More Arcade closures in Japan. TAITO

[escaton]

First off I would like to say. I really appreciate the help of the arcade community and people letting me own these machines and giving me a chance to help. But also would like to give a big middle finger to the people who don't think I am trying to fix or preserve these games. Hopefully a new video on YouTube will help vindicate me on that. Anyways here is the source in regards to the recent closures in Japan:
https://soranews24.com/2021/02/22/d...rcade-with-closure-of-shinjuku-taito-station/

Game On!

 

[Samelak]

Not that I want any business to close due to these hard times (because they are hard), but the Taito Stations, Sega Centers, etc. are barely arcades in the sense that we would remember an arcade to be. They are 80% claw machines, 19% rythm machines and 1% arcade cabinets (most likely Mahjong). Now if HEY closes...thats would be a true tragedy. But even HEY is slowly being taken over by claw machines.

 

[Captaincroutons]

Honestly, there's probably an ecosystem metaphor here that tells me I should care...but I don't live there and may never get the chance to even visit. Now if you told me Galloping Ghost was closing down, I'd be heartbroken.

 

[tigerstyle]

Yeah, as another guy said, those japanese arcades are shadows of what they used to be. I watch a lot of those videos from locals visiting them, and they are usually like floors upon floors of redemption / gaptcha machines, and one small section with actual games.

It's the end.

 

[Coin Mech]

Is the market for claw machines that great in Japan? I rarely see anyone using one here in the States (in the shopping centers and restaurants in my area). The prize selection is kind of meh as well...dollar-store stuffed animals and crappy cell phone cases from what I observe.

 

[Romshark]

I was over in Tokyo back in 2019. Yeah, the first 2 or 3 floors of the Taito and Sega arcades were all claw games. Most had a specific type of prize, like one machine would only have Pokemon plushes, another would have Disney plushes, and another would have Hatsune Miku figurines.

The top floor did have arcade games, but they were new, modern games. If I remember correctly, I might have seen a Tekken 7 up there, but most were nothing I'd ever heard of.

My journeys did take me to the famous "Super Potato" in the Akihabara area of Tokyo. It's a great store that has a bunch of modern and retro Japanese games. The top floor has a classic arcade, with a few rows of candy cabs and cocktail cabs. I specifically remember Final Fight and Splatterhouse when I was there.

Found a YouTube video of the Super Potato arcade: