Wii Causing the Closure of Arcades

Rueters is reporting that Namco Bandai Holdings, who Reuters claims is best known for Tamagotchis (scoff!), is closing 50-60 (around 1/5) of its arcades in Japan. This following Sega Sammy Holdings announcement that they will be closing nearly 100 of their arcades in the near future. This could be the final death knoll for the once proud bastion of gaming known as arcades. Who is Namco Bandai blaming for all their bad luck? Other then rising oil prices they’re pointing the finger at the Wii.
“A lot of the types of games that people played at an arcade can now be done at home,” Namco Bandai Holdings’ company spokesman Yuji Machida said to Rueters.

With the WiiFit already out in Japan giving Japanese gamers the ability to play almost any arcade style game at home there really isn’t any motivation for people to go out to the arcade. Machida points out that a large amount of people bought the Wii last year and now kids seem far more interested in buying things for their new system then going out and playing at the arcades. Sad, but true. I remember going out to arcades and plugging in quarter after quarter with friends, but now I can do that at home and without quarters. Guess I’m not helping keep arcades alive either.