NEW PLAYERS

Though traditional game-based arcades have largely died out, recent years have seen the growth of new kinds of social gaming venue. The US craft beer chain Barcade established one expression of modern arcade gaming when it opened its first venue in Brooklyn in 2004, and the concept has proliferated throughout most North American and European cities since. There’s also been the growth of free-play arcades such as Arcade Club, which has three permanent UK venues charging one-off entrance fees for unlimited plays on the classic machines inside. Setting themselves out as family-friendly, many are led by enthusiasts and collectors, but COVID-19 has hit this category especially hard, with several, such as Retro Arcade in Warrington, announcing their permanent closure.