Video arcades' last gasp

Picked this up at arcadecontrols.com

Diana Thompson hears Space Invaders in her head. She hears them in her sleep, marching ever downward, clomping ever closer. She hears them on her way to work. She hears them at work. And when they stop, for even a second, when there's the slightest glitch in their relentless stomp, when their incessant dun-dun-dun-dun hiccups, she hears that too. Thompson has worked at Gameland in Lake Geneva, Wis., for 12 years. Most days, most hours, especially during the off-season, she's alone with this cacophony of ancient coin-operated arcade games... Hit the link to read the rest of this article at the Chicago Tribune - interesting and more than a bit sad

http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_news.php/2643

What's really depressing isn't the closing or during the auction, it's the auction aftermath. After all the machines have been sold and the majority have been loaded out and you walk around the establishment that hours before was brimming with lights and sounds, is now empty. All that's left are the flourescent light fixtures and high traffic carpet littered with tickets, auction pamphlets and machine parts. There's an eerie silence as you realize 20 years ago this place was alive with patrons, now just empty retail space.

That said, I wouldn't mind attending the auction at the mentioned arcade. If you ever wanted to buy classic machines, now is the time. I could see 5 years from now large scale auctions are going to be a thing of the past. Too bad considering you can start a classic arcade collection for dirt cheap. for the price of 1 new Galaga/ms pacman anniversary machine, I've acquired a dedicated Moon Patrol, Frogger, Centipede, Gyruss, Galaga, and Tempest.

SamuraiShodownSensei said:

I've acquired a dedicated Moon Patrol, Frogger, Centipede, Gyruss, Galaga, and Tempest.

Click to expand...

nice collection