Here are some of the main issues arcades in Japan are encountering in 2023.

High Maintenance Costs

Maintaining arcade machines is super expensive, especially with the growing cost of electricity in Japan (30% avg). This cost …

With the 2020 buyout and subsequent rebranding of Sega’s amusement operations to the pre-existent GiGO name, as well as the closures of some of its most world-famous locations amidst this, you could easily believe that the remnants are easily written off as done for too. All is not lost, …

Whilst numerous other legendary spots in Shinjuku have closed their doors permanently, some still stand tall. And of those that remain, you’d be hard pressed to find one more frequented to this present day than the likes of Shinjuku Sportsland Honkan. The small chain’s most famous location continues to run …

Not including Mikado’s gamecenter on this list would be like ignoring the success of Undertale in the indie game field. Over the past decade, business owner Minoru Ikeda has grown it to be something of a giant in its own right, now running three locations in Tokyo (Takadanobaba x2 with …

Such is their gravitas, Taito are one of the Japanese arcade giants that should still require no introduction, even with their output slowing in more recent decades. Whilst they continue to boast one of the most well-loved branded game center chains in the form of the Taito Game Stations, as …