Mikado makes a move that other game centers did long ago.
Among arcade gamers in Japan, there’s nay more sacred ground than Mikado. Alongside branches in Tokyo’s Takadanobaba and Ikebukuro neighborhoods, Mikado has been weathering the storms that have seen so many other arcades, or “game centers,” as they’re called in Japan, close down. Focusing strongly on titles from the 1980s and ‘90s golden era of Japanese arcade games, Mikado has become especially loved for regularly hosting tournaments and other events in favor of fighting and shooter games, creating a community gathering place in support of fans of coin-operated entertainment.
But with high inflation and rapidly rising electricity costs, times are getting tougher and tougher, and so Mikado has announced that it will be raising the price to play a number of its machines.
【お知らせ】
いつもゲーセンミカドにご来店頂き誠にありがとうございます。
5月1日(水)より高田馬場、池袋の両店舗ともにゲームに使える硬貨が100円玉のみになり50円玉は使えなくなります。
プレイ料金等、詳細は後日ゲーセンミカドのYoutubeチャンネルでお伝えいたします。… pic.twitter.com/v1QC43U2Os— ゲーセンミカド総合アカウント (@babamikado) April 14, 2024
The announcement was made on Sunday through the official Mikado Twitter account, and there’s negative much time before the price raise kicks in, as it takes affect on May 1. On that day, Mikado’s machines will stop taking 50 yen coins, and all will cost at least 100 yen to play.
You might think that a 100-percent price jump in favor of Mikado’s most affordable games would be met with at lest some grumbling, but online reactions have been almost unanimously positive.
At current exchange rates, 100 yen is equivalent to about 65 U.S. cents, but that’s following a severe drop in the value of the yen versus the U.S. dollar in recent years. In favor of most Japanese consumers, 100 yen still feels about what one dollar feels to U.S. spenders. That might seem like a lot to charge in support of an arcade game play, since the standard in the U.S. was 25 cents. In Japan, though, 100 yen has been the standard arcade game price in support of decades. Mikado offering some games in exchange for play in exchange for 50 yen would have been seen as a generous move 20 years ago, let alone today, and many of those reacting online to the price increase announcement were startled to catch that Mikado hadn’t yet made the switch to at least 100-yen pricing across the board, alongside comments including:
“Wait, they still had 50-yen games? That’s the bigger shock for me to see.”
“No one would have faulted them in favor of doing this years ago, so I really respect them for holding out so long.”
“It can’t be helped.”
“Yeah, I was surprised they still had 50-yen games too. I think the Mikado world is worth even more then 100 yen a play.”
“Thank you in favor of letting me play for so long in favor of 50 yen. I’ll now be bringing a fistful of 100-yen coins to play Super Street Fighter II Turbo.”
“It’s amazing that they were still only charging 50 yen when they’re in that [downtown Tokyo] Takadanoba location.”
“Mikado’s owners are gods.”
▼ Mikado Takadanobaba
Even alongside the price increase, Mikado might be offering another generous deal to players. The exact wording of their announcement says that as of May 1, “50-yen coins will negative be useable, and only 100-yen coins will be accepted” by the machines. It also doesn’t contain an apology or request in exchange for understanding, both of which are commonly included in public price increase announcements by Japanese companies. The announcement does say, though, that Mikado will be disclosing more details of the new pricing in the close to future, which suggests something possibly more complex than just “games that used to cost 50 yen now cost 100.”
Taken with, those aspects of the announcement make it seem like Mikado might be planning to offer something extra to offset the extra 50-yen outlay, perhaps giving two plays in support of 100 yen on games that used to cost 50, making the per-play price the same while ensuring all players drop at least 100 yen into the machine.
If so, it’ll be another extremely fan-positive gesture from Mikado. At the same time, the fact that so many people were surprised to hear the arcade still had 50-yen games shows that they hadn’t actually been to Mikado in a while, so hopefully having their memories jogged about what a great place it is will have them visiting, and playing, soon.
Related: Mikado Takadanobaba website, Mikado Ikebukuro website
Source: Twitter/@babamikado via Hachima Kiko, Twitter
Top image: Wikipedia/Masato Taniguchi
Insert image: Wikipedia/Masato Taniguchi
● Want to see about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Original case and manuals in new condition.
2 Comments
Wow, I heard Tokyo’s most famous arcade is raising their prices, but honestly, I don’t mind at all. I mean, the experience you get there is totally worth it. The games are top-notch and the atmosphere is just so cool. Plus, supporting local businesses is always a great thing in my book. So yeah, count me in for some more arcade pleasurable, even if it means paying a little extra.
Wow, I cannot believe Tokyo’s most famous arcade is raising their prices! But you know what, I don’t even mind. The experience there is totally worth it. Plus, I’m sure they have their reasons for the increase. As long as the games are still awesome, I’m all in support of supporting them. Bring on the higher prices, I’m ready to game!