The GameWorks arcade chain was originally a high-concept entertainment center, supported by some of the biggest names in the entertainment field at the time. The founding group included Dreamworks, Universal Studios, and Sega, all arguably at their peak. In the time since their first opening in 1996, the chain has fallen on hard times, and was recently acquired wholly by the new combined Sega-Sammy Group. Now, under this new leadership, the GameWorks concept is being re-worked. Gamasutra was able to talk with GameWorks vice president of sales and marketing Clint Manny. They discussed where the arcade chain had been, and where they are trying to go to in the future.

First, they discussed some of Sega’s arcade properties in Japan, such as Mushiking and Derby Owners Club, and how those are going to be brought to the United States. Mushiking has been somewhat of an arcade phenomenon in Japan, combining the addictive natures of arcade game play with the equally addicting collectible card game format. Clint reveals that the Mushiking series is being actively pursued in America, with a dedicated team working on its release. In addition, other titles like Love & Berry are being investigated for US release as well.

In addition, Sega hopes to revitalize the arcade format in America. There are success formulas in the United States; the Dave & Buster’s restaurant and arcade chain seems to be doing reasonably well. Some of Sega’s moves seem to be targeting moving towards that format with the Arena Sports Bar & Grill concept. Sega also hopes that by focusing on exclusive arcade experiences like big screens, interactive gaming, and platforms with custom hardware, that they can lure the customer back into the arcade.

Overall, their turnaround plan focuses on the Arena Sports Bar concept, pumping more money in arcade machines into the locations, and refining their location selection process. The article on Gamasutra goes heavily into detail for all of these plans, and is well worth the read for those gamers who remember the arcades of old and who wonder where arcade gaming is going in the future.