This Month's Haul - May 2014

[GohanX]

I'm going to have to stop this arcade madness. There is a 1943 cab about 1.4 hours away for 350

Maybe you should consider just getting a small Japanese cab and collecting pcbs instead of getting entire gigantic cabs. Japanese cabs are unobtanium in the south, but you could always get one shipped in.

Personally, I like big tvs a little too much, but I'd still jump on a decent small cab.

[Josh]

I REALLY miss my Japanese cab. I had a Dreamcast in it.

Someday I'll have another one.

Cheeks, there is an arcade cabinet auction up here once a year. I forget when, but you should come up. Hundreds and hundreds of cabs.

[Fe 26]

I've thought about opening my own arcade. I wrote a business plan for it 2 years ago. Or maybe just ask some local business e's if they will give the floor space if we split the coins.

The big issue is how do you get kids to pay in a world of free cell phone games.

[Josh]

You don't. Arcades are dead, and you know it.

[Chux]

Met some guy named SUDA 51

Suda liked my Metal Gear shirt, he's a man of fine taste.

[Fe 26]

You don't. Arcades are dead, and you know it.

Not completely true. The old revenue map is dead. Computers and phones are better than most arcade machines. No one wants to pay a premium to play one of those games for a short period.

But you could use a happy meal model. Just let people play the games for free while they are there. Or give them tokens with a purchase. Then the games feel free or like a bonus with your meal. Kids become excited because they can go to the fun place with all the big free games.

I've got other ideas, but the heart of it is that most people are not going to pay to play old games. The games are for fun or to build up your brand image while your revenue comes from somewhere else.

[YellerDog]

[Shou]

Not completely true. The old revenue map is dead. Computers and phones are better than most arcade machines. No one wants to pay a premium to play one of those games for a short period.

But you could use a happy meal model. Just let people play the games for free while they are there. Or give them tokens with a purchase. Then the games feel free or like a bonus with your meal. Kids become excited because they can go to the fun place with all the big free games.

I've got other ideas, but the heart of it is that most people are not going to pay to play old games. The games are for fun or to build up your brand image while your revenue comes from somewhere else.

It's a tough market even for Japanese arcades. There are maybe only 3 major independent arcades left in Tokyo, the rest are run by Sega and Taito. Even then, in a good year, the arcades are just flat on revenue.

I'm sure there are business models that can work in conjunction with arcades - I have a vanity project to make a more adult oriented barcade but realistically, it still would struggle given the real estate and yakuza costs.

[Shou]

Maybe you should consider just getting a small Japanese cab and collecting pcbs instead of getting entire gigantic cabs. Japanese cabs are unobtanium in the south, but you could always get one shipped in.

Personally, I like big tvs a little too much, but I'd still jump on a decent small cab.

I second that or just go the super gun route which is what I do now. Cabs, even the Japanese ones, aren't versatile enough to play all of the different types of PCBs out there but if you are limiting yourself to certain genres then they are workable. I've jumped into racers, gun games and all kinds of deluxe dedicated cabs which wouldn't work well with cabs especially given my space restrictions over here.

[Shou]

Got some neat promo material for this canceled fighter