The U.S. Arcade is Dead? 107
Via GameSetWatch, an article by one of the editors of GamePro positing that the U.S. arcade is now a dead thing. By positing, I really mean ranting. From the article: "Americans play videogames for one reason and for one reason only, to kick ass. It doesn't matter if you're crushing skulls in the fighting arena or on the football field. Being a virtual DJ, riding a horse (not into battle), and playing other violence-free games is not enough to draw people into arcades. Gaming isn't about having family-friendly fun it's about indulging in man's carnal desires. And then Konami drove the nail through the heart of coin operated gaming... The abomination of videogaming known as DDR served as an outlet for wannabe Travoltas to flail around wildly and quickly made the house of tank simulators and street fighting a haven for lamos. "
Wait... what?! (Score:5, Insightful)
Someone never played Mortal Combat or any number of the racing games in most arcades. "Lame-o" games didn't kill arcades, the cost of playing at an arcade did (when you can play it at home with people around the world).
Re:Wait... what?! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Wait... what?! (Score:2)
Exactly... (Score:3, Insightful)
"Lame-o" games didn't kill arcades, the cost of playing at an arcade did (when you can play it at home with people around the world).
Aside from the fact that arcade game variety had dwindled, it was the fact that it had begun to cost a dollar a game or more that really put me off arcades. I used to spend a lot of time and money in them too. But the fact was that we could play more interesting games as much as we wanted at home for less money overall. So really, consoles and the Internet killed the arca
Re:Exactly... (Score:2)
Sorry to reply to myself, but I forgot one other thing. Time-limited games. I fucking HATE time-limited games. Oops, your time is up, please deposit another $1.50 to continue. Screw that.
Re:Exactly... (Score:2)
There was also the realization that some games would ramp up the difficulty so fast it wasn't possible to win anymore. I had a chance to play a racing game called Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Ro
Re:Exactly... (Score:2)
cost to play?
100yen.
It's been like that in Japan for YEARS. It's not the unwillingness to pay. It's the fact that there aren't ANY GOOD GAMES out in the states anymore. The Japanese market's dying too, but that's because the economy there is STILL crap.
Re:Exactly... (Score:2)
Re:Exactly... (Score:2)
People still play marvel vs capcom2, capcom vs snk2, KOFXI, etc. in the arcade. When I play games like those mentioned, Initial D or DDR, I don't think about the cost over the long term, I think about differences in home and arcade game play.
Personal Computing Became Affordable (Score:5, Insightful)
The trend continued and now "LANNING" is the new norm. Why go out when the Interdoodle has all the game servers you could ever need and your connection is plenty fast enough to use them?
Re:Personal Computing Became Affordable (Score:1)
I think TFA's assumption is
Re:Personal Computing Became Affordable (Score:3, Insightful)
They offer peripheral perks that enhance the male driven game market of America like alcohol and the posibility of hooking up with a girl.
I offer that the real reason arcades in America died is due to the gaming mechanics we enjoyed and the real world manifestations of those games. Fighting games ruled at the arcade I used to frequent. There
Re:Personal Computing Became Affordable (Score:2)
Re:Personal Computing Became Affordable (Score:2, Insightful)
Mod parent funny (Score:1)
Re:Personal Computing Became Affordable (Score:2)
Re:Personal Computing Became Affordable (Score:2)
Actually... (Score:2)
Re:Actually... (Score:1)
Re:Actually... (Score:3, Funny)
DDR was a good game (Score:4, Funny)
That being said, the arcade is dead because nobody wants to spend a dollar for one fight against their friends in a game they already have at home.
Re:DDR was a good game (Score:1)
People don't tend to play games that force them to experience activities or sensations that they despise.
I was more disappointed that the entire rant was short enough to fit in the summary. While I don't disagree with everything he said, he did a poor job of supporti
Re:DDR was a good game (Score:1)
That's my excuse anyway :)
Re:DDR was a good game (Score:1)
Re:DDR was a good game (Score:1)
As far as cost comparisons, even after you get past the quarters, there is maintenance and operating costs. That has to have exploded as the c
DDR? (Score:5, Insightful)
Specifically, the main draw of arcades for most goers wasn't the "competition" factor. It was that the technology available in arcade games was leagues above what was available at home. Anyone else remember the Genesis and SNES ports of Mortal Kombat 2? People were willing to pay for play at arcades because the games there were simply BETTER than what was available at home.
As commodity computing became a reality, and the technology required to run arcade-quality games became widespread, the draw of going to an arcade to play dampened significantly. It got to a point (around '99 or '00, plus or minus a bit depending on locale) where arcade machines were no longer able to outperform home computers and consoles. As a result, people were no longer willing to drop $50 a month at an arcade because they can spend that same $50 at home and get a BETTER gaming experience.
The reason why DDR did so well in the arcades was because of the speciality of the controllers. The game itself was well-designed, has an easy learning curve, and is attractive to players of both genders. This, coupled with the fact that good dance pads simply weren't feasible to purchse for one's home, meant that a central location (read: an arcade) was an ideal arrangement.
This, too, however, has been superceded by the level of tech available for home use. Now that reasonable dance pads are available for purchase affordably, the interest in DDR at the arcades has waned. So much so that Konami is no longer producing new machines, and has turned their focus primarily (and in the US, exclusively) to home releases.
If another thing comes along that substantially improves the gaming experience in a way that simply isn't economical to do in one's home, then the arcade will make a resurgence. No amount of "competitive" gaming draw will cause the same effect. (As an example, I'll point to the rise and fall of LAN-gaming shops.)
Re:DDR? (Score:2)
As commodity computing became a reality, and the technology required to run arcade-quality games became widespread, the draw of going to an arcade to play dampened significantly. It got to a point (around '99 or '00, plus or minus a bit depending on locale) where arcade machines were no longer able to outperform home computers and consoles. As a result, people were no longer willing to drop $50 a month at an arcade because they can spend that same $50 at home and get a BETTER gaming experience.
This was m
Re:DDR? (Score:4, Interesting)
Seriously, I've never heard someone say, "Hey, let's go to the gym and work out!" But "Hey, let's go play DDR" works mentally like "Hey, let's go shoot some hoops" and gets you more physical activity than, say, World of Warcraft.
Re:DDR? (Score:2)
The rise of home gaming was only one factor - the second was the gradual loss of diversity in arcade games. By the mid 90's, all that could frequently be found in arcades were Mortal Kombat clones and Time Pilot (top scrolling shoot-em-u
Oh, really? (Score:2, Interesting)
Couple of reasons (Score:2)
Re:Couple of reasons (Score:2)
Re:Couple of reasons (Score:2)
The console versions usually give 0/2/4 "continues", before you have to start over from scratch.
The continue messages may be annoying, but you at least get to finish the game.
Soul Calibur (Score:2, Informative)
Arcades are expensive. And I can't remember the last time I saw a game at an arcade I had to play. Maybe the Star Wars arcade game. That was pretty fun. But still, one game. Big deal. I get better gaming experiences hanging out with friends at someone's home playing HALO or Sma
But The Soul Still Burns! (Score:1)
players-who-always-seemed-to-win guys, well except for Philip.
Arcade? (Score:1)
The term arcade was abused by the time machines entered the fray.
That said, why pay money to play a game that's nowhere near as fun as a lan party or coffeehouse?
Like many thing, you spend money, you want to *own* something. Not rent it, not borrow it. Having stuff is perhaps another argument, but paying a few quarters to wiggle a joystick is a death long overdue.
DDR is fun though in my book. The songs, eh.
Re:Arcade? (Score:2)
Poor grammar aside, where was this term arcade and why did the time machines abuse them?
They have to offer different elements now... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:They have to offer different elements now... (Score:1)
Re:They have to offer different elements now... (Score:4, Interesting)
They have for a long time. Yu Suzuki [wikipedia.org] described in an interview how when he designs games for the arcade, he specifically looks at integrating unique hardware to add to the experience. Originally this philosophy created games that could charge a premium (eg 75cents to play "Afterburner" in the moving cockpit). Now with consoles and computers being so powerful, that's pretty much all you see in arcades.
The problem is that games in themselves are not enough to attract an audience. You can drive 20 minutes to go to the arcade to play a game that costs $1 or just play something that may not be quite as entertaining at home free. Where you do see arcades still thrive is at Dave & Busters or Gameworks type places where you get food, get beer, and play some motorcycle racers. The games aren't necessarily the money makers, but they provide entertainment to keep people in the bar buying liquor which is.
Re:They have to offer different elements now... (Score:1)
Until there are real VR arcades, why bother? (Score:5, Insightful)
Just about everyone here in the U.S. has access to a PC. You can play games that are somewhat compatable with the arcade games of the 80's for free on Yahoo Games and similar sites.
Even plucking some game from the 9.99 bargain rack at BestBuy will get you a game that is better done than pretty much any arcade game worth anything. And that 9.99 will get you a lot farther in that game than it will in an arcade.
It's a simple Cost vs Reward scenario. High cost, low satisfaction reward.
The only money I would spend in an arcade is on an old fashion pinball game. Those can still be a lot of fun, when the mood strikes me.
Even American kinds aren't so dumb as to not figure this out.
It's been dead for a long time... (Score:1)
Re:It's been dead for a long time... (Score:2)
Just at the local theater alone,
The theatre is next on the list to die. What, with my insane sound system, my 200" HD projected screen and my collection of DVDs I can be at the theatre with my girl in seconds, and it's so much more comfy... Not to mention the unthinkables that we don't get in trouble for at home ;)
Cool thing is all of these bits that I love so much are affordable except the GF. They require regular (shiny) maintainence.
Going Retro (Score:2, Interesting)
Arcades aren't dead, just in a recession which the game industry has know many.
Arcades initially were for people who wanted to play video games but couldn't afford to buy an arcade machine. They still went strong, although slightly weaker, when home game consoles started t
Re:Going Retro (Score:1)
Re:Going Retro (Score:1)
VR (Score:3)
Re:Going Retro (Score:2)
Re:Going Retro (Score:1)
Did this guy even try DDR before bashing it? (Score:2, Funny)
Oh what's wrong, somebody bitching because they couldn't AAA Sakura on Heavy reversed with stelth mod at 8x original speed?
Re:Did this guy even try DDR before bashing it? (Score:1)
Looks like somebodys sarcasm meter is broken... I can barely pass Sakura on heavy. ^.^
Re:Did this guy even try DDR before bashing it? (Score:1)
Re:Did this guy even try DDR before bashing it? (Score:1)
Re:Did this guy even try DDR before bashing it? (Score:1)
I still go to arcades... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I still go to arcades... (Score:1)
If she plays a GG game, she most probably knows what she's doing
What's your most proficient character in GGXX ?
Re:I still go to arcades... (Score:1)
Re:I still go to arcades... (Score:1)
Baiken on the DC ? mmmh
As for myself, well, looks always prevails on power concerning my choices so I usually play with Jam.
I like her fast moves and the way she feels. Even if her attacks get preempted a lot by the big guns of the game (yeah Sol, I'm looking at you
I like to take Dizzy for a walk also. She is a slow char and makes a good change from Jam.
Have you tried GG Isuka ? Simultaneous 3 and 4 char fights
Re:I still go to arcades... (Score:1)
Re:I still go to arcades... (Score:1)
Moreover, if you observe Dizzy's power up bar when fighting her (as the CPU), you eyes will pop out looking at how blazing fast it fills up ! That explains how she can blast you so often, but of course it doesn't fill as quickly when you are playing her.
Wow
I recommend Isuka to any
Re:I still go to arcades... (Score:1)
As for the cosplay, my ex lost the photos -_- But yeah, it was sweet. I still have my costume somewhere.
It's the evolution of the medium (Score:3, Insightful)
When I was a kid, back around the days of Pac Man (like '82), there still existed the singluar arcade - aimed at kids/teens. It was a place that I wasn't allowed and always reaked of weak 70's weed. Adults didn't play games then, cause they didn't grow up playing games.
Kids today don't need that. It's cheaper to own a XBOX or PS2 and it takes alot less effort than actually commuting to wherever.
Gaming at home is better for adults too - we all have computers much more powerful than TI-994a's at home, at work and built into our cell phones (we have cell phones). We have entertainment centers more impressive than those old theaters too, and that's why the kids are the only ones that go to theaters now - to get away from us.
The only really viable market is for the family or for games that just cannot be repeated at home. The arcade is in the Dave & Buster era. Shallow, materialistic, lots of machine guns and gaudy plastic appendages....it's the material excess that comes from reaching maturity, making money, and going corporate. That's where arcade gaming is.
Eventually gaming will reach the zen state, and the level of Shuffleboarding. I can see it now. I'll be retired, on a park bench in Florida, pwning some 80 yr old noob over a global-supe-dupe-fi connection in Doom XI (sponsored by Efferdent Denture Cream).
Re:It's the evolution of the medium (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:It's the evolution of the medium (Score:1)
By the time Laser Tag came out, arcades were already in a steep decline.
carnal desires? (Score:1)
Tsunami at Chuck E. Cheese (Score:4, Informative)
Quality GamePro reporting (Score:4, Informative)
On the weekends, do the people at GamePro pretend that they work for a good magazine, like Edge?
Hmm... non-violent fun... like Mario Kart DS? Animal Crossing? Guitar Hero, Katamari Damacy, SSX, Amplitude, Marble Madness, Puzzle Pirates, Devil Dice, Super Puzzle Fighter, The Sims, Uplink... Yup. No fun games out there that don't involve 'shootin and boobies.
BTW, I don't care if they do look like Danny Bonaduce, don't make fun of the expert DDR players. Trust me on this: they can kick your ass several dozen times per second. They may look like someone from Riverdance while doing it, but you will just have gotten your ass kicked by someone from Riverdance, which is even worse.
Nickel City (Score:2, Informative)
Hi! (Score:2)
Welcome to five years ago!
Seriously, this has been said several times in the last few years.
It is dead, but (Score:2)
What I wouldn't give to bring the arcade back to life...
That's not the reason (Score:1)
And as I glance through arcades, I see... FPS, FPS, FPS, and old NLF Blitz game, rarely do I see a pinball machine, and when I do, it's either Playboy or Terminator 2, and a bunch of Chuck E. Cheese toys that do nothi
Re:That's not the reason (Score:1)
It's actually the opposite in the arcade's case. All those "original" games come with huge contraptions that take up too much space that then require people to plunk down dollars to play for seconds in order to recover their investment.
And perhaps that's the real problem here
Where's the ARTICLE? (Score:2)
Seriously, why does Slashdot link to "articles" like this?
Arcades are NOT dead...yet (Score:2, Insightful)
But of course that would be silly. The writer did what he had to do to get his gaming fix, and the arcade did what it had to do to stay al
Pinball Died (Score:1)
DDR and In The Groove (Score:1)
If you don't like DDR, there's a simple solution (Score:2)
Seriously, what's this guy's problem?
"Wannabe Travoltas?" I play DDR for two reasons: (1) it's fun, and (2) it's excersize. I actually hate real dancing.
So because I have fun doing something that this guy doesn't find fun, I'm lame?
Re:Pinball (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't nickel and dime (Score:2)
Gamepro is dead? (Score:1)
Well, if the arcades are dying, then the editor of Gamepro would certainly be able to tell us. That magazine should know all the signs of going from relevency to being totally worthless very well.
Posted on: Jan 06 2006 - 10:11 by Zeb.
Dave and Busters (Score:2)
Arcade at Island of Adventure in Florida (Score:1)
Re:Arcade at Island of Adventure in Florida (Score:2)
Your description is of DisneyQuest, located at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World.
Re:Arcade at Island of Adventure in Florida (Score:1)
It's a BLOG! (Score:2)
The guy just doesn't like the new types of games that most other people prefer and he's being a bitch about it; that's because it's his blog, the place where he can be a bitch and the rest of us can ignore him being a bitch.
I wish Slashdot would stop refering to idiots' blogs as if they were newsworthy articles by knowledgable people.