SeijinAxeman: Arcade / Pub!! Awesome idea!! Except there should be an entrance fee and the games are free. And instead of just arcade machines there can be rows of PS3’s and Xbox 360’s for local LAN play. Call it Pubcade or something.
Daryl Sellick: The idea of the pub and the arcade is brilliant and it should make the games more competitve as people drink more
Steven Jones: Am I the only one thinking competitive game play, alcohol and people who don’t know each other all happing in the same place being a bad idea?
Bowlby: There is a perfect point while drinking where your mind and body become synched to the game. Unfortunately, everything after that is downhill from there.
Now these are all fine points and I’ve looked into some local places in my area that tried something like this and failed miserably. I’d really like to look at why, because frankly if there was a place like this nearby, I’d honestly go out more. Here are some of the obvious pitfalls of putting together a business like this.
Firstly a huge demographic of gamers are kids. Kids have very little money of their own (that they will part with for something they could essentially get for free) so if you kept a place like this open all day and charged for entry, they might pay a small fee and stay all day asking for free glasses of water every now and then. Net profit to you; zero. You also can’t serve alcohol in an establishment that mainly attracts kids. Well Pizza Hut manages it, but you’re asking for trouble from the parents.
What most of these places offer is an extension of a LAN party; an organized gathering of like-minded gamers who play communally and buy drinks from the bar. Most of us can get that for free at home, just on a smaller scale, so you have to really push the community aspect of it, which takes a lot of setup and is probably why most establishments go under. If folks get too drunk they behave like asses and will likely not respect the peripherals, consoles or other players. Also if you want to make steady money you have to cater to a wide audience, including people who may only play games communally a few times a year at a friends house and might not respect the unspoken rules of the regular patrons. They will come in for the novelty and probably won’t have the best time.
Now here’s my idea. Not a pub, but a club; in the truest sense of the word. You sign up in advance, provide ID and get membership. Your details are stored on an internal system and you get an Xbox Live style player ID, contained on a membership card you wear on a lanyard when in the club. This automatically should make you more responsible because you’ve invested something already.
You pay a nominal fee for yearly membership and let’s say $6 at the door every night you go. Drinks are the usual bar prices, which should generate decent revenue from tap-beer and post-mix soft drinks. You may or may not know this but those large sodas you get at the movies and pay far out the ass for cost the theatre pennies for a dash of syrup and carbonated water. There’s also bar food and lots of hand-wipes so the pads don’t get all grungy.
The décor is similar to a large living room, couches everywhere, many TV’s (second-hand LCD screens are dirt cheap these days) 360’s, Wii’s and PS3’s are one console per TV. Classic, multiple-game arcade machines (including a Neo Geo) line the walls. There’s also a small stage with a Rock Band kit and it’s own TV. I’m thinking 100 folks max to keep the atmosphere fun but not chaotic. There’s house music until the Rock Band, Guitar Hero or Singstar starts and then entertainment is provided by anyone who wants to take the stage. There’s also a retro corner with many classic machines and old CRT TV’s. No handhelds would be provided unless someone can tell me a good way to ensure they don’t get pinched, but every member would be encouraged to being their own for any waiting periods or link-up games. There will be some rules and a code of conduct so that everybody respects other players, waits their turn and signs up for the karaoke sessions.
Here are the two things that might make this different from other places that didn’t do so well.
I’d like some feedback from you readers. If you’ve been to a place like this that actually works, tell me how. If you have any suggestions, let me know below. Clearly this is a hypothetical and obviously I have no idea how to actually run a club, but I’d like to take a look at the logistics of this, because frankly I miss the arcades and while there may not be a place for them any more (in England for sure), by God I’d go to this place in a shot.
Maybe give the guys at Australian gamer a message. a couple of them run a gaming pub called the mana bar, which i think is relatively successful.
It’s not a club, but the Mana Bar in Australia is something you might want to have a look at. Link.
Regards,
≈Roy42
I think its an excellent idea. While not what you are talking about I was lucky to attend a Nintendisco in London a few months back. Remixed Gamer music, a SNES, some alcohol and around 50 / 60 people all taking turns on Super Mario Kart, Bomberman and Street Fighter. It was excellent fun. I’d get behind this in a heartbeat.
I think you could pull in a decent crowd with this idea. I certainly don’t know how to run a business but I’m willing to learn for a thing such as this!
this got me thinking of the Barcraft phenomenon that is happening in the ESPORTS scene. not quite the same exactly but similar enough
Cnet video article on Barcraft
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3aDGqgEOb4&feature=youtu.be&a
Fan reactions at a barcraft
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs0XtStMSyQ
Way back in the day, or more specifically my first year of uni at Leeds, there were a couple of pubs that tried this, but as you mentioned with your other examples they both failed reasonably quickly …
But in all honesty, I get enough gaming done at home already, so that the idea of going down the pub and playing more games just doesn’t really appeal.
When I go down the pub it’s to watch a bit of footy, chat with my mates, oogle at girls WAAAAY out of my league or simply to drown my sorrows.
For me, gaming is something to be done at home, or a friends home. A pub is there to socialise with other forms of entertainment.
I’m not saying it wouldn’t work with the right set-up and the right crowd, but for me personally I will play my games at home…
The idea has been tried a few times. there was one of the sort in Birmingham and in Harrow called Omega Sektor which is unfortunately no more. It can work and I had some really fun times while there and made some friends I still stay in touch with. It can work, but really if the business is viable and sustainable over a period of time.