Abstract
Amusement arcades called Game-centers have tried to find ways of surviving in Japan. Independent game-centers with limited financial capacities have mostly struggled to find the best possible way to survive (Livedoor, 2015; Thutmosev, 2015; Nomu, 2016; SPEEDA, 2017; Chiba, 2018; Kamohara, 2019). For them, a niche strategy may be the best possible strategic direction to survive (Thutmosev, 2015; Sankei, 2016; Hirakawa, 2019; Kamohara2, 2019). This paper will focus on game-centers’ strategies in the retro video game niche to develop a general model of game-centers’ survival strategies. We will then refine the model through interviews with senior-level employees of Japan’s most successful retro game-center.
Highlights
Amusement arcades called Game-centers have tried to find ways of surviving in Japan
While there are several niches for independent game-centers, many of them have focused on a retro video game niche
We developed a general niche strategy model in a retro game segment based on our literature reviews
Summary
Japanese amusement arcades called game-centers were so popular in the 90s when there were more than 30,000 centers. Instead of teenagers, senior persons have started visiting game-centers almost every day to kill their free time They will play easy-to-play games for hours, buy canned beverages and cigarettes from vending machines, allow their grandkids to play games. Some financial institutions have financed game-centers for investments in electric money card systems, capsule toy vending machines, and new arcade game machines (Murakami, 2015; Sankei, 2016; BEEP, 2017; BEEP2, 2017; JAIA, 2018; Famitsu, 2019; Hirakawa, 2019; Kamohara2, 2019). There are critical points for game-centers to be successful in the niche They need proper maintenance of the game machines and variations of famous retro games (Hijiyan, 2013; Nomu, 2016; IGCC, 2018; TBS, 2018; Fantasista, 2019; Mikado, 2019; Robot, 2019). Having such loyal communities will bring them more profit as players play more, buy goods more, pay for various events, and even become self-assigned promoters through word-of-mouth, publicities, and social networks (Fujisawa, 2018; IGCC, 2018; TBS, 2018; Mikado, 2019; Uedaman, 2019)
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