Gaming consoles killing Japanese arcades?
by frank ~ May 19th, 2008. Filed under: Console Games, News.
Japan’s $6.9 billion arcade gaming isustry has been hit hard by the increasing popularity of TV gaming consoles, particularly the Nintendo Wii, according to reports.
Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. plans to close a quarter of its outlets, while rival Namco Bandai Holdings has announced that it will shut down roughly 20 percent of its arcades this year.
Traditional advantages of the arcade environment are slowly being eaten away by innovations like action-oriented game accessories such as dance pads and motion-based controllers, as well as increasingly affordable wide-screen TVs that can replicate the arcade playing experience.
