Lan Gaming Cafe

This could work if your town has a decent amount of international students and you were willing to be a general net cafe too and sell beer!
 
N00bie said:
Another idea fails haha :(

Gotta think of something soooon cant cope with this crappy job much longer haha
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To be honest it would be better if you were to have a place set up so people could bring their own machines, meaning you wouldn't have the outlay of machines and upgrading them when they're old, just buildings rent and setting up some kind of network.

Get your advertising out and bish bash bosh
 
Gtiracer said:
To be honest it would be better if you were to have a place set up so people could bring their own machines, meaning you wouldn't have the outlay of machines and upgrading them when they're old, just buildings rent and setting up some kind of network.

Get your advertising out and bish bash bosh
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But then with that there is no draw, just play at home?

Was thinking maybe add some Kick ass Screens? and set up something a lil exciting? LAzy boy chairs, 30" Alienware screens the ones that curve.

And stick a Few massive screens for Xboxs
 
BombayMix said:
The one in the Trocadero, central London, always very empty. Can't see the demand for it really. Funlands (massive amusement arcade) in the same place just shutdown, same reason really.
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I went here a couple of weeks ago and it was actually completely full... Thought it was very good although their pc's were a bit sup par to be fair... could only just about play bc2 on medium

This added to the whole having to log in to play most games these days made things a bit difficult

Lan cafes were good in the days of dial up but in this day and age they are only good for the slightly more social element of playing.. They also had a bunch of consoles with bean bag sofa's which would work quite well
 
I reckon if you opened up shop abroad you would have better returns.

More captive market. People on holiday wanting a quick blast, either that or nothing.

When it comes to playing on someone elses (disease ridden keyboard/peripherals) or my own comfortable setup then I'd chose the later every time.
 
I think a place like South Wales where all we have is fields and Primarks everywhere this would work. Everyone I know would kill for a place like this in Cardiff, but as noted before its going to be hard to start with opening costs, game licenses and other things.
 
N00bie said:
But then with that there is no draw, just play at home?

Was thinking maybe add some Kick ass Screens? and set up something a lil exciting? LAzy boy chairs, 30" Alienware screens the ones that curve.

And stick a Few massive screens for Xboxs
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Not really, at home you wouldn't get the same buzz as being with everyone there, not to mention over a LAN network there wouldn't be as much lag.


Plus if everyone brings their own machines they would be far more capable at playing higher resolution games and would put less stress on the owners finances. Benefits all tbh.


I tell you if there was a massive LAN party near me for a few quid Id be going like a shot
 
We had one. It did ok back when not everyone had a decent / any connection. Died a quick death once everyone started getting on broadband.

Rather play at home for free, then LAN party it up every now and then.
 
there are a few near me. one of them is brand new and iv not seen it. te other was nice sold some basic periferals and had about 30 dell machines and i think each station had an xbox hooked up too. There were also a few huge TV screens with squishy sofas around them for things like guitar hero tournaments. they sold drinks and snacks at high prices had a good list of games. held fairly regular late night tournaments and such. Never seen the place empty but also never busy. Was usually a bunch of wealthy looking emo kids.
 
N00bie said:
Hey Guys,

Not seen many of these around my area, just wondering reckon this could work ?

Have gaming rigs in the shop, with the chance to buy rip off coffee ;)
Games would be like WoW and others like normal CSS BF2 and so fourth?

Would charge around £3.50 for an hour. Was thinking of selling stuff as well like components and things.
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Just Came back from Serbia and they have these all over Belgrade, there called Cyber Shark Internet Cafes, there always full of people either browsing the net playing wow & warcraft 3 or CS.
They also have PS3's a lot of people playing pes/fifa they sell drinks there etc, one other thing I noticed they have sponsorship so would be cheaper to buy pcs that way.

I think it would work say a city full of students, one with university would be great it can double as internet cafe place for students to do course work etc.
 
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Hmmm think it could work, would wanna open up something inside CMK shopping centre.....dread to think cost but would be awesome, the amount of kids id get dropped off while parents go shop.

Could be pretty lucrative from that point of view, and could always be a shop too selling PC Components as no one sells them in the shopping centre, just got Apple and Pc World which is not even in the shopping centre.
 
I used to know of quite a few in London (The Playing Fields, The Bad Place, Shoot'n'Surf, Egomaniacs....) and they ALL closed down. And that was from a time when hardly anyone had broadband at home.

The key USP of gaming cafes back in the day was the fact you could get great ping, not only on the LAN vs friends but also online. Nowadays that's gone so all that's left is the social factor, most people that enjoy gaming already have a decent PC or current gen console.

I think the only way something like this can work in the modern day and age is
1) Holding regular events (tournaments, game launches etc) to generate publicity, repeat business etc
2) Appealing to a wide enough market i.e. being generic enough to bring in tourists looking to check their mail/web/social networks, yet edgy enough to still appeal to gamers.

Adding on a component selling sideline might be nice if you could find the right niche, maybe attach some high end peripherals to your machines to get people trying them and then offer for sale. HOWEVER, the big problem is that you won't be doing high enough sales volume to be even remotely competitve with proper retailers and may end up with stock that just doesn't sell. I'd be very wary with this.
 
guess it depends on the prices and services. The downside i see to the shopping centre is you cant have late night stuff where people pay more to stay after hours for a tournament etc. Then again you would get more traffic during the day.
 
N00bie said:
Yeh that looks to be doing really well from what i can see?
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We'll as I mentioned I don't go there, but know of it of course.

Swansea isn't a very big city compared to most, but they have been in business for about 5 years now. So they must be doing something right.
 
Total waste of money IMO - you would not make a profit, that I guarantee. Good idea, just not viable.

Better to organise LAN's and make a profit from the event - start small and get a good reputation. Still a lot of stress for relatively small return I would say.
 
Not read the other replies sorry! Just come back from a binge drinking holiday! I used to work in such a place though.... It depends on your location and population in the area.

You would need more too it than just simply a cafe with a few parts etc.

You'd also want consoles set up for those that prefer console gaming.

Possible additions would be selling Games from board/card through to PC ones. Second had sales and trade in would keep people coming and also having gaming club nights that went on till late. Your main clients from my experience will be school kids.
 
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