Japan's Sega arcades, which have given gamers a social space to gather and play for over 50 years, will soon be replaced by a new company.

Japan's iconic Sega arcades, which have given gamers a place to gather and play since the 1960s, are officially being shut down. The gaming centers could be found all across the Pacific nation, with a peak in the 90s seeing as many as 1,000 locations open at once. Many Easter eggs, like classic Sega arcades in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, demonstrate the powerful influence that these locations have had on Japanese pop culture.

Sega Corporation is most well-known for creating video game consoles like the Sega Genesis and Sega Dreamcast, along with popular gaming franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog and Yakuza. Along with these home console experiences, however, Sega has also crafted its own arcade cabinet games including Virtua Fighter and Daytona USA. Creating a social place for Japanese gamers to experience these beloved titles, Sega arcades could be found in locations all across the country including Tokyo's Ikebukuro, Akihabara, and Shinjuku districts. Despite the popularity of Sega's gaming centers, the company also encountered some controversy due to a lawsuit against Sega's Key Master arcade prize machines, which many gamers alleged to be rigged.

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As reported by Video Games Chronicle, Sega arcades will soon disappear entirely from Japan. Rental business Genda Inc. has now acquired every share of Sega Entertainment, with the company soon being renamed to Genda GiGO Entertainment. This means that Sega arcades throughout the country will become GiGO arcades, with the Genda GiGO chairman Hisashi Kataoka expressing a desire to carry on Sega's tradition as "an oasis that quenches people’s thirst for real entertainment." However, Video Games Chronicle also confirms that Sega will continue producing its own arcade cabinets for use in gaming centers.

While the loss of the beloved Sega arcades is no doubt devastating to fans of the locations, the company's long history lives on in other areas. The iconic Sonic the Hedgehog and Yakuza franchises continue to receive successful new installments, carrying on years of gaming history. Showcasing less well-known Sega titles, Nintendo Switch Online added classic Sega Genesis games back in December 2021. The collection includes the side-scrolling beat 'em up Altered Beast and the cartoonish action game ToeJam & Earl. These classic titles, originally released exclusively on the retro Sega Genesis, are all available via Nintendo's subscription service.

Sega arcades have been an important staple of Japanese gaming culture, so the loss of these social centers is incredibly upsetting. However, Sega will continue to produce their own arcade cabinets, ensuring that gamers can experience their favorite titles in new locations. Genda GiGO also seems intent to honor the legacy of the Sega arcades, ensuring that Japanese gamers always have a safe space to immersive themselves in retro gaming.

Next: Microsoft & Sega "Super Game" Collaboration Announced

Thomas McNulty is an avid reader, writer, game player and movie watcher from New Jersey. Movies, TV shows, video games, books and pop culture are personal passions, and he is thrilled to be writing about those topics that are so near and dear. If someone has a story to tell, they should be able to tell it. He is committed to delivering accuracy with every article and staying true to his voice.