Thursday, May 12, 2016

Video game arcades making a limited comeback

As someone who spent a lot of time in video game arcades as a teenager, I am pleased to see a few such entertainment joints making a comeback.
At a time when people can play sophisticated games on home consoles and even mobile devices, it is surprising that folks would still want to go to an arcade to play.
But as I mentioned in my article “Digital culture means less public culture,” there are fewer places for people to just hang out today. People naturally want to socialize in a fun public space.
Many of the new arcades, such as Barcade in New York City, serve alcohol and cater to the Generation X crowd. They are an update on the old pool halls of yesteryear.
Not all of the new arcades have been successful, but enough have to keep the dream alive.

Related articles:

The Arcade Is Back, Now With Beer (Bloomberg Businessweek; April 1, 2015)

Why Arcades Are Making A Comeback (Geektyrant; May 2015)

This is How the Arcade Survives in 2015 (Playboy; Sept. 14, 2015)

Photo: Video games at 16-Bit Bar + Arcade in downtown Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Flickr user Sam Howzit.)

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