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Pong/Atari/Chuck E. Cheese creator attempts to reinvent the concept of an arcade
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nipsmg:

--- Quote from: ScoopKW on August 10, 2005, 01:34:18 pm ---I don't think the problem lies in the fact that this generation plays on Xbox. It's the fact that nobody is going to pay $1-10 per hour (depending on how good you are) to play tetris.

ScoopKW

--- End quote ---

At most of the bars I go to, the megatouch machines get a LOT of play, and I mean A LOT.

It's a great thing to do when you're out at a bar, and they have many multiplayer games that a lot of people play, although it's usually taking turns, not simultaneous (which is more fun for players a lot of the time).

And the games on the megatouch a lot of times are even LESS COMPLICATED than tetris.

I.E:
PhotoHunt - Touch where the picture is different.
Tri-Towers - Touch cards higher or lower than yours
Card/Castle Bandits - Touch cards higher or lower than yours.

And people pump dollar after dollar into these.  If the games he has are even half as engaging as these games, people will chomp at the bit to pay $3 an hour to play as much as they want, or as littlie as they want, cause you can easly blow through $3 in 15 mins on a megatouch.

--NipsMG
tristan:
You have no idea how popular those places are in Dallas.


--- Quote from: RayB on August 10, 2005, 02:26:13 pm ---This reminds me of how a local place called "The Frag Shop" just opened up. It's basically a lan gaming center. We'll see if they stay in business. In my opinion, if you're into PC gaming, chances are you have net access. Why pay to go to some place to do the same thing?



--- End quote ---
Hoopz:

--- Quote from: Havok on August 10, 2005, 02:42:20 pm ---
--- Quote from: RayB on August 10, 2005, 02:26:13 pm ---This reminds me of how a local place called "The Frag Shop" just opened up. It's basically a lan gaming center. We'll see if they stay in business. In my opinion, if you're into PC gaming, chances are you have net access. Why pay to go to some place to do the same thing?



--- End quote ---

We had something exactly like that, in one of the malls here. Lasted 10 months, then closed up...

I can't see this business model working. People just don't do arcades for socialization anymore. I would say just make it a bar. Alcohol and games mix well:

--- End quote ---

In Indianapolis, we have several places that are basically LAN bars.
RandyT:

--- Quote from: HooPZ on August 10, 2005, 03:20:33 pm ---The roadblock here is that people may go to these things once or twice and it will be fun.  But the average person wont make a point to go there consistently unless the experience is as good as what it was when they were younger.  I don't see that happening.  The emotional attachment wont be there.

--- End quote ---

This is a good point.  I'm not sure if it was an emotional attachment (as it is now through our sense of nostalgia,) rather the awe and wonder that one felt when walking into the arcades.

There was a time when each week brought at least one new game that did something better than the last; color, polyphonic music, speech, higher resolution, new controls, photo-realism, 3D, etc....  But what is there now?  It's all been done and done at home no less.

The demise of the arcade as we knew it was almost solely due to the advanced gaming consoles of today and the innovative controls that have been mass produced to support them.  It had little to do with the social situation...those other jerks were just there to talk smack and make you wait a half-hour to play  ;D

RandyT
SirPoonga:

--- Quote from: HooPZ on August 10, 2005, 03:20:33 pm ---The roadblock here is that people may go to these things once or twice and it will be fun.  But the average person wont make a point to go there consistently unless the experience is as good as what it was when they were younger.  I don't see that happening.  The emotional attachment wont be there.

--- End quote ---

That's why something like this works in large cities where there is a large population to keep it going.  Again, look at Gameworks, Jillians, and Dave & Busters.  These chains are located in large cities.  Like I said, Gameworks in downtown Minneapolis is always packed.  It does help that it is part of Block E, which is across the street from the Target Center (where the MN Timberwolves play).  Block E contains a Hard Rock, Cinema, many stores and other entertainment.  In otherwords, it at the heart of the downtown entertainment district.
MN location for Jillians is on 4th floor Mall of America.  Again, in a high populated/entertainment area.
Both Gameworks and Jillians have food (Gameworks has a small restaurant), bar, bowling, modern games, small classics area, skill games, air hockey, racing, ddr, and ticket redemption.  Definately designed to be a social place.  Both places kick out people under 21 after 10pm and new customers are carded.

Note the article says the first location is in Los Angeles.  And since these are in high populated area they don't need the same people to go there everynight, they just need a good portion of the population to go there once and awhile.
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