Random question - Computer game licensing in a internet cafe
- Thread starter agnes
- Start date
I believe he wants to attract normal every day teenagers and not beat them off with a stick
The problem is staffing as well... you WILL attract the chavs and scrotes who WILL try to steal stuff... the pcs will have to nailed down tight and locked down even tighter software wise.
You will also have fights, damage and get a bad reputation with other business's for "encouraging" the kids to congregate. Its not as simple as just setting up a room etc
You will also have fights, damage and get a bad reputation with other business's for "encouraging" the kids to congregate. Its not as simple as just setting up a room etc
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The only way it would work is if you could have each station with large triple screen environments running off of highend gaming computers with all likely attachments for all sorts of gaming. Of course this would be a massive outlay for little return.
Security would be covered by the machines not actually being directly accessible to the customer only the peripherals.
Security would be covered by the machines not actually being directly accessible to the customer only the peripherals.
There was 2 of them in my town back in the late 90s both had closed by 2002-2003, once ADSL came to the town their customer numbers dropped through the floor.
What doomed one of them though was the staff and some regular customers kind of became a bit of an elitist group and weren't very friendly towards non-regulars while hogging most of the systems and not having to pay or paying reduce "mates" rates which pretty much killed their income but they were too short sighted and full of themselves to see it til it was too late, from what I've seen it wasn't a completely unusual story at the time (seen a few stories of similiar floating around the internet).
What doomed one of them though was the staff and some regular customers kind of became a bit of an elitist group and weren't very friendly towards non-regulars while hogging most of the systems and not having to pay or paying reduce "mates" rates which pretty much killed their income but they were too short sighted and full of themselves to see it til it was too late, from what I've seen it wasn't a completely unusual story at the time (seen a few stories of similiar floating around the internet).
The fact you brushed off the very good advice offered by RDM in post #11 should make you think about this idea. Getting local opinion isn't in itself a bad thing but imo don't go making large financial decisions based upon asking a few questions of your target market. Good luck!
There are a couple of places where I currently am (Singapore) that are more aimed at being a fun hangout but with console / PC games and also private rooms for people to hang out in. More of a social hangout for groups of people.
Check out stgamescafe.com for an idea of the model they are using.
Whether it would work in the UK is another matter. Crime and vandalism is much less of a concern over here.
Another thing that seems to be fairly popular here are board game cafes. Fairly normal coffee / snack places but with a selection of board games (Manopoly / Ludo / Game of life etc) that people can play while relaxing with friends. Have a goodle for "board game cafe singapore" for a better idea. Might want to invest in a 3D printer for that one though so you can print out an missing / stolen game pieces.
RB
Check out stgamescafe.com for an idea of the model they are using.
Whether it would work in the UK is another matter. Crime and vandalism is much less of a concern over here.
Another thing that seems to be fairly popular here are board game cafes. Fairly normal coffee / snack places but with a selection of board games (Manopoly / Ludo / Game of life etc) that people can play while relaxing with friends. Have a goodle for "board game cafe singapore" for a better idea. Might want to invest in a 3D printer for that one though so you can print out an missing / stolen game pieces.
RB
Isn't CoD an 18-rated game (or have a made that up?) - If true, then you'd have to deal with that and the little kids