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State of the U.S. Arcade Industry 2004

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the plugging-in-the-the-quarters dept.

Gamaroo writes "1up.com has posted an article on arcade game machines, the loss of the profit margin and the future of the industry. In their words: "There was a time when an arcade operator in America could buy a Ms. Pac-Man machine for less than $1,000, let it sit in an arcade, bar or storefront, and see that game make back over 30 times the initial investment. In 2004, that kind of profit margin is little more than a pipe dream.""

1 of 417 comments (clear)

  1. Dont play dumb! by essreenim · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    You know what it's really about:

    This really all started with the Atari.

    Go Atari.
    The brainwave to develop a home version of an arcade game and voila.. ..years later PS2, GC, XBox, and of course
    far better PC games.

    Who really needs to blow money in an arcade these
    days unless ur a ******* idiot.

    Besides, have people forgotten, arcade machines - especially the old horizontal tables, are collectors items now - ornaments!

    The day of the arcade is temporarily gone

    It will re-emerge with holographic arcade games.
    That technology is moving along, together with antigravity, and u got a sweet arcade game...