One of the best and most popular independent arcades in Japan has resorted to a crowdfunding campaign to keep it afloat and its fans have answered the call.
Source: Campfire
Mikado, opposite Takadanobaba Station in downtown Tokyo, is somewhat of a shrine to old-school gaming, regularly hosting tournaments using its fighting and shoot ’em up titles.
Sadly, being a non-essential business during a virus pandemic has seen revenues plummet by as much as 70 per cent there and at its second location in the Ikebukuro neighbourhood of the city, reports SoraNews24.
Owner Minoru Ikeda (pictured) was, before the crisis, in the process of opening a second Takadanobaba location and was preparing to partner with regional entertainment centres in Hiroshima and Osaka to share a love of old-school coin-op gaming beyond Tokyo.
Faced with the prospect of closing the doors for good within months, Ikeda instead called upon the game centre’s legion of fans to help save it via Japanese crowdfunding site, Campfire.
The campaign features 11 reward tiers, ranging from ¥500 to ¥1,000,000 (US$4.70-$9,350). Rewards at the smaller end of the scale are messages of thanks, in both written and personalised video form, but when ¥5,000 is pledged, those donating are given free plays of specific games, discounts and even entry into tournaments at Mikado.
The crowdfunding effort has a target of ¥20m, which will also be used for renovations, such as adding enclosed smoking booths to comply with Tokyo’s new anti-smoking legislation.
In less than two days, that total was surpassed and at the time of writing had clocked up more than ¥27m (US$233,650) from 2,522 backers.
“I realise this is a selfish request,” said Ikeda in the campaign announcement, “but for the future of arcade culture, and in order to see the smiles of our customers again once things get back to normal, I humbly ask for your support.”
The crowdfunding page for Mikado can be found here.
