Street Fighter IV not coming to U.S. arcades
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Nov 16th 2008 at 12:00PM }
Japanese arcades have enjoyed the company of the wildly popular brawler since July, and a few law-disregarding American arcades have imported SFIV cabinets with tremendous positive response. However, as Kramer explained, SFIV (or any other game) won't be enough to resuscitate "an industry that died off seven or eight years ago." Sorry, quarter jockeys, it looks like you'll have to get your fix on one of America's illicit imports -- for as long as they're around, anyways.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bowser the Baptist @ Nov 16th 2008 12:15PM
Some of my favourite moments were spent at Sega World in central London. It's still going strong I think but under a new name. The Namco Centre is still open, though it was rather sparse (empty) when I was last there. The comradery built at these churches of gaming will never match any online service.
This decision probably means everybody outside of Japan is fucked. Good going Capcom stomping out the last embers of the Arcade scene.
BigD145 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:17PM
There's arcades in the US?!
wickedpheonix @ Nov 16th 2008 2:00PM
There's more than a few arcades in LA that have SF4 cabinets:
http://www.eventhubs.com/articles/2008/aug/15/street-fighter-4-arcade-machine-tracker/
Erik Stroud @ Nov 16th 2008 2:12PM
I think what they mean are cabinets released by Capcom's US division. Those are more than likely Japanese Cabinets. Thogh, I'm not surprised it won't have a US release, arcades have gone down ill because of prices and consoles.
Geist @ Nov 16th 2008 3:16PM
Aww beat me to it.
Seriously though, who plays in arcades anymore? The only machines I've seen were in another university's residential common area.
rich @ Nov 16th 2008 12:31PM
Thats a bummer. If you live in southern California there are a few arcades here and there. Nickel Nickel in Huntington Beach has imported a few of the Japanese race car games, and ddr/beat mania type games. Regan years in Fullerton has old classics. Both places worth checking out.
wickedpheonix @ Nov 16th 2008 2:01PM
hmmm, meant to reply to you rather than BigD above. Anyways (for your email inbox consideration) there are a few arcades in LA that have SF4 cabinets:
http://www.eventhubs.com/articles/2008/aug/15/street-fighter-4-arcade-machine-tracker/
Chin-Poh @ Nov 16th 2008 12:31PM
It seems as though most will be satisfied by playing it on the consoles online instead of an arcade. Still, multiplayer with people nearby beats online anyday IMO.
Jtenma @ Nov 16th 2008 1:50PM
...not to mention I STILL don't think there is 1 fighting game that is lag-free to the point where it makes online useless.
Comet @ Nov 16th 2008 12:32PM
Arcade Rebirth needs to happen. NOW.
Mr Khan @ Nov 16th 2008 12:40PM
I think the time is ripe for the return of arcade-esque games. They could perfectly fill the order of "bridge games" that seem to be the top moneymakers
pick-up-and-play, but score-based. Short, but infinite replayability. Stuff like the new Alien Crush, Boom Blox, the GH/RB series, Castle Crashers, Mega Man 9, etc.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 16th 2008 1:11PM
Sadly it won't. Why go to an arcade when you can just stay home and play someone online. Also you don't have to put in quarters everytime you want to play someone.
Dr. Stabbingworth @ Nov 16th 2008 1:13PM
Why would I play those games in the arcade when I can play them on my console, at home, with a better T.V., and cheaper?
samfish @ Nov 16th 2008 6:01PM
Arcades used to be the sort of testing grounds for the next generation of video games. That's why all arcade ports on consoles were rarely ever as good as the arcade versions.
But console power started going up up up to the point where the technology is more or less on par with the tech you'd find in an arcade...so they had to basically start making 'gimmick' games, like DDR, more light gun shooters, VR games, etc to attract people. Unfortunately, the cost of that technology is way too high to be financially sustainable, given the current state of US arcades.
I think arcades could make a good comeback, too, personally. If they made them into more of a social center-type place with, as Mr Khan said, an emphasis on pick-up-and-play games and maybe something like a coffee shop or something to attract people besides the games. It'd also be up to the game developers to strike deals for arcade exclusivity for a period of time...otherwise, if the arcade version and the console version came out at the same time, people would just buy the console version.
Of course, games should never cost more than 75 cents...and even then, that's just in rare cases. I know I hesitate to pay that much per play, furthermore $1 or $2 dollars
I think a business model along those lines could potentially thrive in mid-to larger size cities, as well as college towns.
Superstar90 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:36PM
They have Metal Slug 6 at Chuck E. Cheese, but besides that I've never played any of these popular arcade games.
Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:38PM
I always thought if they built an arcade machine that could match make with either other arcade players around the country or even match make with home users would be amazing.
Didn't at one time Midway have some type of N64 arcade type games that you could bring in your N64 memory card and save your stats or what have you on the memory card?
Roto13 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:44PM
I think that was an NFL Blitz game.
There was also some kind of interaction between F-Zero GX and AX using a GameCube memory card, but I was never clear on exactly what it was. Something like using your customer racer or something.
Mr Khan @ Nov 16th 2008 1:37PM
You had a custom vehicle you could produce in F-Zero GX, which could be used in F-Zero AX
But in all my time, i never saw an AX Cabinet. Of course, i haven't seen a real, up-to-date Arcade in my entire life
Patrick @ Nov 16th 2008 12:45PM
I just hope someone releases an adapter that lets me use the Super NES gamepad on a 360 or PS3.
FSK405K @ Nov 16th 2008 1:27PM
Absolutely. What's the point in playing a console version on X360/PS3 without a working D-pad?
pat1202003 @ Nov 16th 2008 12:47PM
what's an arcade?
NukeAssault @ Nov 16th 2008 12:55PM
lol there is a SFIV cab where i live. I win!
mr nimblewick @ Nov 16th 2008 12:59PM
All they need to do to get arcades to come back is start charging only a quarter to play the games again. As soon as you started to get only 2 minutes of play time for a dollar, it was game over for arcades.
jason @ Nov 16th 2008 1:06PM
Fine, I'll go buy one then. Stupid Capcom.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 16th 2008 1:10PM
sigh I know we'll be able to play this online, but nothing beats the experience of playing Street fighter at your local arcade with a crowd of people cheering you on. Sigh, I miss the good old days.
zkey14 @ Nov 16th 2008 1:23PM
Indeed. Nothing like a small crowd slowly building up to watch as you get nearer to that 30th win streak. I play games with lots of people online and on gatherings, but on the arcade I found players to be at their most expressive and overall having the most fun possible while playing videogames.
Diskoboy @ Nov 16th 2008 1:11PM
"an industry that died off seven or eight years ago."
Try 10-15 years ago....
IMO, arcades never rebounded after the 1984 crash.
Dante @ Nov 17th 2008 11:03AM
you fail at math
Diskoboy7 @ Nov 18th 2008 5:36PM
You fail at everything.
The arcades last 'hurrah' was arounnd 1993-1995, when the market got flooded with one fighting game, after another..
I was voicing an opinion, dickhead. I lived through the early 80's golden age. There will never be anything like it. Those who were actually around to experience it will tell you the same thing..
MDV @ Nov 16th 2008 1:13PM
Really? No SF4 arcades in the US? You're going to have to tell that to all THESE locations who have it right now:
http://www.eventhubs.com/articles/2008/aug/15/street-fighter-4-arcade-machine-tracker/
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 16th 2008 1:15PM
You need to realize that they probably got the original japanese cabinets.
aj @ Nov 16th 2008 1:22PM
You know what killed the arcades? When games went from a quarter, to fifty cents, to a dollar, to two dollars or more.
The first time I stuck 8 quarters into this really cool tank battle game only to have the controllers go wonky and give me a game over in 3 seconds is the time I decided to just stop going to the arcade. And I think a lot of people felt the same way.
But good on people for importing SFIV boards and letting the people play. I can't believe it's illegal to import an arcade machine. Although it's probably technically illegal to actually watch a DVD in the US these days, so what the hell.
FSK405K @ Nov 16th 2008 1:24PM
Ha! Now who's laughing about those people who imported their own cabinets?
yekke2 @ Nov 16th 2008 1:58PM
hmm, I go to San Francisco State and we have a couple of SFIV arcade units on out campus.
Jeremy White @ Nov 16th 2008 1:39PM
I really have not seen an arcade in so long. There used to be one or two in my small town and other towns around the area. It's gone now, along with pretty much everyone around the way. The only place that they have arcades now is little theme places like Chuck E. Cheese or casinos, and it just costs too much to play.
Jeremy White @ Nov 16th 2008 1:47PM
Also, people in these theme places and casinos are not there to take care of the arcade machines when they break, so most of them are ragged to shit but never fixed because most of them probably don't know anything except how to fix putting money in. It can be ragged to shit forever, almost unplayable, but the only time an "Out of Order" sign is going to go up is when the machine either steals or stops taking money. So I mean, you're getting charged $2.00 for one race around the track, the steering wheel is broken, the seat's slide lock is broken, and you can not play... how intriguing does that make smaller arcades look?
Plus, I think consoles definitely ruined arcades. First, the $2.00 up from the old $.25 back in the day. Laziness is also a factor. The thought of hundreds or thousands of people touching the same controller each day vs. their own personal controller is something else. There's a bunch of reasons.
StuScotsLazyEye @ Nov 16th 2008 1:53PM
Ugh, I hate reading articles like this. Younger gamers that missed out on the arcade age really missed out on something special. Before the rise of online gaming on consoles, you had to man up and show up at the arcade to prove that you had skill. Now all of the 14 year olds hide behind a microphone and an online alias, swearing and cussing at you, quitting games early, etc. You never pulled shit like that in the arcades.
Online console gaming...thanks for taking away gaming that was FUN.
samfish @ Nov 16th 2008 6:06PM
Ditto. I sigh every time I see people saying stuff like, "why arcade when I can play online?"
To say that the online experience is even remotely similar to the arcade experience is just crazy talk, to me. There was a real social feeling in arcades that you just never get online.
Art @ Nov 16th 2008 1:56PM
I think American arcades could have a strong resurgence, they just need the right people to take on the challenge. The arcade operators of 10-20 years ago are a different generation looking at the business from a much different perspective. I feel they were simply too conservative and too intimidated by the console industry (but I wasn't there.)
I manage an arcade in Portland, OR for a living. Our arcade focuses on classic arcade games & pinball tables from ALL eras. We don't have the latest super-deluxe cabinets, but we try to focus on getting games that have a strong legacy.
Arcade operators definitely have to make some creative (and sometimes tough) choices to remain viable. Some turn to prize redemption games (we have none.) Some charge a cover and operate games on nickels (we charge 1-2 quarters per play.) Our solution? Beer and wine service after 5PM. It means the kids have to leave, but it's the 20-30 somethings (and greater) that really appreciate our game lineup. We also host a weekly Rock Band nite and believe it or not, 40-50 people (many of which own the game) come through every week to play it on our stage and giant projection screen.
Honestly, we don't need Street Fighter IV - there's still a strong scene of players for the earlier games, the Alpha series, etc. We'll probably host some console-based tournaments are our spot once SFIV is out, but I think the idea that arcade operators _have_ to drop thousands on brand-new cabinets with state-of-the-art technology to compete is a self-perpetuating cycle. You have to increase the price-per-play in order to make your investment back in a reasonable amount of time and that drives people away. Keep it simple, keep it affordable and keep it fun and people will come back.
Zk @ Nov 16th 2008 2:31PM
You manage Ground Kontrol? I didn't know about the Rock Band night... I might have to check that out.
artrulz @ Nov 16th 2008 7:35PM
Zk: Yeah, it's Ground Kontrol! (I don't see an option to reply to your reply)
Rock Band nite is every Tuesday at 8PM! Go to http://groundkontrol.com for more info.
aj @ Nov 16th 2008 10:33PM
Art: I love you.
Also, I saw Ground Kontrol in "The Comedians of Comedy". Brian Posehn gave it a ringing endorsement.
A Murder of Crows @ Dec 25th 2008 11:42PM
I wanted to say thanks to Art for GK. I haven't been able to come by in the past month or so due to my car breaking and a move to Hillsboro, but for a good 2 months i was there, every friday, playing the daylights out of SF Alpha 3. I do wish that game could get moved away from the wall so my fat ass can fit back at the P1 spot....it's REALLY crowded back there.
Anyway, GK does an awesome service. thanks much
shawn @ Nov 16th 2008 2:26PM
wow i havent been to a arcade in ages i didnt think they were releasing new cabinets to the us but i guess so...seeing that street fighter iv is coming in february i think i can wait a few more months rather than hunt down a arcade
Eh @ Nov 16th 2008 2:24PM
They died because american arcades suck. People got sick of spending tons of money on old shitty games with broken joysticks. They cant honestly expect people to pay $2 per game for something that lasts MAYBE 2 minutes before dying. Arcade owners simply didnt have a clue, they were looking for a quick buck after buying expensive systems rather than aiming for a long term profit, plus they didnt understand that those expensive systems were designed to have people fork over more and more money as they play so they can beat it (but they cant do that when it costs them over a DOLLAR A MINUTE to play). I have no problem spending $2 on a shooting game or whatever if it meant I could play it long enough to actually have fun, but arcade owners dont agree with their customers having fun.
Wien @ Nov 16th 2008 2:40PM
If you live in Austin, TX, Arcade UFO has Street Fighter 4 machines. www.arcadeufo.com
seifer @ Nov 16th 2008 2:51PM
And they wonder why arcades are importing it...
samred @ Nov 16th 2008 2:54PM
What drives me nuts is that arcades with imported SF4 cabinets are seeing huge spikes in attendance. The cabinet at Seattle's GameWorks always has a crowd and a line waiting to play it. And you know why? Because people who go to GameWorks (and in Seattle, that's plenty during a given day) are starving for new games. Capcom could pump out a limited number of American machines and make a decent buck--not to mention increase hype and anticipation for the console release. Consider any loss of $ as advertising for the console edition; it's amazing how many people see our city's SF4 cabinet and are shocked that the game exists.
JRM @ Nov 16th 2008 4:38PM
Most arcades here in Japan have three things going for it: 1)they have pachinko and slot games; 2)they have particular areas for kids and women; 3)many arcade games have online multiplayer.
Basically, arcades in Japan cater for everybody (o everybody's weird addictive tendencies; from gambling to winning girly prizes, to online. Japan is a much safer society though. For something like this to be pulled off in America, you'd need some sort of membership or very strict security.
aj @ Nov 16th 2008 10:38PM
Americans have a strange fear of allowing adults and children to mix. Once I hit 12 or 13 I was no longer allowed into Chuck-E-Cheese, which was the only arcade in my tiny town. It's a bit unfair and arbitrary, but I would credit a sort of culture of fear when children are involved, and the idea that only children play arcades, as one factor that led to arcades in America dying.