The DDR/ITG Machines That Disappear In My Area

I know that DDR and ITG machines disappear once they get sold (since I see those machines with the "For Sale" sign). I was wondering why arcade operators like to get rid of these machines so soon. If worse comes to worse, my only choice is to travel to a far city so I can play these remaining ones.

---

Because of many factors:

1) THEY'RE OLD
2) They're over and done with.
3) There are newer and better machines that may not be ITG or DDR that may get them more income.
4) Music rhythm gaming in America is dead on some levels.
5) Arcades are ALSO dead on some levels in America.
6) Thank Home consoles/tablets/PC's for #5
7) GOGOGABE
8) Location.
9) Location.
10) Location.

And lastly....





people are cheap.

---

Because you make all of us look bad so they sell them to fend off the horde of people who act like they're 5 years old and complain about pointless stuff like this. So Get. Over. It.



Hugs and Kisses, Mirror <3

It's the ancient aliens.

---

Clearly it was mayans

---

You forgot to mention ticket redemption rules the North American arcade market.

---

Sadly, this. No one wants to go to an arcade and pay money with no 'reward' from it other than something cheap and that can be played with (hurhurhurhurhurhur).

#'Murica

---

And we wonder why Japan's arcade market is much stronger than ours...

---

Redemption is even bigger in Japan than it is here. I have seen redemption arcades that would rival low-end US casinos.

I thought paper ticket dispensing games were illegal in japan. Pachinko I know is huge, however I thought that successfully exists as a separate market that does not interfere as badly with the arcade scene (not to mention it is a rigged market). I also know that there are "medal" games in Japan, which to the U.S. are referred to as coin-action games (pushers, rollers). However I thought those games you do not get anything for playing them.

Can anyone else give some clarity?

---

I have been to like half a dozen DDR arcades in Japan and all of them were at least 1/2 medal sections. The medal areas are kind of kept separate from the rest of the games. Actually that is a general Japanese arcade thing, there is a music corner, a fighting game corner, pikura (camera machines), then you have your collectable card games, and then a medal section usually in the back.

I went to a round 1 that had a medal area larger than any full US arcade I have seen. The most popular games are "pachi slots" where you press buttons to stop the reels...don't worry they are totally rigged and skill can't beat these. Also tons of your usual claw and coin action games. Finally virtual horse racing is common although I'm not sure it pays out medals, still it is always in the medal section.

Also I'm sure someone who actually has run an arcade would know better but I used to speak to a manager at a DDR arcade back when DDR was still popular like 2003 or so. This arcade had a super hot DDR machine and the only way to play without at least a 4 game long wait was to get in the arcade during school hours or right at open. One day the manager showed us the monthly token intake for each of the games in the arcade. DDR was like the 8th most popular game behind 4 of the same redemption game (tilt a whirl which is a coin ramp game where you try to have the coin fly through holes in a spinning wheel) and a few other redemption games similar to tilt a whirl.

Tilt-a-whirl seemed like a shock because we hardly ever saw people playing it, but the manager told me there were regular players who would come in and blow a 5 or 10 dollar bill in a couple of minutes. Meanwhile while the DDR machine was doing great, remember that the average game takes close to 10 minutes after option screens etc and most regular players play for the full 10 minutes. Also, a DDR machine takes a lot of power and space obviously. Overall the income potential is quite limited in the best of times. Nowadays when nobody plays the DDR machine is going to be the first to go especially since there is still a half decent secondary market of people who want their own machine.