Namco and Sega arcades shutting down in Japan, all thanks to Wii...

[Zeonic Freak]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/techno...media-telco-SP

Nintendo's Wii claims more victims; Japan arcades hurt

Thu Feb 7, 2008 4:01am GMT
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By Edwina Gibbs
TOKYO, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Nintendo Co Ltd's (7974.OS: Quote, Profile, Research) hot-selling Wii game console may be a major headache for main rivals like Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research), but for operators of game arcades the pain is proving just as, if not more, intense.
In a shock downward revision to its earnings outlook, toy and amusement arcade firm Namco Bandai Holdings (7832.T: Quote, Profile, Research) said it would close between 50 and 60, or roughly one-fifth of its arcades, causing its shares to plummet for a second consecutive session on Thursday.

More on the link...

Seems japan is getting our trend, closing down arcades and such due to consoles.

I suppose a 5th of the arcades isnt too bad, its just more walking for those who had it easy going 20 feet to the nearest one...

[Beat]

The Wii and its ilk are able to replicate the one thing that arcades had left- Unique control schemes. Without that, the traditional arcade model is going to die very quickly, the rare exception being the low cost eatery/arcade combo model like Dave and Busters.

[chris3116]

Namco should not talk. Last time I remember, they make Time Crisis and they put it on consoles especially on the Playstation brand. It's not the fault of Nintendo that arcades are closing in Japan.

[TKnHappyNess]

Do people really need sequels to the latest hot fighter or countless racing games in arcades? No, so that's why they're getting boring. Give us something new. Arcades can't survive off of those and all those endless DDR-style games coming out.

[danreyes1]

This has been happening for almost two decades, and they're just noticing this now?

[Zeonic Freak]

Japan arcades are one of the great things i like in japan, being able to go to a place to socialize with other gamers than talk to them on some crappy plastic mic to talk trash to.

Arcades are there for gamers to get out and meet other gamers and challenge each other in a public specticle, not in their own rooms. Plus, theres some games that you are only arcade exclusives, and if they were ported to consoles, it just wouldnt be the same feel.

The only real decent arcade in my area is an hour drive to Fayettville NC, and my friend and i go there to play Initial D basicly...

[Yash]

I recall reading an article similar to this, except it blamed it on rising oil prices as well as the Wii's popularity.

I don't see why everyone's so quick to jump on the Wii. What's next? "My son died in a car crash on his way to pick up a Nintendo Wii"?

[EscaflownePilot]

Japan arcades are one of the great things i like in japan, being able to go to a place to socialize with other gamers than talk to them on some crappy plastic mic to talk trash to.

Arcades are there for gamers to get out and meet other gamers and challenge each other in a public specticle, not in their own rooms. Plus, theres some games that you are only arcade exclusives, and if they were ported to consoles, it just wouldnt be the same feel.

Agreed. That's why I really don't expect arcades to reach the level in Japan that they have here, to be honest. I'd imagine a lot of the mainstream Joe's that stick to the first few levels of most arcades with all the horse betting games and Mahjong will migrate to the Wii with all of its cheap "let's all hop on one foot holding the Wii remote above our heads and see who looks the most retarded" games, but most arcades in Japan have at least several floors higher up dedicated to the more hardcore - shmups, fighters, etc. I really don't forsee those decreasing much more than they have already, because the spirit of social competition drives most of those games.

And as for the music games, really, there may be many home ports, but let's face it, a large part of the appeal is showing off in front of a crowd. I'd imagine home ports of music games have more appeal to the beginner as a means of practicing, but I don't know anybody who would actually prefer the foam dance mat in the privacy of your home over the metal pads with crowds to watch you if you get even half way decent.

And really, like Yash said, everyone seems to jump on the Wii as the cause for everything, lately. Wrists and arms sore? It's not because you don't exercise your muscles enough, it's that damn Wii! Network television ratings low and advertiser dollars at an all time low? It's not the writers strike or the lack of anything good on, it's that people are playing that damn Wii instead. Honestly, I'm amazed that the radio station contest that woman died in was blamed on the radio station rather than the Wii.

Let's be as stupid as this news article and assume that the arcade shut downs had nothing to do with other economic factors or oversaturation of arcades, but was soley due to the Wii... aside from the average Mahjong playing Joe, I really don't see where there's anything substantial on the Wii worth skipping Japanese arcades for. Super Mario Galaxy is great, and no doubt Smash Bros. Brawl is taking up a lot of people's interests over there, but what else is there for the gamer to play? They vehemently hate Metroid Prime over there, Pokemon Battle Revolution is supposedly way to lag filled to be enjoyable online in the Japanese version, and nothing else offers the kind of social or competitive playing that an arcade does.

No doubt it's sad to see the arcades wind down like this, but given how many of them there were, it was only a matter of time before a handful would have to die out (much in the same way Starbucks have expanded too quickly over here and are now dealing with oversaturation). Combine that with economic factors, and I'm betting the Wii plays a much, much smaller part in this.

[Zeonic Freak]

I belive the Wii was behind El Nino, Katrina, the fall of Communisum in Russia, Nuclear Radiation, the the South losing the Civil War, and many more other things:anime:

I guess Wii new slogan is "Blame it all on Wii"