We all have established friendships growing up in the arcades. Dance Dance Revolution, Soul Calibur II, and Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 were just a few games that we would all crowd around. As the digital age of gaming arrived in the East, arcades started to disappear. While in the West, the arcades and culture surrounding them have survived despite the games themselves appearing on store shelves.
Recently, SEGA started to close branches around Japan, and on Feb, 20, Taito’s Game Corner official Twitter account announced the Shinjuku Game Station branch would be permanently closing on March 21.
“Thank you for your continued patronage. On March 21, Taito Station Nishi Shinjuku will be permanently closing. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has visited us over our time in operation.”
Timing couldn’t have been worse for the company. Back in September, they established a new Guinness World Record for “The Most Crane Games Location In A Single Arcade” at their brand new Fuchu Kururu branch. The reason for the closure wasn’t officially announced in the statement, but we can all assume it’s due to slow business during the Covid-19 pandemic.
