The New E-Arcades
August 4, 2008
We all know the stereotype of computer gamers: the nerdy teen alone in front of the monitor, a high-caffeine soda on hand to stay up all night, matching Guitar Hero licks with Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones or taking on a fantasy role-playing character in World of Warcraft.
These days, though, gaming is becoming a social activity with the growth of computer arcades throughout the state (click for a list). At about a dozen such stores, teenagers find the ultra high-end equipment most families don’t have at home, as well as like-minded friends to play team games together.
At Power Play Gaming in Denville, for instance, owner Sue Cygon organizes Guitar Hero tournaments, in which several players compete to eliminate each other as they try to keep up with legendary rock guitarists.
And fans of the hugely popular war game Call of Duty who play at Gamerz Edge, in Sicklerville, can form infantry squads of five soldiers, each with their own specialized digital weapons, to do battle with another team of five anywhere in the country — or the world, for that matter.
These places are not like the grimy pinball arcades of decades past. They are high-tech and look it, with powerful computers and game consoles, huge monitors, upholstered chairs for comfort.
Younger kids are not permitted to play games rated high in violence, because owners work to assure parents the arcade is “a safe place for kids to socialize with friends in a fun environment,” as Gamerz Edge owner Bill Abrams puts it.
Adds Mary Gotz, owner of TimeZone Gaming in Fords, “Gamers have a bad rap, so we try to change that by promoting studying.” At her place, students get a free hour of play for each A on their report card, and a free half hour for each B or for each full-letter improvement over the previous marking period.
Cygon is so confident parents trust her that this coming Friday she is running a “Lock-in” gaming party. It’s a common practice at e-arcades: you drop off your teen for all-night gaming, pick up in the morning.
Fun for the kids. And possibly, for you too.
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