Hi, I have been thinking about opening a gaming center for a few years now, mostly just talk and wouldn't this be cool sort of stuff. Where I live there is very little for the kids to do, I have three and they're always bored. Which made me originally think of an arcade, which is where I hung out as a kid and spent most of my money.

          I have little business experience and even less networking experience, but I have built all of our hoseholds' computers for gaming, we all have one. I have done some research of things like what a center would run me in rent, electricity and included what me and my wife make per month gross + internet connection for the place, to see what I would need to make per month to "survive". The definition of surviving for me is to continue to live as I do now, I'm not rich I'm not even well off, but I'm not poor either. I noticed alot of people saying they made no money the first year and so on and so forth, personally I cant survive a year or two if I can't eat, I don't know how they did it ( maybe reptiles or something ). I have looked at the demographics of certain locations and compared them to others I have figured what it would cost me in hardware to start up a 20 station place half consoles half computers minus the software, networking, servers, licences.

          So you see where I am at in this process. Still early in the game but back to my original question. What can I expect on the other side of this door, can I expect hard or even semi hard numbers from people that have done this and are still doing it now, you know a general idea of what it might cost me to start up and then run and how much in general can I expect to make from this venture. Now I know every geographic location is different but I'm at the point where I'm ready to do this if I can continue on with my life as I am but happier, prouder and more confident than I am now. I'm not looking to retire, I dont want a new SUV every year, I dont care if I work long hours, as long as I'm my own boss and I'm giving the kids something to do besides being hooligans.

 

Thank you, Baph

Hi Baph,

It's great to meet you.

With an honorary membership you will get access to the private iGames center forums which is a vast resource of information. It is loaded with many threads, full of replies by hundreds of actual game center owners, on topics such as budgeting, start-up costs, revenue expectations, marketing strategies, system configurations, target demographics, etc., etc., etc.

An honorary membership will help you greatly in your planning.
 

 

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Events Coordinator

Ditto to what Wayne said but even more.  I am a Gaming Center Owner since 2004  (GCO) and have been a member of iGames for over 4 years.  For start up info, Business plan numbers, how tos for networking, layouts, elcetrical, it is all in the private forums are full of priceless info.  then once you are open you can get game liscensing, game copies through special events like showcases and launch parties. You get ideas for marketing, operation, lan parites, it is all here for you. Not to mention the early Expo.

Sign up and join the family.

 

Hope to see you in the private forums soon!

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Co-Op Advertising and Marketing Committee
Game Support Committee Member

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

I seriously would want to die every time a new game came out if I had not joined this community. The help I get from other members is far better than I had ever imagined.

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Chris Smith
Lan Assault
Loveland, CO

www.lanassault.com

I feel the love tonight : )

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Co-Op Advertising and Marketing Committee
Game Support Committee Member

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

Honestly, I chuckle at centers who bypass the information in the private forums and are not iGames members.  The number of reasons why a GC owner should be part of it? hmm..I don't think I could count on 10 hands.

And to be fair, everyone who has responded is a GC owner (accept Wayne) and he is absolutely correct in everything he said as well.  The small $$ it costs to get setup and check it out is worth every penny.  And as many of us have said before, if that small amount is too much to risk, then GC ownership is not for you.  That small amount could save you ALOT of money and time.

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www.crazypenguinsgaming.com

Currently I am an honorary member while I am in the process of setting up my lan center and I have to admit, there is SO much useful information. At first I was kind've flakey about joining because I didn't know what to expect, and once I got access to the member forums..... Put it this way, it was like Christmas morning. I spent the next like 5 days reading on GREAT information that has helped me SO much.

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http://www.fusiongaming.cc

Fusion Gaming
"The first of its kind in Port Saint Lucie"

Certain discounts available (ie for smart launch) more then cover the cost of membership anyway.

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Get in the Zone!