Sega is leaving the Japanese amusement arcade business

[Specineff]

"Sega Sammy has announced it is selling the remaining 14.9% of its Sega Entertainment division to rental business Genda Inc., the company which purchased 85.1% of Sega Entertainment’s shares in 2020.

The sale follows a torrid time for arcade operators globally, with the ongoing pandemic massively impacting business. It also marks the end of 50 years of Sega arcades in Japan. Sega Entertainment is to be rebranded as 'Genda GiGO Entertainment', with all Sega arcades in Japan being turned into ‘GiGO’ centres."

Source: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/ ... -a-century

While understandable, it still feels like the end of an era.

EDIT: "Sega Entertainment only runs arcade locations, and the arm of the company which manufactures and distributes its actual arcade machines is different, so we'll still be seeing Sega games in amusement arcades – just not ones owned by Sega itself."

[BryanM]

The arcade closures in the past couple years kind of hit home a little. I know they're an obsolete relic for the hardcore and wealthy, I know I'd never get to visit one.. but it still felt kind of reassuring knowing there was still one place on earth arcades still existed and were used by people, outside of a barcade.

[Koa Zo]

Glad to see the edit in the original post. It would have been really sad if there were no longer any new Sega arcade games

felt kind of reassuring knowing there was still one place on earth arcades still existed and were used by people, outside of a barcade.

Pinball PA is probably one of the best in the world, at least for classic games.
Just minutes north of the Pittsburgh International Airport, I'm surprised it's not talked about much as a destination for arcade aficionados.

[Udderdude]

I hope the rebranded GiGO arcades are just as good .. even though I'll never visit one. lol

[Mills]

I read something about this last week.

[cj iwakura]

This makes me sad, but I'm glad I got to go to Club Sega in Akihabara. They'd be fools to not keep the branding, so here's hoping.

[xxx1993]

First consoles, now arcades?

[orange808]

Overdue. I would hate to see Sega's software house sink into the void because they couldn't let go of the weight of tradition. We already lost Konami; although, they intentionally left to make gambling machines. Also nice to still have some multiplatform devs that aren't rolled into synergetic ecosystems with captive exclusive games.

[Ed Oscuro]

Good news, actually. Sega already flubbed the arcades/home 3D console transition once and I trust they are making the right business decision. Nothing prevents them from reentering the business should the market improve in the future, but I can't imagine that happening in the near future. Interesting fact: David Rosen is apparently still alive at the ripe old age of 92?! And this is almost 70 years after Sega of Japan took its modern name in '53.

[BIL]

Imagine Dave Rosen's AfterBurner II skills after training for that long be blastin MIGs for the nomiss with one hand while checkin he stocks with the other using the reflection in his hawt PA's glasses to keep an eye on the raging Commie onslaught