Why were arcade machines so big?
Why were arcade machines so big in the old days? Like, seriously, those things were huge,massive even
Best Answer
In addition to the size of CRT screens used in the 70s, 80s and 90s, the standard arcade cabinet was designed so that the average teenager could comfortably stand in front (sometimes so that two such teenagers could play side by side), easily access the controls and see the screen.
The machine also needed to have a fairly large bin for quarters (or local equivalent) and be reasonably accessible for owners and service techs to retrieve the quarters, or even perform minor repairs.
Arcade games also were not built using standard parts - some would use highly customised circuits and board layouts to suit the programme for the game. And, the computing power available in a modern smartphone was practically supercomputer level in the 1980s.
As you can see in this image of a Robotron: 2084 cabinet, the cabinets were far from empty:
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When did arcades become big?
The years between 1978 and 1982 saw unprecedented growth across the entire video game industry. A January 1982 cover story in Time magazine noted that the most popular machines were pulling in $400 a week in quarters and the number of dedicated arcades in the United States reached its peak with around 13,000.Why were arcades so popular in the 80s?
Arcades will always be a cherished and nostalgic era in American history. They were dark coves of freedom for kids in the '70s and '80s \u2014 with some coins and a few friends, you could roam the arcade for hours, free from parental monitoring.Why did arcade machines fail?
He said arcades began dying off because they stopped being profitable. "What happened is malls started closing down the individually operated arcades. They couldn't afford the machines," Meyers said. "The machines weren't pulling the money to pay themselves off, basically.Why did arcades become popular?
Video games were introduced in amusement arcades in the late 1970s and were most popular during the golden age of arcade video games, the early 1980s. Arcades became popular with children and particularly adolescents, which led parents to be concerned that video game playing might cause them to skip school.Why Arcades Are Still Thriving In Japan - Cheddar Explains
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