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gaming in bars?

anybody have any bars or clubs in their area that have some type of gaming night? if so, where are you, how is the turn-out, and what games are popular? thanks in advance!
 
Actually, I am in the process of starting a small business in Ohio.
It's like GameWerks. GameWorks/Werks serves beer after 11 PM and lets you play various video games.

I'll be setting up several HDTVs, along with xbox 360s - and Halo 3 whenever it comes out.

I already have 4 XBOXs with Halo 2, and 3 gamecubes (with just super smash brothres melee).

I have yet to figure out how I can really make money off this, but I think Beer and gaming will work for adults....

For now, tournaments really consist of SSMB: Melee, and Halo 2. The MLG (Major league gamer's associatoin) holds tournametns with MASSIVE prizes a few times a year, don't try to compete with that....

I plan to hold decent HDTVs with decent surround sound to attract highschoolers/college folk that can't afford to game on nicer equipment, or want to host tournaments in a nice environment...there's a lot more to it than that, but some business ideas need to be kept secret.


ELmO
 
Another good idea that will work with a few hithches, is setting up a 100"+ HD projector that will show HD Sports games (baseball, football, NHL, NCAA basketball, soccer (if in HD), CRICKET (not in HD probably), etc.), with movie theater seats - and charge people for the drinks.

You can also charge an "admission" for $2 to watch a game, but you'd make money off the drinks.

ELmO
 
me and my friends girlfriend play DS in the bar together. :lol

all the super-drunk hipsters defintely gave us the wtf glances.
 
Not giving suggestions, just think Mario kart ARCADE is cool:
mario-kart-arcade-gp-2.jpg


though, graphically not that impressive:
mg03.jpg


It takes your photo, adds a hat and moustache (hilarious):
02.jpg
 
Dave and Busters owns. It's all about taking like, 5 shots of SoCo, and playing Ghost Squad with your drunk coworkers.
 
A local club/bar in Boston (TT's) has done a couple of Guitar Hero tournaments recently. It's free and sounds kind of..interesting.
 
There's some bar in Williamsburg that I hear about called "Barcade", which is like a bar with all sorts of retro arcade games... Obviously it's gonna be swarming with hipsters, though that's not really a problem for myself. I've been wanting to make the trip into Brooklyn to go to this place.
 
elmalloc said:
Actually, I am in the process of starting a small business in Ohio.
It's like GameWerks. GameWorks/Werks serves beer after 11 PM and lets you play various video games.

I'll be setting up several HDTVs, along with xbox 360s - and Halo 3 whenever it comes out.

I already have 4 XBOXs with Halo 2, and 3 gamecubes (with just super smash brothres melee).

I have yet to figure out how I can really make money off this, but I think Beer and gaming will work for adults....

For now, tournaments really consist of SSMB: Melee, and Halo 2. The MLG (Major league gamer's associatoin) holds tournametns with MASSIVE prizes a few times a year, don't try to compete with that....

I plan to hold decent HDTVs with decent surround sound to attract highschoolers/college folk that can't afford to game on nicer equipment, or want to host tournaments in a nice environment...there's a lot more to it than that, but some business ideas need to be kept secret.


ELmO

Is that legal? Charging people to play system? Do you need some license to do that officially like Blockbuster or whatnot that rents out systems? Seems like it would require permission from game publishers or something like that.

BTW, the best gaming in a real bar environment is Erotic Photo Hunt. End of thread.
 
Eggo said:
Is that legal? Charging people to play system? Do you need some license to do that officially like Blockbuster or whatnot that rents out systems? Seems like it would require permission from game publishers or something like that.

however, it would be perfectly legal to have consoles set-up in an establishment for customers to play as long as they were not being charged for it...
 
GIRL!
I wanna take you to a game bar,
I wanna take you to a game bar,
I wanna take you to a game bar, game bar, game bar.

Let's start a war, start a nuclear war,
At the game bar, game bar, game bar.
Wow!
At the game bar.
Now Tell me do ya?, but do ya have any money?
I wanna spend all your money,
at the game bar, game bar, game bar.

(Pause)

I've got something to put in you,
I've got something to put in you,
I've got something to put in you,
At the game bar, game bar, game bar.
Wow!

You're a superstar, at the game bar.
You're a superstar, at the game bar.
Yeah! you're a superstar, yeah at the game bar.
You're a superstar, at the game bar.
Superstar.
Super, super, superstar
 
elmalloc said:
Actually, I am in the process of starting a small business in Ohio.
It's like GameWerks. GameWorks/Werks serves beer after 11 PM and lets you play various video games.

I'll be setting up several HDTVs, along with xbox 360s - and Halo 3 whenever it comes out.

I already have 4 XBOXs with Halo 2, and 3 gamecubes (with just super smash brothres melee).

I have yet to figure out how I can really make money off this, but I think Beer and gaming will work for adults....

For now, tournaments really consist of SSMB: Melee, and Halo 2. The MLG (Major league gamer's associatoin) holds tournametns with MASSIVE prizes a few times a year, don't try to compete with that....

I plan to hold decent HDTVs with decent surround sound to attract highschoolers/college folk that can't afford to game on nicer equipment, or want to host tournaments in a nice environment...there's a lot more to it than that, but some business ideas need to be kept secret.


ELmO

That's a cool idea.

Hopefully your clientelle don't get too drunk and too competative. Might want to invest in a burly bouncer.
 
Eggo said:
Is that legal? Charging people to play system? Do you need some license to do that officially like Blockbuster or whatnot that rents out systems? Seems like it would require permission from game publishers or something like that.

BTW, the best gaming in a real bar environment is Erotic Photo Hunt. End of thread.

why not? I mean you're paying for your console , games, local, networking ddevices, and the electricity.
You're giving something of value that a lot of people could appreciatte

good luck with your business, I have a few friends that have one but they ended to be an orgy of GTA, NFS, FIFA, etc...when I'm done with my local I will try to push a lot Halo 2 matches
 
Did you guys ever see a horse racing game at Dave and Busters? I have no idea what the title of it is or who makes it due to drunkness, but it owns. The best description I can come up with is there is a big screen TV where the races take place and each person gets their own smaller TV where they do stuff with their horses like train them. Then you can enter your horse in the bigger races against the 10 or so other people around you and it all occurs on the big screen TV.

I drowned my horse, KobeLovesShaq, in a training pool accident. :(
 
there is a place around here called "area 51" that has consoles of all flavors setup all kinds of games for each, xbox live, lans as well a few tv's spread out with various channels on for poeple that are not gaming, light not much more than finger food, pizza the like "soft" drinks of all kinds you name it seems they have it and beer not sure what other "hard" drinks they have but i know they have some others they charge by the hour or by the day/night to use their consoles however they don't charge to use the games on the consoles i am guessing that is the way around any problems with the game publishers in talkin to them they make good money by having private partys for birthdays however their big money comes from private partys for softball/basketball teams and bachlor parties their pos signs and ads seem pretty nice i am guessing but have never asked that they pay a franchise fee might be something to lookin to for some ideas if nothing else
 
mmlemay said:
I agree 100%

My girlfriend and her best friend are unreal at Erotic Photo Hunt. 475,000+

Holy crap, I would like to see a video of that. That's unfathomable... it's like being proud of a million score in Geometry Wars and then finding out someone got 11 million. The most I've seen is 150,000 and around level 18. Is she some kind of matching genius?
 
TheTrin said:
Dave and Busters owns. It's all about taking like, 5 shots of SoCo, and playing Ghost Squad with your drunk coworkers.


Dave and Busters is the shit. Have dinner, play some games, get drunk and play some games drunk. :lol
 
Eggo said:
Is that legal? Charging people to play system? Do you need some license to do that officially like Blockbuster or whatnot that rents out systems? Seems like it would require permission from game publishers or something like that.

BTW, the best gaming in a real bar environment is Erotic Photo Hunt. End of thread.
I don't think so. There's a place near me where they charge $5 an hour (or $4 if you're a member) or you can play all day for $15 (provided you're a member) to play any Xbox/PC/PS2 game online. They have 19 PCs with games like Warcraft III, Battlefield 2, Counter-Strike etc. You can bring your own games to.
 
djtiesto said:
There's some bar in Williamsburg that I hear about called "Barcade", which is like a bar with all sorts of retro arcade games... Obviously it's gonna be swarming with hipsters, though that's not really a problem for myself. I've been wanting to make the trip into Brooklyn to go to this place.

I was there a few months ago and yeah...totally swarming with hipsters. The place was packed by 11pm. Wall to freakin' wall. They did have a pretty wide selection of good beers and decent arcade titles, but it was mostly classics. I would have enjoyed seeing more current titles thrown in the mix.
 
rc213 said:
Dave and Busters is the shit. Have dinner, play some games, get drunk and play some games drunk. :lol

That's how it's done, man. Last time I was there was for the EB store Christmas party. Our boss treated us to car bombs and SoCo shots, and then we all played Daytona drunk off our asses.
 
nicholasbrutal said:
I was there a few months ago and yeah...totally swarming with hipsters. The place was packed by 11pm. Wall to freakin' wall. They did have a pretty wide selection of good beers and decent arcade titles, but it was mostly classics. I would have enjoyed seeing more current titles thrown in the mix.

The best part is seeing dingy emo/hipster dipshit guy being completely engrossed by whatever game he's playing, and the disaffected "hot chick" right next to him, looking bored and starving for attention. This was like at every single machine.

And the last time I went, two drunk chicks were annoyed that I asked them to set aside from the Ms Pac Man machine to play, whereas they were just standing there using it as a table for their drinks.

Its a great place, but before 10pm. That's when the dumbasses pack the place.
 
There is a place in Amsterdam that has a thing called "Beats n Broodjes" in the winter on a sunday, couches everywhere and a lady makes Toasted sandwiches and they are delivered to you on a couch.

A super Nintendo and a PS1 are always setup with some old school games and those couches are always first gone. Works well and the place is always packed, but it's not gaming focused, it's just there. Great though, I don't think making gaming the target of a bar would work, because that would kill the female user base and then slowly strangle the male user base due to the low supply of womens.
 
Beezy said:
Elmalloc, you're really gonna need sports games if you want that to succeed.

Agreed.

Madden is a no-brainer, maybe a hockey title, and depending on how it's received at your location --- Winning Eleven. Both are easy to pick up and play, with plenty of depth for those who are familiar with them.

Elmalloc, I assume that you're planning on using wired controllers, as opposed to Wavebirds and wireless 360 controllers? I've got to believe that the lack of wires would increase the likelyhood of thrown/stolen controllers, and depending on the number of systems in a given area, cause channel confusion amongst controllers and consoles.
 
djtiesto said:
There's some bar in Williamsburg that I hear about called "Barcade", which is like a bar with all sorts of retro arcade games... Obviously it's gonna be swarming with hipsters, though that's not really a problem for myself. I've been wanting to make the trip into Brooklyn to go to this place.


I was there a few weeks ago... I didn't notice too many hipsters, though I was already fairly drunk from a Presidents Day bash at the Brooklyn Brewery.. It's on Union St.

And it's old school arcade - not new and big fancy games. But old games from the 80s where a quarter can last you a long time :)

It's a good time - you should give it a try someday.
 
I still think a gaming store with an attached bar/arcade would be great. Have a bar where people can order drinks and shoot the shit about games, and then have an arcade where people can challenge each other. It would be insanely easy for the entire place to go under because of a lack of community, but if it was doing well, it would be an awesome place to hang out.
 
Siamesedreamer, you might be talking about The Independent on Monroe. They have consoles set up, a few good arcade games (DK, Galaga, Pacman) and pool. Plus they have Guitar Hero nights (I haven't been to one yet), and I'm sure they host all sorts of other gaming related events. Cheap PBR tallboys and a killer jukebox, too.
 
All the local bars down here have Golden Tee, Pac Man / Galga combo, and Electronic Darts for the most part. There are a few bars with some wacky additions like Metal Slug 4, DDR, or that Need for Speed arcade game. For the most part its the first three, otherwise known as the Bar Trifecta.
 
There is a place called Battle and Brew here in Atlanta (well it really is in Marietta) that is pretty cool. They have a bunch of decent gaming pcs, Xbox, PS2, Xbox 360, and even some old school arcade cabinets for good measure (X-men vs. Street Fighter!!!). Decent rates and decent beer price / selection. If you are in the area, go check it out. It is a fun place to chill.
 
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