The U.S. Arcade is Dead?

Via GameSetWatch, an article by one of the editors of GamePro positing that the U.S. arcade is now a dead thing. By positing, I really mean ranting. From the article: "Americans play videogames for one reason and for one reason only, to kick ass. It doesn't matter if you're crushing skulls in the fighting arena or on the football field. Being a virtual DJ, riding a horse (not into battle), and playing other violence-free games is not enough to draw people into arcades. Gaming isn't about having family-friendly fun it's about indulging in man's carnal desires. And then Konami drove the nail through the heart of coin operated gaming... The abomination of videogaming known as DDR served as an outlet for wannabe Travoltas to flail around wildly and quickly made the house of tank simulators and street fighting a haven for lamos. "

Comments

Re:DDR?

[Kelson]

I have friends who have successfully used DDR as a workout regimen. If you get the home edition and the dance pads, you can play as long as you want, and it's exercise. If you have friends or roommates who like to play, it's competitive. And if you actually like the game, it's a heck of a lot more fun than riding a stationary bike, or running on a treadmill, or whatever else you might do at the gym.

Seriously, I've never heard someone say, "Hey, let's go to the gym and work out!" But "Hey, let's go play DDR" works mentally like "Hey, let's go shoot some hoops" and gets you more physical activity than, say, World of Warcraft.

Re:They have to offer different elements now...

[servognome]

I think arcades can be saved once they realize that they need to have content that can't be reproduced at home.

They have for a long time. Yu Suzuki described in an interview how when he designs games for the arcade, he specifically looks at integrating unique hardware to add to the experience. Originally this philosophy created games that could charge a premium (eg 75cents to play "Afterburner" in the moving cockpit). Now with consoles and computers being so powerful, that's pretty much all you see in arcades.
The problem is that games in themselves are not enough to attract an audience. You can drive 20 minutes to go to the arcade to play a game that costs $1 or just play something that may not be quite as entertaining at home free. Where you do see arcades still thrive is at Dave & Busters or Gameworks type places where you get food, get beer, and play some motorcycle racers. The games aren't necessarily the money makers, but they provide entertainment to keep people in the bar buying liquor which is.