It’s the ending of an era. After 28 years, SEGA Ikebukuro GiGO arcade in Tokyo is shuttering its doors. The arcade made the announcement on Twitter on August 1, 2021. According to the tweet, the building that housed the arcade since July 1993, is set to undergo renovations and the long-term lease will expire.
The nine story arcade is one of the largest gaming centers in Japan. It is a popular tourist attraction, with visitors from all over the globe. Many of those visitors expressed their disbelief at the announcement, and appreciation for the iconic gaming center. With COVID-19 running rampant over the past year, Japan has barred outside tourists from entering the country. Unfortunately, it’s likely most who have visited the arcade in the past will only have fond memories going forward.
The closing of Ikebukuro GiGO marks the second SEGA arcade to close in recent year. Last year, SEGA Akihabara closed down as the district experienced a facelift, although no official reason was given. Like many businesses, the gaming industry is still reeling from a worldwide shut-down due to the corona virus.
In November, SEGA sold over 85 percent of its arcade business to another amusement machine company, Genda. This drop is substantial in the bucket of gaming center shut downs. One source said that in the past 20 years, over 18,000 arcades and gaming centers have closed in Japan alone. There was an estimated 4,000 in 2019 before the pandemic.
It was also announced in April, that SEGA planned on selling off its Western division of its arcade businesses.
Sadly, the Ikebukuro GiGO arcade will open its doors for the last time on September 20, 2021.
Do we have any past visitors out there? Please share your favorite memory of the arcade with us!
