Video game arcades fight back with new business model
Arcades were an iconic part of American video game history, offering a new medium of entertainment to the masses.
Broadcast and Cinematic Arts Associate Professor Will Anderson recalled how much he loved arcade games as an eighth-grader in 1981.
“They really broke in ’81 right about the same time as 'Pac-Man,' 'Crazy Climber,' 'Star Castles,' and it’s amazing that almost every store had an arcade,” Anderson said.
For about a decade, arcades were on top of the world, but as video game and home console technology evolved, they became a dying relic. Ever since the end of the fighting game boom in the early to mid '90s, arcades have fallen into a niche market with very few of them left across the nation.
But in Brookfield, Illinois, Doc Mack and his crew at Galloping Ghost Productions have decided to breathe new life into the arcade market with their establishment, Galloping Ghost Arcade.
“We thought we could really present fighting games in a very strong manner; on our floor we have over 80 fighting games and even custom-made cabinets for the new games that don’t actually get arcade releases," Mack said. "It is one of our most popular genres at the arcade."
While Galloping Ghost Arcade boasts more than 250 arcade games, making it the largest arcade in Illinois, Mack said its focus is the booming fighting-game scene, utilizing customer feedback and attention to detail to create the best experience possible for fighting gamers.
“We really spent a lot of time making sure that it was up to what everyone wanted, and it took a lot of work, but now that fighting group is here pretty much anywhere (from) minimum once a week, sometimes three times a week,” Mack said.
But perhaps the biggest way Galloping Ghost Arcade is changing the way arcades work is the new pricing system it has implemented. Instead of pumping quarter after quarter into the arcade cabinet, all the games in Galloping Ghost Arcade are all set to free-to-play and you pay a $15 fee at the entrance to play all day.
With the revived life of arcade games at Galloping Ghost Arcade, there is a chance arcades can return again to Mount Pleasant. One arcade already sits unused in a dark basement.
Salam Haddad, co-owner of the The Malt Shop Cafe, 1088 S. University Ave., said the business had a deal similar to Galloping Ghosts.
“You bring all your kids and they pay a fee at the door and they can have a slice of pizza and a pop and play as much as they want for three hours,” Haddad said.
Unfortunately, the arcade has been closed because of problems with building regulations. Haddad said the arcade needs more fire sprinklers and the building would need more parking.
"Right now we have it on hold in a basement, so we’re working with the city to reopen our basement,” Haddad said.
