Death of Arcades

Once a favorite activity of geeks worldwide, going to the arcade to play video games began fading away in the mid-1990s, just as going to the arcade to play pinball had done a decade before. A few arcades survive, but the days of gamers lining up to toss quarters into "Street Fighter" or "Mortal Kombat" are long gone. It's easy to see why: The advent of advanced gaming systems allows you to experience the same action at home, minus the dungeon-like lighting, the deafening game noise and the premature exhaustion of your lunch money for the week.

I get tired of seeing the "geek" characterization retconned to apply to people who frequented arcades in the '80s. Yes, the word applies to people into video games (especially online PC games, and especially especially online PC RPGs) these days, but anyone who thinks the arcades of old were primarily filled with "geeks" has clearly never been to one.

Arcades were typically dark, smoky, noisy, and not very well-supervised. This attracted a rougher and/or less intellectual crowd than "geeks" tend to be. Those characteristics also made arcades prime spots for drug dealing. Also, physical fights breaking out were not unheard of. Additionally, the games were not deep or intellectual like many PC or console games are today. They were designed to pull in as many quarters as possible; the average game lasting perhaps 3 minutes.

Most of the "geeks" in the '80s were at home either doing homework, or playing something like "Dungeons and Dragons", or using their home computers; and the hardcore geeks were posting on BBSs via their acoustic-coupling modems.

Most of the people who frequented arcades back then never got all that good at any of the games, and today don't really care about the classic arcade games that they dubbed around on in the '80s. The arcade was more of a social hangout than anything else, with videogames as a bonus timekiller. The relatively few "geeks" that did go to the arcades back then tend to be the ones that really got into the games; got really good at at least a few of them, and are still highly nostalgic about them today. We've all gathered here (lol). You can see even more extreme examples of rare arcade "geeks" than the typical KLOVer by watching "The King of Kong".
 
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I get tired of seeing the "geek" characterization retconned to apply to people who frequented arcades in the '80s. Yes, the word applies to people into video games (especially online PC games, and especially especially online PC RPGs) these days, but anyone who thinks the arcades of old were primarily filled with "geeks" has clearly never been to one.

Arcades were typically dark, smoky, noisy, and not very well-supervised. This attracted a rougher and/or less intellectual crowd than "geeks" tend to be. Those characteristics also made arcade prime spots for drug dealing. Also, physical fights breaking out were not unheard of. Additionally, the games were not deep or intellectual like many PC or console games are today. They were designed to pull in as many quarters as possible; the average game lasting perhaps 3 minutes.

Most of the "geeks" in the '80s were at home either doing homework, or playing something like "Dungeons and Dragons", or using their home computers; and the hardcore geeks were posting on BBS systems via their acoustic-coupling modems.

Most of the people who frequented arcades back then never got all that good at any of the games, and today don't really care about the classic arcade games that they dubbed around on in the '80s. The arcade was more of a social hangout than anything else, with videogames as a bonus timekiller. The relatively few "geeks" that did go to the arcades back then tend to be the ones that really got into the games; got really good at at least a few of them, and are still highly nostalgic about them today. We've all gathered here (lol). You can see even more extreme examples of rare arcade "geeks" than the typical KLOVer by watching "The King of Kong".

Soooooooooo true. I 100% agree.
 
Arcades died because they were unwilling or unable to adapt to the changing climate. Most arcade operators (sorry if I offend any of you still on the board here) were far more interested in squeezing the last possible quarter out of their prospective victims than they were in providing a quality entrainment experience.

By not providing any decent supervision they encouraged the description previously posted:
Arcades were typically dark, smoky, noisy, and not very well-supervised. This attracted a rougher and/or less intellectual crowd than "geeks" tend to be. Those characteristics also made arcades prime spots for drug dealing. Also, physical fights breaking out were not unheard of.

While there was an element that looked for that kind of atmosphere, most gamers did not, especially casual gamers. And while not all arcades were that way, enough were to paint them all with that same dirty brush, at least in the eyes of the parents whose quarters were being requisitioned. In the interests of keeping little Johnny safe many parents gave in to the pleas for a home video game system, so the kids could all come over and they would know that they were safe.

Once there were home machines, they needed to be fed with the latest gaming adventures which further reduced the supply of available quarters. The younger brothers and sisters all learned to game at home rather than playing in the arcades, so it was not a magical place for them. It was summed up for me a couple of parties ago. I had 7 classic video games running, as well as several pachinko machines, patchislots and a pinball machine. About 5 minutes after they arrived 3 kids (12 or so) walked up to me and their leader said, "I have a question for you". Naively thinking it was about one of the games, I said, "Sure, go for it". I just about freaked out when the question was, "Can you turn on the Wii for us? We're bored".

That was the death of the arcade. It is no longer relevant to it's primary market. They are bored.

ken
 
The SAME THING was said about going to arcades before Street Fighter came out. Ask any Operator that was around 84-90 or so. Then all of a sudden the industry got a huge shot in the arm. It will happen again, we just need to hold tight until the next amazing thing comes out.

Matt

Redemption machines is the only thing keeping some arcades afloat. At our PuttPutt here its Slot Machine Redemption Machines.

Cherry Masters, MegaTouch and Golf games can't keep the industry alive forever.

I think hybrid EM/Vids will be the next big thing. Something an xbox can't.
 
Redemption machines is the only thing keeping some arcades afloat. At our PuttPutt here its Slot Machine Redemption Machines.

Cherry Masters, MegaTouch and Golf games can't keep the industry alive forever.

I think hybrid EM/Vids will be the next big thing. Something an xbox can't.

Redemption was the saving grace from 83/84-90 too. It was simple stuff like cranes and skeeball though. When that piece of crap challenger crane and wedges and ledges came out they made TONS of money.

Like I said, all we have to do is hold out for the next big thing.

Matt
 
Like I said, all we have to do is hold out for the next big thing.

Matt

There wont' be a "next big thing" as far as arcades go. Our entire culture has changed in the past 30 years. Fewer and fewer people go "out" for entertainment at the theater, gameroom, family fun center... and more stay home and watch movies in their home theatres, play games in their home arcades/gamerooms or on their console systems, etc.

There has been a HUGE shift in this in the US and it isn't going to reverse any time soon!!

Wade
 
There wont' be a "next big thing" as far as arcades go. Our entire culture has changed in the past 30 years. Fewer and fewer people go "out" for entertainment at the theater, gameroom, family fun center... and more stay home and watch movies in their home theatres, play games in their home arcades/gamerooms or on their console systems, etc.

There has been a HUGE shift in this in the US and it isn't going to reverse any time soon!!

Wade

Really? I happen to know that the movie theatre business is up vs 2007/08. Sitting in your house watching a movie isnt anywhere near the experience of seeing a new flick on a huge screen with awesome sound and 400+ strangers... :)

Matt
 
Really? I happen to know that the movie theatre business is up vs 2007/08. Sitting in your house watching a movie isnt anywhere near the experience of seeing a new flick on a huge screen with awesome sound and 400+ strangers... :)

Matt

Yes, really. :) An occasional blip due to the tanking economy doesn't mean much IMO. Movie theaters are going the way of the drive-in theatre. Just a matter of time. At some point, new releases will debut over cable/internet instead of at the theaters. People are getting richer (building nicer and nicer home theaters), pickier and less tolerant of movie theaters (and the smelly guy sitting next to you, the kid behind you kicking your seat, and the people in front of you who talk the whole movie).

Wade
 
Yes, really. :) An occasional blip due to the tanking economy doesn't mean much IMO. Movie theaters are going the way of the drive-in theatre. Just a matter of time. At some point, new releases will debut over cable/internet instead of at the theaters. People are getting richer (building nicer and nicer home theaters), pickier and less tolerant of movie theaters (and the smelly guy sitting next to you, the kid behind you kicking your seat, and the people in front of you who talk the whole movie).

Wade

Well, if you say so. I know of 1 theatre chain thats experienced steady growth since 1994 and hasnt shown any signs of slowing down. Hows that for a blip?

Its going to be a long time before the broadband infrastructure in this country matures to where it can support first run movies to million's of homes at one shot. In countries like Japan they can probably already do that but were no where near that ability.

People are getting richer? What country are you talking about? India?

If you've got to deal with smelly guys, kids kicking your seat and people talking through the movie your going to the wrong theatre or seeing the wrong movie.

Matt
 
Yes, really. :) An occasional blip due to the tanking economy doesn't mean much IMO. Movie theaters are going the way of the drive-in theatre. Just a matter of time. At some point, new releases will debut over cable/internet instead of at the theaters. People are getting richer (building nicer and nicer home theaters), pickier and less tolerant of movie theaters (and the smelly guy sitting next to you, the kid behind you kicking your seat, and the people in front of you who talk the whole movie).

Wade

Guess that's why Transformers 2 is in the top 10 all time money making movies. By now top 5 i am guessing, and that movie wasnt even good. I have a pretty kick ass home theater set up and yet i still like going out to the movies quite a bit. Judging by some of the box office stats, i dont think i am alone.
 
This image pops in my head about the death of arcades.

Luke: He told me there would be a "next big thing"! He told me you killed the Arcades.

There wont' be a "next big thing" as far as arcades go. Our entire culture has changed in the past 30 years. Fewer and fewer people go "out" for entertainment at the theater, gameroom, family fun center... and more stay home and watch movies in their home theatres, play games in their home arcades/gamerooms or on their console systems, etc.

There has been a HUGE shift in this in the US and it isn't going to reverse any time soon!!

Wade
Luke: No. No. That's not true. That's impossible!
Darth Vader: Search your feelings, you *know* it to be true!
Luke: [anguished] No! No!
 
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