CUE: When was the last time you went to an arcade? Did you have a good time, or did you think it was a little bit dated? Gabriel Green explores whether arcades have a future.

IN: (Ident) “This one’s for the gamers…”
OUT: “…not gonna get at home.” (Ident)
DUR: 3′ 28″

Is there a future for arcades?

Amusement arcades were most popular in the late 70s. The period was known as “The Golden Age of Arcade Video Games”, but in the age of Battlefield, Dark Souls and Grand Theft Auto, how relevant are games arcades?

Steve Lycett, Executive Producer of videogames company Sumo Digital, said “As home computers developed… you got to a point where the home machines were equally as good as the arcade machines. I think that’s been a real problem for the arcades…”

New technology?

A number of Virtual Reality arcades have opened around the country, which let you experience what the technology is like first-hand. Courell Watson, the Manager of one of the UK’s first VR arcades, Virtual X in Birmingham, told us “the British public is one of the hardest set of people to market to, sometimes. So if you look at China, for example, they’ve got loads of Virtual Reality arcades… one company who we’re actually allianced with have got 100 arcades in China alone… their mindset’s different, they’re willing to accept certain things, hence why they’re light years ahead of the UK.”

Source: YouTube.com – Nathie.

Is Virtual Reality the future?

Rob Crasco, one of the world’s leading Virtual Reality influencers, says “I think you’re going to see more of a re-emergence of more of a traditional arcade where you and your friends go out for a night and part of what you’ll end up doing is an immersive VR experience.”