Michael Mascioni considers the role of pop-up arcades.
SIGNIFICANT attention has been given to pop-up stores in recent years, but pop-up video arcades have been largely relegated to the background. That may change soon, especially as major shifts in the video arcade market prompt greater marketing experimentation. Pop-up video arcades may stir greater interest among independent game developers as well as established arcade game developers and operators, as new and more portable technologies such as tablets exert greater force in those arcades.
For now, those arcades are primarily positioned as promotional platforms, not real revenue generators. According to Kevin Williams, founder of consultancy firm KWP and the DNA Association, pop-up arcades do not yet constitute major revenue sources for games, though he feels they’ll have a substantial marketing impact in the near future. He envisions two main kinds of game initiatives and systems suitable for pop-up arcades: repurposing of amusement games as promotional applications in cabinets and the installation of “hybrid arcade systems combining console and free to play applications, similar to hybrid systems found in the kiosk and digital signage sector.”
Williams sees a natural evolution towards pop-up arcades from pop-up stores and pop-up experiences in the hospitality sector, which “have embraced public play in public places.” Newer entertainment venues, such as “game bars,” may also open up key opportunities for pop-up arcades, he said.
Read the full article in the August issue of InterGame.
