Do game arcades have a future?

[Rapid T Rabbit]

Found this item from Entepeneur.com...

10 Businesses Facing Extinction in 10 Years

Coin-Operated Arcades: For those of you who thought arcades were already dead, they still exist -- at movie theaters, miniature golf courses and other touristy spots -- but it seems only a matter of time before they vanish from the landscape. Ten years ago, there were 10,000 arcades in the nation, and now the number is close to 3,000.

Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Game over.

How would this forecast affect CEC? Can they be considered an arcade too or just an FEC? If arcade's do eventually disappear, do we foresee CEC evolving into some other kind of FEC?

[pasqually82]

I really don't see this affecting CEC that much because I think that CEC will evolve with the newest technology that comes out. In my own opionion. I see them going more towards the interactive video games aspect as well as V.R. type games. Even though most households throughout the country have some type of home video game system, there will always be new additions to the "arcade" style games.

As evidence now at CECs, games are leaning more towards the interactive type games and games of skill.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

To me, i think "arcades" of the caliber we saw back in the 80's died out ages ago....and that goes for CEC's games too. CEC's in general have not had bonifide aracdes since the late 80's in my mind. Since then, particularly starting in the early 90's, CEC has puposely phased out "real" arcade games and replaced them with "skill games". Most CEC's today have only a few video games left, as the bulk of the games now are mostly skill games. A long time ago the goal was to get a high score and reaching multiple play levels. or the past 15 years or so, the focus now is more about redemption ( tickets),

So CEC has nothing to worry about really. They have not has "real" arcades for a decade or so.

[dheineCECfan]

Who can forget seeing in shopping malls arcade chains like Aladdin's Castle, Time Out, Tilt, Red Baron, Pin Pan Alley, Land of Oz, Fun-N-Games, Pirate's Den, Space Port, and Cyberstation?

[Number1CECFan]

Who can forget seeing in shopping malls arcade chains like Aladdin's Castle, Time Out, Tilt, Red Baron, Pin Pan Alley, Land of Oz, Fun-N-Games, Pirate's Den, Space Port, and Cyberstation?

Gosh, my local mall has a Time Out arcade, and my class was in it one Friday, on a field trip, and several games didn't work. One claw machine game and two or three arcade games didn't work. :ohwell: I played a Speed Demon and a Spongebob game and they both worked that day. ;) I still think CEC should get a Speed Demon game, it's one of my favorites! :)

[amelovesjasper]

Thats rather depressing... considering how much I love arcades, just don't have the resources to go to one each day...

I have no idea how this will effect Chuck though... they really do seem to concentrate a lot on the games... =\ ...hm.

Its only a matter of time, I guess, until Chuck loses itself too...

(Whoopee, corperate America...?)

[raebigc]

To be honest with you..... I'm not sure if the arcade industry has a future or not, because of all the games now out for the consoles like DDR, Soul Calibur, Street fighter and others were originally in the arcades first, for me.... Now, take a look back at the great videogame crash of 1982, thats when arcade profits went really low and nobody wanted to play videogames. I honestly don't know what the future holds in for the arcades today.

[ChuckEZone]

If CEC didn't invest all of that effort towards the gameroom, they probably wouldn't even need to worry about this. Besides the show at CEC, the "Family Entertainment Centers" with expanded entertainment options are the ones that have real fun potential. (Go Karts, Laser Tag, Paintball, real rides, etc...)

[The Ratman]

I think that when CEC starts losing business, corporate will finally pay attention to the show. I think the time maybe coming for them to revitailize the 5 character studio c, if this prediction proves to be true. Either that or Dick Frank finally discovers one of those signs in the kitchens of an old PTT that says "Without a little magic, we're just another pizza place". Besides CEC being in trouble if they don't change, you can also say good bye to Peter Piper Pizza as well.

[dheineCECfan]

I think that when CEC starts losing business, corporate will finally pay attention to the show. I think the time maybe coming for them to revitailize the 5 character studio c, if this prediction proves to be true. Either that or Dick Frank finally discovers one of those signs in the kitchens of an old PTT that says "Without a little magic, we're just another pizza place". Besides CEC being in trouble if they don't change, you can also say good bye to Peter Piper Pizza as well.

Why not replace the 1 character CEC robot Studio C with all video screens showing Chuck E. and friends?

Chuck E. and friends can even interact for ticket winning games on screens in the CEC game room.

[The Ratman]

^ ^
Thats not a bad idea, but I think that they still need to incorporate animatronics into the mix some how since its been shown that stores with existing stages do better than those with a Studio C. If CEC really wanted a low maintaince, yet very effective form of entertainment, they should go back using balcony stages with all 5 characters. They could start making the stages in house again as they did in the early 80's thus eliminating the "middle man" , and of course, saving money. They could eliminate all the expensive and un needed props such as the camera, the multiple monitors, and some of the dramatic lighting used in studio c. All of this could take up less floor space than a studio c beta, and cost much less than one.

[bzier]

I would normally fight you on the lighting effects, but seeing as how the showrooms are so bright now, it does seem like a complete waste of lighting. They might as well make it more basic.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Getting back to the original question, I think people will ALWAYS enjoy and want to play video games. It's human nature. We like to play games!

The trick is keeping the original flame alive...what i mean is, keeping the "game" in video games. I see far too much "redemption/prize" type skill games these days.. exspecially CEC, where for about 4/5 years that is all they seemed to have. Corp is wiseing up, and the new game packages they started putting together and shipping to the new Phase 4 locations is a nice mix of 3 types of games: straightforward "video" games, "skill" games, and PINBALL! YES!!!!

The secret to success is to continue to have a mix of all three...and not just focus on the kiddies. Give Mom and Dad something to play other then driving games ( yawn..). Corp is aware of this need better now i think, otherwise we would not be seeing the improvements in the Game Rooms.

San Jose' CEC had a awesome mix of everything. I would use that GR that the CV4 Attendees were able to experience as a prime example of what i am talking about.

[amelovesjasper]

Getting back to the original question, I think people will ALWAYS enjoy and want to play video games. It's human nature. We like to play games!

The trick is keeping the original flame alive...what i mean is, keeping the "game" in video games. I see far too much "redemption/prize" type skill games these days.. exspecially CEC, where for about 4/5 years that is all they seemed to have. Corp is wiseing up, and the new game packages they started putting together and shipping to the new Phase 4 locations is a nice mix of 3 types of games: straightforward "video" games, "skill" games, and PINBALL! YES!!!!

The secret to success is to continue to have a mix of all three...and not just focus on the kiddies. Give Mom and Dad something to play other then driving games ( yawn..). Corp is aware of this need better now i think, otherwise we would not be seeing the improvements in the Game Rooms.

San Jose' CEC had a awesome mix of everything. I would use that GR that the CV4 Attendees were able to experience as a prime example of what i am talking about.

...Least Corp is doing SOMETHING right, lol.

As long as they keep Flaming Finger I'm happy. I pwn that game.