Video arcade games - worth the investment

While the industry will never be able to recreate the buzz that surrounded the video arcade games of the 80s, the leading video games of today still represent a powerful reason to go into an arcade.

Today, video game manufacturers not only have to compete with the home console market, which allows players to sit at home for hours on end playing their favourite game with friends, who don’t even need to be in the same country let alone the same room, they also have to compete against redemption games in the arcades, currently considered the money-makers of the industry.

These days an operator needs a very good reason to part with their money for a video game, but as John Brennan of Namco Europe explains, they do still have an important role to play in the industry and are capable of turning an arcade into a destination venue - they become the centrepiece attraction and a focal point of the arcade. As well as this, increasingly, with factors such as game cards and linked tournaments they bring game-playing communities together, which certainly benefits a location.

Like all areas of the coin-op amusement industry, the main obstacle video game manufacturers have to overcome is to offer something the player cannot get at home. According to Sega Amusements’ Justin Burke: "It is all about making sure the game is still appealing. Home console games allow people to play for long amounts of time whereas we need to grab their attention and get them wanting more from a three to four minute game.

"We have to continually re-invent video games and transferring consumer titles such as Grid (Sega’s latest driver) into arcade titles really helps with this as the players are already familiar with the titles and game play. We also work on continuously improving the design of the cabinets, the sound quality and including features such as motion-based seats and so on.

"For operators to be interested in a video game, it needs to give a good return on investment and be reliable," continued Burke. "To do this, it needs to appeal to both core and casual players, especially the casual players in Europe. Even if a player isn’t doing very well it is important they still feel involved in the game; this encourages them to come back and try again."

Namco’s Brennan adds to this, telling InterGame: "That is why game creators are so highly valued. It is their genius combined with advances in technology, which have kept the sector alive."

While it is important to appeal to both core and casual players, the majority of video arcade games are targeted at males, probably because the majority of traditional video games revolve around shooting, driving and fighting, which are typically areas of entertainment men and boys find of interest. However, Hopping Road from Taito, distributed by UK-based Electrocoin, is a good example of how video games can appeal to a wider audience if the content is right. A game targeted at young teens, according to Electrocoin’s Kevin Weir, it typically appeals to girls more than it does to boys. "It is important to address all sectors," he told InterGame. "The fact that Hopping Road appeals more to girls than it does boys is quite unusual in our sector. The key elements to a successful video game include: reality, graphic quality, co-ordination between the control and screen and a perceived achievable end. Settings and price of play are also crucial."

The recent success of Terminator Salvation, released by Betson Enterprises and Play Mechanix, is further evidence that a good video arcade game can still pull in the numbers. US figures have shown a street tavern clocked up $430 in its first full week, which was followed by $464 in the second week, while a cinema in New York has averaged over $1,000 per week for eight weeks, a billiard parlour also in New York reported $1,300 on a two-week collection and a New England sports bar reported a one-week collection of $1,100.

The arcade shooter boasts a 32ins LCD for HD graphics, redesigned stationary weapons with force feedback and attractive neon lit accents.
"There was never any doubt that Terminator Salvation Arcade was going to be a big hit," said Betson’s Bob Boals, "and it is not surprising that the game earnings continue to grow each and every week."

While licensed video arcade games such as Terminator, Rambo, The Fast and The Furious and Hummer to name just a few, tend to do very well in an arcade, manufacturers are aware they cannot rely on a licence alone and operators should keep this in mind when looking at which games to purchase. "A licence on its own means nothing unless the game is a good one," said Brennan. "Conversley we’ve had games such as Tekken and Time Crisis which have, through their game-play, become brands in their own right."

Electrocoin’s Weir adds to this, saying: "A licence will always draw players to the machine, but will only make a good game great. It won’t make an average game good. If the game isn’t strong enough then players will tire quickly."

Operators looking to invest in video arcade games should however, be aware that they play just as an important role in the product’s success as good game play and design does. An operator of video arcade games, like any other machine, should not expect to be able to just plug in the machine and expect it to work wonders. While they not only need to be sure of picking the best product in the first place, for Burke they need to maintain their products and look after their assets.

"The key element of a successful video arcade game from an operator’s point of view is that it needs to produce a good return on investment while being reliable," he said.

"It also needs to have long-term appeal, as while initial appeal can be good - it needs to last. A lot will go for four-player video arcades over a twin cabinet as they make a bigger splash in the game room."

Brennan adds to this, saying: "We place a lot of emphasis on the salesman as a consultant. We’re out in the field as opposed to sitting behind a desk, we know the market and we know what type of product is best suited to different environments or locations. It’s not in our interest to place a game in an environment where it is going to underperform. It is very important that operators shop around and ask the right questions."

As the popularity of redemption games continues to grow with both operators and players globally, some would argue that video game manufacturers will continue to find themselves up against an increased amount of competition and pressure to produce games out of the ordinary and worth the investment.

Sega’s Justin Burke sees that the growth of redemption will continue to increase and then plateau, which is where video will re-emerge and then the industry will begin to see more video redemption products in the arcades as well.

However, Brennan told InterGame: "I don’t necessarily agree that video arcade games don’t hold the same value as redemption. Video continues to be present in most arcade locations. As a company which successfully distributes video and redemption, it’s the overall machine mix that is important. One complements the other to the benefit of the venue."

While this is most probably true, it cannot be denied that as economies continue to repair following the recession, families are still looking for perceived value for money and manufacturers behind video arcade games need to continue working with operators - and probably twice as hard - to make their games stand out in among a room full of games spitting out hundreds of tickets and prizes. Thankfully, with the likes of Terminator Salvation and Grid being released, it looks like they might just pull it off.