Curious about Japanese girls in the gaming culture
 

I'm opening up a arcade state side in a pretty good market for it, but I am also interested in reaching out to female gamers. I know that lots of girls in Japan visit arcades and game a lot an am somewhat looking to replicate that over here. I know a lot of it has to do with culture, but I feel I can appeal to girls over here with some degree of success.

So my question is for either people who are familiar with the arcade scene in Japan or maybe to some Japanese girls themselves on the forum. What games do Japanese girls generally play? I know puzzle and music games are big for them, but what else and what games in particular? Are they more into games that have cute prizes (like those ticket games)? Pachinko?

Would just like some general advice on how to appeal to this market. Thanks.

I am sure you have read "Arcade Mania!" about Japanese arcades.

However, I am not sure where you get the impression that "lots of girls in Japan visit arcades". The only girls I see in arcades are either getting puri-kura with friends or are killing time with a boy on a date. Actual game play is 99% male, by my rough estimates.

Not sure if it helps, but I only ever entered an arcade for a) the gatchapod phone-charm machines and b) purikura. Purikura are probably out for the US market as you'd have to import a booth from Japan (and translate it!) plus all the general sundries for it, and it would end up too expensive for both you and the customer. There were a couple in london, but it was about £5-£7 a pop.

I would also pay attention to how you dec the place out. Make sure the entrance is well lit and isn't completely done up with images that'd mostly appeal to guys. I'd go into an arcade that looked safe, fun and neutral, but i'd think twice about stepping into one where the door is closed and the glare of the outside makes the interior look like a dark hole stuffed with guys hunched over booths and plastered with pictures of soldiers and girls in bikinis. It kind of screams "they're either going to be mean to girls/new gamers, or try and perve on you," which is a huge stereotype but you know what, has a nugget of truth in it.

Pachinko is pretty lame in my opinion. It's vertical pinball, only you can't really control the ball. The one I used to go by was mostly filled with older people; old ladies, salarymen. It was always busy, but it wasn't especially considered hip.

Also, hire some female employees. I go into video game stores every now and then and it's often all guys, which is then a bit of a lottery if you need to ask advice. Sometimes it's fine, other times it's an unbelievable sham.

Uh, but mostly I agree with MMM, girl gamers who acutally frequent the arcades are fairly rare. Most of them probably stick to home-console play.

Hmm, I did not know that. Although I never been to Japan (but I do want to go someday, hopefully very soon), I was under the impression that in the Japanese market girl gamers were very common in arcades. At least for certain games. I know this is anecdotal evidence, sort of, but there are lots of Japanese girls playing music games on youtube. Also from the girls I have known, they have mostly liked puzzle games.

When I open up my arcade, I'm just trying to keep the male/female ratio in check and to possibly enter the market of getting gamer girls in the US into the arcades where traditionally it's been a 100% male market (and continues to be for the most part). Is this just an impossible task? I know these days there are a lot of girls that play mmo's and fps games, so the market *is* there, it's just a matter of if it's possible to get them off their couch and into an arcade.

Thanks for your advice!

Purikura isn't really a game and I'm really trying to attract gamers. Plus I don't even really think that would do well in an arcade, isn't that something for a mall?

I really plan to pay attention to the way the place is decorated. I'm going to try to keep it clean and neutral as far as making it inviting/acceptable to women who want to enter. Clean and bright windows so you can see in and out of the place from outside of the building and I don't have pictures of girls or anything on the wall. Just some wallscrolls of games or anime or something. I also planned to have a few pool tables and serve alcohol, but that is an aside and not really applicable to attracting female gamers.

And yeah, I agree Pachinko is pretty lame, I don't even know why I threw that out there. Sorry.

First, buy this book.

I would say girl gamers are as common in Japan as they are in the US...not very. Girls that do play games tend to do it on handhelds or on consoles and at home.

The arcade world is essentially dead in the US, and Japan is starting to go that route, too. The most popular attractions are Puri-kura, UFO Catchers and medal/gambling games (which may not be legal in the US). I was just in an arcade in Kobe recently, and it had gone 100% puri-kura.

You say you are in a pretty good market for an arcade, but I am curious where in America that would be. As a business venture this is a very risky venue as you are entering the industry as it is essentially over.

If you have a secret or something different that gets people into your arcade, then great, but making an arcade that is going to appeal to women is going to be very difficult. I would be more concerned about making an arcade that appeals to ANYBODY.

Japanese arcades are full of puri-kura, and that is how they make their money.

You talk about bright and clear windows, but that is the opposite of logical in my thinking. An arcade should be dark, so the screens are clear, and gamers don't like windows, as people 1) don't like being stared at as they are concentrating in their games and 2) don't always want to advertise the fact they are in an arcade.

I am on the west coast, Northern Cali to be specific. Yes arcades are dead here for the most part but a still survive on life support both the west coast and the east coast. Partly due to culture and partly due to mis-management and the lack of interest of arcade operators. I believe I can deliver a better product in a market that is still interested in the arcade venue. Yes, a risky venture, and even its successful it won't make me rich in the slightest, I'll be lucky to break even. But this is something I'm passionate about so I'd like to give it a try.

The bright and clear windows thing is just about making it an inviting places, not a creepy and dark place. I'm in the gaming community and trust me on this gamers don't care about people seeing them in the arcade or the fact that they are spending their Saturday afternoon playing games. They couldn't care less in fact.

Also, about game centers dying in Japan. The only ones that are dying are the ones that catered to little kid games. The more mature ones, from what I understand, are still doing just fine. There are still about 100x more arcades in japan than in the US.

I think you can argue about various reasons that arcades are practically dead in the US but the main reason has to be the rise of the console game.

You talk about the gaming community, but then want to appeal to girls, so I think you need to pick a realistic target and go with it. Gamers may not care if people stare at them in an arcade, but fringe targets, like girls, might.

I am not sure where you get your facts about Japanese arcades, and indeed there are many more arcade in Japan than the US, and kiddy arcades are shutting down, but so are traditional arcades.

Places like Sega World, arcades with arcade rides as well used to charge an entrance fee, but now they are free. Companies aren't investing the money into standup games and the necessary event or group type games that get people into arcades like they used to. No new games=fewer players.

Realistically, you should probably try and appeal to the adult gamers who grew up in arcades as kids. That's why places like Ground Kontrol in Portland work: Retro games, 80s style, beer, live hipster music.

Yeah, console games are definitely a contributing factor, probably even the main cause, but I grew up in the arcade community and honestly they have always been poorly run in the US, it's just that back then we had no alternative to arcade quality games. Having arcade quality games on consoles these days didn't kill off the Japanese arcade market but killed off the market here because arcade operators didn't give a rats ass about maintenance and keeping up with the latest games.

The reason why I want to appeal to girls is because back in the early 90's there were virtually no girl gamers, but now there are plenty. There is a new market that didn't exist 20 years ago. I know how to get guys in the arcade, but I am clueless to how to (if it's possible) get girls in the arcade, thus why I am posting here. If open windows aren't the way, I need to know that :) Plus if I can get a decent amount of girls in the arcade, I will get at least 4-5x more guys who will come regularly, thus making the arcade more successful. Arcade aren't really about practicality, it's about a community I am trying to provide. And no, online gaming does not provide that kind of community.

I mostly get my facts about Japanese arcades from internet articles, things I hear from friends who have been to Japan, and internet forums. Yes, not a great source of knowledge, but that's all I have to work with for now, and thus why I am posting here. Trying to get more facts and data. I am open to the corrections of my previous knowledge.

The reason consoles haven't killed off arcades in Japan (even if they have wounded them severely) is because kids and teens need places to socialize and hang out, and arcades can fill that need.

The most socially orientated games are toward the front. These are UFO catchers, puri-kura, group racing/shooting games, etc. What we consider traditional stand-ups or more "individual play" games are going to be more in the middle and back of an arcade. This is wear the gender divide is the greatest.

Now there are girls that play video games, sure, but not in arcades. I don't know if it is possible to lure the girls into an arcade to play games. However, if you had something more than just games, you could be on to something.

Girls aren't going to come and play retro games for the sake of playing, but if there were a social element (food, puri-kura, etc.) your chances are higher.

First, I would read that book I suggested, and it may seem like to an American that Japanese arcades are thriving, but as someone who has been visiting Japanese arcades since the 1980s, I can tell you the heyday (mid-90s) is well over.

While the dying success of arcades is being discussed, I sort of brainstormed on what would attract me to an arcade in this day-and-age...

I have no idea of the legal or financial implications, so bear with me if this sounds extremely ignorant... but, I think some sort of mini-bar or mini restaurant would keep an arcade fairly popular, even now. Not like the dirty, cheap kinds from Chucky Cheeses but something appropriately designed for teenagers looking to hang-out.

I know, personally, that kind of place would appeal to me and my friends.

Halfly off topic but is purikura like, digitally remaking yourself like Gaia or something?

I think you would have to have this...and places I know around here that have video games also serve burgers and fries and have soft drinks and even beer for sale. They also have pool tables and air hockey. (I am not sure how they serve beer where teens are allowed...maybe the alcohol is only served in a 21 and over area).


It's like a mini-photo studio and for about 4 dollars you can take a pic (or a few) with a friend and then add hearts and stars and whatever digitally. Not sure about Gaia, though.

I`m a bit late, but I`ll add my opinion. My husband manages the systems for a fairly large arcade company chain, so I may know a little bit more than average.

Maybe 10~15 years ago...

Stand alone arcades are disappearing in Japan. About 10 years ago we knew of 8 standing in a relatively small area around my husband`s university. Now only one is still around, and is looking like it would die if they didn`t have a sort of self-serve cafe attached to it. It has filled up with the huge multi-player games, and old men come in after work for a round of virtual horse racing or the like. Other times it is pretty much empty.

In Japan, most current arcades ARE in the mall. Or at least as a part of some other facility - like a floor in a bowling or pool hall, etc.

The only arcades that are surviving are following a fairly straight system. Kiddie games with cards or chips in the very front with one or two display games in a prominent position (Taiko no Tatsujin is a common one), candy catchers behind them, then an area of UFO catchers. Purikura is losing popularity in general, so isn`t a money-maker these days. A few machines will be at the side, but that`s about it. Behind those you get the body movement games (standing shooters, music games, etc) then a mix of driving and sit down games. Usually in the back, often with screens up against the walls, you`ll find the large multi player simulation games.
This is assuming the arcade is in a normal location like a mall or part of some other entertainment venue. Things change when it`s stand alone, because in general lighter gamers don`t go to an arcade - but they might play something if they pass one in a mall.

These days regular arcade games are the loss leaders. There aren`t many hardcore arcade gamers out there, and even fewer who might be female.
In terms of employee to game machine involvement - if the arcade is a popular one the multi-player ones can give the greatest returns. But in general the most money is made on UFO catchers. They require the most work to keep up and running though.

My personal opinion...

You`re not going to get many girl gamers, no matter how hard to try. It`s a noble ideal, perhaps, but you need to make money... And gearing a place toward attracting maybe 5% of the arcade gamer population is not going to do that.
Even in Japan, girls rarely play any actual games. Even back in the arcade heyday it was pretty much unheard of (and I went to an all girls high school, in Japan, and passed by an arcade every day). The reason people notice girls playing games and take videos of them, etc, is because they ARE so incredibly rare.

Sounds a lot like you're going to have to think about diversifying. It's like farming in the UK; if the dairy market is collapsing, start thinking about tourism. I think definitly an arcade that offers more than a mere place to play games would do better; that social aspect that Jay was talking about.

Couldn't you also host events?

I really appreciate all of your guys (and girls :) ) input so far.

From what it sounds like, I was very misinformed about the girl gamer situation in Japan and I should totally give up my ideas for attracting girls because it's not going happen regardless how much I try. The girl gamer demographic isn't going to show up at an arcade for any reason.

Sign, discouraging, but oh well my place will just have to work with 99% males like every other arcade. I'm confident I can still be successful with just this demographic.

As for your other ideas about me diversifying, yes that's how I originally intended to run this place. Even though I want it to mainly be an Arcade, it will really be just a hang out place for 18-30 demographic with pool tables, alcohol (beer), tables and couches, wifi and such. Maybe about 2/3 of the space dedicated to arcade games and 1/3 of the space dedicated to pool tables.