Two iconic arcades shutting their doors
posted:
2/21/2011 1:10:00 PM
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I think that we all know that the arcade scene here in the United States is practically on life support, and things are getting worse. This past week, two iconic arcade establishments in California and New York have announced that they are shutting their doors.
I am not talking about big, commercial chains that are a dime a dozen, but two of the classic establishments that have served generations of gamers. Both New York’s Chinatown Fair and Southern California’s Arcade Infinity have announced closure dates by the end of the month. I was truly heartbroken to read about the closing of both places as those were names that I have known about since my arcade-heydays in the mid 1990’s. I never got a chance to visit either location, but some of the biggest news regarding emerging games and names in the industry broke thanks to events within their walls.
What do you all think? Is there even the slightest opportunity for a resurgence of the arcade scene in the future? What needs to happen to make arcades viable again?
Source: SNK-Capcom
*UPDATE: The owner of Chinatown Fair is claiming that the issues exist with their lease and that their current location may be closing down if things don't work out, but the establishment will simply be relocating rather than shuttering its doors permanently. Still sad to the see the original locale closing down...
I am not talking about big, commercial chains that are a dime a dozen, but two of the classic establishments that have served generations of gamers. Both New York’s Chinatown Fair and Southern California’s Arcade Infinity have announced closure dates by the end of the month. I was truly heartbroken to read about the closing of both places as those were names that I have known about since my arcade-heydays in the mid 1990’s. I never got a chance to visit either location, but some of the biggest news regarding emerging games and names in the industry broke thanks to events within their walls.
What do you all think? Is there even the slightest opportunity for a resurgence of the arcade scene in the future? What needs to happen to make arcades viable again?
Source: SNK-Capcom
*UPDATE: The owner of Chinatown Fair is claiming that the issues exist with their lease and that their current location may be closing down if things don't work out, but the establishment will simply be relocating rather than shuttering its doors permanently. Still sad to the see the original locale closing down...
