Eugene Jarvis Shifts From Terror To Fast, Furious

Thanks to GameSpot for its interview with seminal game designer Eugene Jarvis, best known "for arcade titles from the eighties... including Defender, Robotron, NARC, [and] Smash T.V.", discussing his attempts to revitalize the arcade market. The article mentions his recently released, terrorism-themed Target: Terror lightgun arcade shooter, apparently "the number two most profitable arcade game in its first month in general release" - Jarvis comments of the content: "So Target: Terror is this extreme paranoia, but gosh, it could be real. We take it to the extreme--they're taking over the Golden Gate Bridge and you have to retake that." It's also revealed of Jarvis that "This Fall, his three-year-old, self-funded company, Raw Thrills, will debut its second arcade title, The Fast and the Furious, a driving title based on the Universal Pictures film of the same name." We previously covered Target: Terror earlier this year on Slashdot Games.

Sad

[mrshowtime]

I'm glad in 2004 there are still arcade games out there that are using the 1994 "Revolution, starring Aerosmith"- technology. Well, at least SOMEONE is still making arcade games. I am sick of seeing the same games everytime I goto any arcade. I don't know how "Dave and Busters" et al, stays in business.

Arcade must evolve

[Khazunga]

or die. In my opinion, arcades would be much more successfull if they invested in high-quality hardware that can't be matched by consoles. And I don't mean high-quality graphics. I'm more inclined to full F1 car or fighter plance cockpits with multi-head display and 3D sound. How many people have the space for one of those at home?

It's all about Japan really

[schild]

To understand why arcade games became a dead pasttime in America, you have to understand why they are so popular in Japan. It's quite simple actually.

Japan is condensed. Children over there like to rebel against their parents, get out of the house, and partake in some escapism and vices. What's better than beer, cigarettes, and arcade machines? Having them all in one centralized place where all of your friends can meet up. With the popularity of more social/active games rising (DDR, Beatmania, Donkey Konga, etc) - it's no wonder why arcades are so popular over here.

The inverse of the arcade's rise to popularity in Japan explains why they just fell apart here:

1. They are usually targeted at younger kids, i.e. kids who have $5, and that's it, cuz their mom is shoe shopping next door and doesn't trust the kid to not go off with a stranger and be kidnapped.
2. Arcades in the 80's were a haven for the 'geek' archetype. Once people could play games in their own home (most of which were better than the arcade variant), the geeks started staying at home. We're anti-social, am i rite?
3. Dave and Buster's is aiming for the Japanese style arcade where smoking, drinking, and social gaming rules the roost. Unfortunately they card you at the front door. So if you're under 21 without a parent you can't get in, so they don't get the foot traffic a regular non-smoking, non-alcohol-serving arcade gets.

If you are skimming this I'll sum it up shortly:

American Arcades suck.

Re:Wrong theory

[robson]

Arcades died because of the home hardware/cost cycle caught up with the arcades.

But your hypothesis doesn't address why arcades and arcade games are still successful in Japan (which the parent post does address).