Unfortunately, an establishment like that makes no business sense. This is in large part due to the licensing that one needs in order to handle various aspects of that plan.
Yeah, I’m sure the whole alcohol + games that also cater to a below-21 clientele combination would be a pain to get through licensing.The same stuff that keeps Dax out of the Fox is the same thing that will keep younger patrons away from a place that sells beer and has games.
Josh you have to understand that our group is by no means a “typical” gamer group. We have only 1 regular now who is under 21, and most of us are in our mid 20s and older.
Pad player vs pad player!
Insert Coin was hyped up to me by Sebastian and Rob as “The most badass place around, you’ll have fun, take money, its awesome”. I was able to break away one night after PDP tourney madness and we went. I went to Insert Coin with Rob and his friend, and let me tell you, that place sucks. The arcade machines they had were all either broken, were VERY shittily converted games, they had 2 Vewlix machines that the buttons were wired to the point where NONE of the preset button combos would work for SSF4, and we gave up on it. The bartenders act they they don’t want your money. I asked the chick at the bar how much it was to play a few games of MK with Rob, and she said “Free if you are drinking at the bar, or 10 dollars an hour”. I only wanted to get a few games in, so I asked how much a beer was, she said 6 bucks. We wound up passing on it because 6 bucks to drink a beer we can walk across the street (its Vegas lol) and get for more than half off that was fucked, not to mention with no cover charge at the door, you could walk across the street, buy a bunch of beer, drink it, then come back in and play games. The bartender was just rolling her eyes and sighing while we were talking too. A true bitch. Yeah, I know its Vegas and shit costs a lot, but the fact was, the place sucked. It’s an interesting concept, but they aren’t doing it very well. So me and Rob just walked around, talking about how it sucks so bad that a place that has so much broken shit makes so much money, while a place where most everything works and is maintained has to struggle at points. Highlights of that voyage include: A multicade with a broken button for 50 cents a play, a UMK3 in a cabinet with a 19" monitor and the buttons were drilled very sloppy, a SFII machine where only one side worked, those shitty Vewlix machines, a dance floor in the back that was empty, and a Tron cabinet that someone tried to restore and actually made it look worse in the process.
Saying all that to say: Insert Coins was the only disappointment I had while we were in Vegas. Then I got to get drunk on the old Vegas strip and watch people take pictures with Mr. T impersonators and other people zipline across the street overhead.
Honestly, I think something as simple as a cyber cafe’ with some really good wi-fi mixed with an arcade would be successful, especially for a college crowd. Has to be good coffee though lol.
Neoblood: I’m not sure if fighting games/rhythm games would have helped that place “completely.”
Retro’s paid about $150,000 for their games and their rent was astronomical, $3200-3500 BEFORE electricity; etc. They overspent on their games as an investment and that’s a big problem if they aren’t going to pay themselves back. They replicated a sister arcade in Missouri that does REALLY well with that same format. Their issues were rooted way deeper.
I do agree if ANY arcade opened at Governors’ Square, it would do well. It’s too far for us so we can’t do it, but believe me, we know it’s a gold mine to have one over there. I know for certain I am NOT under any circumstances opening another one of these UNLESS it is inside a mall OR the rent is ridiculously cheap because right now with days such as yesterday (Rivergate total-$2.50) we’re going to be closing the new store before we even get a chance to let the thing breathe at this rate.
Neoblood: Cybercafes are tricky, no one uses them anymore because of smart phones and iPads…they are only used by kids/teens for WoW and Call of Suty and shit like that…they’ve tried to open here in the past, same problems…arcades are tough…mall is the only thing with built in traffic with something for EVERYONE. EVen with a movie theatre you have to DEPEND on people with TIME to play the games and depend on ONLY that traffic. College kids disappear during other times of the year, so you have to make due after that. This is why UCLA’s arcade disappeared and now they only have random games in the pool area and not a dedicated arcade. Not enough to keep the place going…
Unforunately my computer is still assed out. Looking to order my parts to build my new one soon. Once that’s all done we’ll be in there like swimwear.
Shotouts to Lycan, Sev, Abe, and the guys last night. Thanks for cheering me up. The last few days have been tough.
You know it! I learned a lot [S]facing[/S] getting stomped by him. It’s one thing to watch these top players, but actually playing them is a completely different story.
[media=youtube]-BV3yXErz60[/media]
Did we mention him last nite?
derp derp gonna tease you with some dumb character that will probably turn out to be a low tier character, and we already know nobody is going to play this game without using Bob Sagat
uhhhhhh… V.V
Shawn…strike him down for his insolence.
at first I thought Sean for a second but that vid is def for Sim
Come to think of it I think your right . Background level pieces on the last part and torso pic.
just wanted to say good games to everyone I played in Tekk last night Sev, Abe, Majin, Tommy(I almost had you fucker ha), Gene, and all the other minions
It’s every not white character all rolled up into one stereotype, an “Oni” of stereotypes, if you will.
Audiosurf is $1.49 today on Steam, if you don’t already own it, go buy it before the Miller Lite Gods b3,1,2 you to death.