Spain's Yelmo Cineplex company recently splurged on a "Cinegames" setup, converting one of its small theaters into a sizable LAN arena. Inside, some 50 17-inch LCD screens have been bolted to armrests, a gamepad dangling below each one. Once the fog and low smoke start to roll in, the black light and flashing green lasers get going, and the seats start vibrating, one gets a sense of why this innovative concept could reinvigorate the movie theatre business -- and resurrect the arcade. Developed by Enrique Martinez (pictured), Cinegames is slowly drawing crowds to an otherwise unprofitable small-screen theater at the Yelmo multiplex in Madrid. Aside from tourneys featuring chart-toppers like Pro Evolution Soccer (published by Konami -- not EA!), Martinez hopes Cinegames will appeal to educational institutions that could use the space for learning and testing; he's even marketing to corporate and senior citizen groups. If the concept takes off, Martinez plans to expand Cinegames throughout Europe, eventually hopping the Atlantic to target North American audiences. So how 'bout it? Would you desert your cushy spot on the couch and lose the Xbox Live headset to brush shoulders with your competitive peers? Tickets are only $4.
[Via The Last Boss]
