And another one bites the dust.
The losses incurred because of the pandemic have not been less and this one is sure to leave a hole that will take a long time to fill. GameWorks, the popular entertainment center featuring food and games has finally shut down permanently.
The Cause of the Downfall
The company mainly holds the Covid-19 Pandemic accountable for their business taking a nosedive. The company took huge losses amid the forced lockdown because of the pandemic and the slow economic recovery forced the company to shut its gates down.
GameWorks’ official account on Twitter said: “Thank you for the many years of memories! The past 20 months we have seen our business turned upside down-the continued slow economic recovery has left us no choice other than to close”.
Thank you for the many years of memories! The past 20 months we have seen our business turned upside down-the continued slow economic recovery has left us no choice other than to close
For general inquiries and questions please reach out to us via email at info@gameworks.com
— GameWorks, Inc. (@GameWorks) December 24, 2021
Another tweet in the same thread said: “Thank you for all the love over these past decades. We hope you remember us fondly and wish you all the best. July 1996- December 2021”.
Covid-19 did some real damage to the gaming industry. A large number of organizations and companies affiliated with the gaming industry were badly affected because of shortages of semiconductors, and software delays.
A lot of arcades had to close as mass gatherings were being avoided amidst the pandemic. And even now a great many arcades are struggling to survive and keep the business running. The situation is indeed dire.
GameWorks Over the Years
GameWorks had chains all over the United States that featured gaming arcades and restaurants. The joint venture by Universal Studios, SEGA, and DreamWorks was founded in July 1996.
GameWorks had 6 locations all over the United States namely in Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Minneapolis.
GameWorks has filed for bankruptcy multiple times in the past including the years 2004 and 2010. And finally, on December 24, 2021, the company announced that it will be closing all of its remaining arcade locations.
What’s Ahead?
Arcades everywhere have been struggling even before the pandemic began. There was a time when arcades were the first and only places that let you feel a glimpse of what is now called cross-platform social entertainment.
instagram won’t let me upload my gameworks memorial video so here you go@GameWorksSEA you will be missed dearly…. pic.twitter.com/XtlKBXjP6G
— ♡mature gambino♡ (@PREY__IV) December 26, 2021
A place that provided food and beverages in a socially interactive environment. GameWorks featured immersive and high-tech attractions for customers and drew a large amount of crowd, especially on weekends.
Man I can’t believe they closed GameWorks in Seattle, I loved that place. Just two stories of gaming, bar and restaurant. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/OPlxVdlbnv
— Joe 🦉🧸 (@Coast_Cooly) December 27, 2021
But as technology grew further, the oldies were slowly left behind. The introduction of multiplayer games in the comfort of their homes made people stop going out to play. The company fell big and hard mainly after the pandemic where even those who still enjoyed arcades were forced to stay at their homes.
But arcades will forever be remembered as what was the primary source of enjoyment and social interaction back in the day. GameWorks, even with all its hardships continued for 25 long years. And the nostalgic journey has finally concluded now.
