FROM unbridled optimism to the depths of despair, the views of some of the industry’s leaders in the coin-operated amusement and street gaming industry vary from country to country. InterGame contacted some of its friends in other countries to find out how they viewed the situation in their own back yards. The results are interesting.
GERMANY: Jürgen Stühmeyer, main board director at the Gauselmann Group felt that the country’s arcades may begin to re-open towards the end of May.
Speaking at the end of April, he said: “Right now, like everyone else in the industry, we are just managing the crisis. Obviously all business is at zero. All of the arcades are closed and we expect to see the first re-opening not before the end of May. It will probably depend on the decisions of the individual Bundeslander (the 16 separate German states). That may mean that there are different dates for re-opening across Germany.”
