After 56 years, Sega’s arcade history is coming to a close. In fall 2020, Sega sold off 85 per cent of its arcade business to Tokyo-based Genda. Now, the company has sold off its remaining stock, and Genda is removing the Sega name from arcades.
In its place, Genda will use the “Gigo” name, which Sega had also previously used at its iconic Ikebukuro location.
This will be a big change for the visual landscape in places like Tokyo’s Akihabara! But what do people online in Japan think? Below is a cross-section of comments from popular bulletin boards 2ch and 5ch.
“This method of ruin is slow but steady.”
“What about Club Sega?”
“What about Joypolis?”
“But Sega has Sonic, so…”
“It’s like Sonic has already been absorbed into the Mario family.”
“Gigo is a fondly remembered name.”
“I guess arcades are going to vanish.”
“Leaving arcade management and discontinuing arcade games are completely different.”
“It’s because crane games are scams.”
“Nintendo: Games for kids
Sony: Games for gamers
Sega: Games for hoodlums.
No wonder they declined. lol”
“They’re going to going forces with Microsoft and do something?”
“Thirty years ago, they were at the forefront.”
“Are they going to continuing making games for arcades?”
“They only have Yakuza and Puyo Puyo.”
“I played a ton of coin operated games.”
“After they sold last year and just kept the name, it was already too late. This is just like how Hudson vanished.”
“And Sega World was like a dream.”
“Because of covid-19, arcades and pachinko parlors are the only segment in video games that are losers.”
“And the reason why Taito still lives, nobody knows.”
“The Dreamcast was awesome.”
“Sega’s four pillars are Yakuza, Takuya Kimura, Persona, and Hatsune Miku.”
“Does Sega have any value if it’s not doing arcades? That’s now a topic of conversation.”
“Segata Sanshiro, help!”
“For Sega, what business is now profitable? Pachinko?”
“Besides Yakuza, I have no interest, and so I want them to release another one in a year. I dunno why, but each time they release one, I buy it.”
“So, Club Sega will vanish? Back in the day, Michael Jackson was really into it…”
“Well, it’s time.”
“Sega is Sonic’s company, right?”
“Sega has already fallen into decline. And to think, there was a time they competed with the PlayStation.”
“Watch as they merge with Bandai Namco.”
“Sega was great back in the day.”
“No matter how you look at this, it can’t be helped that arcades are done.”
“Mobilize the hoodlums!”
“I only pay for games that I can play at home or on my smartphone.”
“Release a new Judgment with Takuya Kimura.”
“There is no reason to go to arcades now.”
“Where am I supposed to get my Hatsune Miku figures?” (Sega had such prizes in crane games.)
“Sega, bring back Yu Suzuki!”
“This is truly the end.”
Is this an end? Or a new beginning?
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