure of dealing with plenty of "these people" in the past and their mentality was strictly "money driven".
I don't have a problem with that but it's times like these where their lack of creativity and dedication gets EXPOSED on a daily as we see arcades in the US collapse like dominoes.
-BB

BIG BEAR said:

What about the interactive stuff?? Without adult supervision this stuff would get vadalized and abused.Unfortunately we live in a SUE HAPPY society so real creativity goes out the window in favor of less complex gadgets which in turn have people losing interest quickly.

Click to expand...

Man I miss Sonic Blast Man.

The shop that I own started out as as an arcade center up unti it evolved to a lan/internet cafe. I remember it peaked during the time the following games were popular...Kof 98, Tekken Tag and Marvel vs Capcom 1. We had them on Mega-lo 50 units and customers would spend the whole day swapping from one game to another. Capcom and Namco were the favs here and Kof along with Metal Slug were the only Snk games that had a "mass" following. SamSho and Real Bout were almost unnoticed. The final units we had were Vf4 and Soul Calibur as the market went down. Enter a computer came called Counter Strike that nearly converted every arcade gamer to a compuer freak. We "switched" to keep up with the times and now the center no longer holds any arcade unit but rather houses 90 pc's and still growing. 60 right now are dedicated to games while the other 30 are internet surf boats.

Arcades are now found in major malls but it seems karaoke and music related units gain more attention. Fighting games still have a dedicated following here and I think it's going to stay even though the market is not what it used to be. The release of Tekken 5 brought back a level of interest and SvC Chaos along with Kof 98, 2002 and Sf third strike still have loyal fans .

The reason for the decline of the arcades here was or may be the result of one or more of the following.

1. FPS games on the Pc are more popular with the high school crowd while RTS and RPG games sit well with college students.

2. MMORPG games like Ragnarok, Mu-online and Tantra are played by everyone.

3. The arrival of the Dreamcast and the "Utopia" boot disk got everybody to play the "Arcade" at home.

4. The cost of "pirated" Ps2 and X-box games brought these consoles to a larger audience and people are happy with the boot ports.

The long and short of it is simply - Arcades are not what they used to be here in the Philippines and it's sad that I see no growth now or in the near future.

On a side note if you guys ever go here do shoot me a pm and I'll show you home based "backyard" arcade shops with good conditioned cabs that would cost you 15,000 pesos that's less than 300Usd. Most are old capcom and sega cabs and some Neo cabs as well.

my dad and my uncle run an operator shindig called Ferris Music Service up here in Maine. They do arcade games, pool tables, jukeboxs, golden tee's, darts, fooz, and redemption.

Now, it is clearly evident that the industry is dying, but it is not dead yet. And I firmly believe that the Arcade gaming industry itself will always live in one form or another. Take for instance, dancing games. Is the general public more likely to plunk down 60+ dollars for a DDR game + a dance mat so they can use the novelty at home, or are the more oft to spend a dollar one the huge, actual machine, with the flashing lights, and booming base?
Another point, redemption games, with the beautiful tickets sprawling out at you, and hopes of soon being able to finally get the 10,000 ticket prize that cost 4o bucks in quarters, but would only cost 10 bucks in wal mart?
There has been, and always will be, an experience like no other, the uniqueness, and creativity, in arcades, whether they be a gold, dance, or racing game, that one simply cannot enjoy at home. I do believe that the standard JAMMA PCB, as it has come to be known, is obsolete, and so is the simple act of converting a game by simply installing a new cartridge and marquee (sadly) yes, it is true that operators are really having to shell out big bucks to buy the newest and most innovative pieces to stay afloat, and the pressure on the companies has sadly forced names like konami, capcom, data east, nintendo, and others out of the arcade gaming industry. But there is still hope. With some newer, smaller companies coming out with innovative , fun, and quick coin games, with stern still pumping out strong and popular pinballs, and with names like namco, sega, and Vortex, and Raw Thrills, the arcade industry, in my strong opinion, is a far distance away from dying.
So remember, if your out there, and see any games just wanting a quarter to feed its family, you be glad, be proud, and donate to the last great gaming haven that is the arcade.

Moose said:

my dad and my uncle run an operator shindig called Ferris Music Service up here in Maine. They do arcade games, pool tables, jukeboxs, golden tee's, darts, fooz, and redemption.

Now, it is clearly evident that the industry is dying, but it is not dead yet. And I firmly believe that the Arcade gaming industry itself will always live in one form or another. Take for instance, dancing games. Is the general public more likely to plunk down 60+ dollars for a DDR game + a dance mat so they can use the novelty at home, or are the more oft to spend a dollar one the huge, actual machine, with the flashing lights, and booming base?
Another point, redemption games, with the beautiful tickets sprawling out at you, and hopes of soon being able to finally get the 10,000 ticket prize that cost 4o bucks in quarters, but would only cost 10 bucks in wal mart?
There has been, and always will be, an experience like no other, the uniqueness, and creativity, in arcades, whether they be a gold, dance, or racing game, that one simply cannot enjoy at home. I do believe that the standard JAMMA PCB, as it has come to be known, is obsolete, and so is the simple act of converting a game by simply installing a new cartridge and marquee (sadly) yes, it is true that operators are really having to shell out big bucks to buy the newest and most innovative pieces to stay afloat, and the pressure on the companies has sadly forced names like konami, capcom, data east, nintendo, and others out of the arcade gaming industry. But there is still hope. With some newer, smaller companies coming out with innovative , fun, and quick coin games, with stern still pumping out strong and popular pinballs, and with names like namco, sega, and Vortex, and Raw Thrills, the arcade industry, in my strong opinion, is a far distance away from dying.
So remember, if your out there, and see any games just wanting a quarter to feed its family, you be glad, be proud, and donate to the last great gaming haven that is the arcade.

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Beautiful.

I have owned a couple of video game stores. The first one I owned had several arcade machines in it. You would have to have a lot of traffic to just own an arcade. Even the arcades in the malls I go to have either gone away or down sized.

I now own another video game store but it is too small to put any machines in it.

Athlon64 said:

The shop that I own started out as as an arcade center up unti it evolved to a lan/internet cafe. I remember it peaked during the time the following games were popular...Kof 98, Tekken Tag and Marvel vs Capcom 1. We had them on Mega-lo 50 units and customers would spend the whole day swapping from one game to another. Capcom and Namco were the favs here and Kof along with Metal Slug were the only Snk games that had a "mass" following. SamSho and Real Bout were almost unnoticed. The final units we had were Vf4 and Soul Calibur as the market went down. Enter a computer came called Counter Strike that nearly converted every arcade gamer to a compuer freak. We "switched" to keep up with the times and now the center no longer holds any arcade unit but rather houses 90 pc's and still growing. 60 right now are dedicated to games while the other 30 are internet surf boats.

Arcades are now found in major malls but it seems karaoke and music related units gain more attention. Fighting games still have a dedicated following here and I think it's going to stay even though the market is not what it used to be. The release of Tekken 5 brought back a level of interest and SvC Chaos along with Kof 98, 2002 and Sf third strike still have loyal fans .

The reason for the decline of the arcades here was or may be the result of one or more of the following.

1. FPS games on the Pc are more popular with the high school crowd while RTS and RPG games sit well with college students.

2. MMORPG games like Ragnarok, Mu-online and Tantra are played by everyone.

3. The arrival of the Dreamcast and the "Utopia" boot disk got everybody to play the "Arcade" at home.

4. The cost of "pirated" Ps2 and X-box games brought these consoles to a larger audience and people are happy with the boot ports.

The long and short of it is simply - Arcades are not what they used to be here in the Philippines and it's sad that I see no growth now or in the near future.

On a side note if you guys ever go here do shoot me a pm and I'll show you home based "backyard" arcade shops with good conditioned cabs that would cost you 15,000 pesos that's less than 300Usd. Most are old capcom and sega cabs and some Neo cabs as well.

Click to expand...

Wow that's awesome. You're in the Philippines right? Angeles City? I used to live near Clark Airbase before Mt. Pinatubo hit. I remember crowds around Samurai Showdown 2 and Virtua Fighter 3 back in the early 90s. Yeah counterstrike hit like a bomb. A few years ago I had some relatives from the PI come and visit and immediately they passed my arcade games and asked if I had counterstrike. Luckily I had a computer room w/ a couple machines loaded w/ it. They played that game til they passed out.

.

StealthLurker said:

Wow that's awesome. You're in the Philippines right? Angeles City? I used to live near Clark Airbase before Mt. Pinatubo hit. I remember crowds around Samurai Showdown 2 and Virtua Fighter 3 back in the early 90s. Yeah counterstrike hit like a bomb. A few years ago I had some relatives from the PI come and visit and immediately they passed my arcade games and asked if I had counterstrike. Luckily I had a computer room w/ a couple machines loaded w/ it. They played that game til they passed out.

.

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That's great, our arcade was located inside the Virra Mall Center at San Juan Metro Manila.

Now with Counter Strike Source and Condition Zero plus a never ending wave of MMORPG's a small lan shop with just 10-15 computers would beat most mid-size arcade centers.

Gameoz said:

I have owned a couple of video game stores. The first one I owned had several arcade machines in it. You would have to have a lot of traffic to just own an arcade. Even the arcades in the malls I go to have either gone away or down sized.

I now own another video game store but it is too small to put any machines in it.

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What's your video game store? Is it in the Twin Cities?

Athlon64 said:

That's great, our arcade was located inside the Virra Mall Center at San Juan Metro Manila.

Now with Counter Strike Source and Condition Zero plus a never ending wave of MMORPG's a small lan shop with just 10-15 computers would beat most mid-size arcade centers.

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That's a logical argument and you're right. Imagine what the condition of arcades would be in South Korea with almost everyone playing MMORPGs and that being a profession in itself as well...

Nope don't have the time or the money.

Maybe one day i'll get one just to use at home, or i'll go the (Supergun) route.

I think that it is also a matter of arcade venors/owners/operators not being able to re-make and re-invent themselves and change with the times. I mean their customer service and people skills are horrible especially if you are just a private person who wants PCB's and not an actual arcade operator who wants to do business with them. GOOD LUCK getting them to move. I have personally experienced this. They will keep saying they will look for the PCBs you ask for but they never get back to you. I mean they don't make money in actual arcades as it is so you would think that when someone comes to them they will try to sell them all the PCBs they ask for. I can only imagine how they treat other customers.
Another factor is that arcades are just stagnant and don't try innovative things to get people to play like tourneys or something which will entice a crowd to come in especially those into fighting games. The industry is extremely slow, and it's not exactly an industry that works well with deadlines as they seem to work at their own pace oblivious to the outside world around them. I mean how many times have you seen a broken joystick on a cabinet in an arcade and come back week after week and see that same joystick still broken!!!

Eric Straven said:

That's a logical argument and you're right. Imagine what the condition of arcades would be in South Korea with almost everyone playing MMORPGs and that being a profession in itself as well...

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True and very true our top Pc games by the way are all Korean.

Ex. Mu-online and Ragnarok.

Another arcade "killer" here would be the Ps2 and X-box rental which is like 10 pesos an hour. 1 U.S dollar = 55 Pesos so you could do the math.

Athlon64 said:

True and very true our top Pc games by the way are all Korean.

Ex. Mu-online and Ragnarok.

Another arcade "killer" here would be the Ps2 and X-box rental which is like 10 pesos an hour. 1 U.S dollar = 55 Pesos so you could do the math.

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I remember being in Manila in the mid 90's and being amazed at the arcades there as there were a ton of fighting games and a ton of people just watching and playing. It was just so much more lively compared to the US arcades as they were already beginning their decline at that time. Not only that there were a bunch of arcades in every mall. I guess it couldn't last long as the scene just got oversaturated with arcades and naturally a lot of them had to go out of business. And of course I guess PC's are a lot more dynamic and practical if you look at it from a business/store owner perspective.