Sega Closes 50% Of GamesWorks Arcades In US

Sega is due to close 50% of their GamesWorks brand arcade centres in the US following continual restructuring of their organization. The themed arcades were originally opened back 1997 as collaboration between Sega, Universal Studios and DreamWorks. The president and COO of Sega Entertainment USA had this to say on the matter:

"This challenging economic environment has forced us to make these tough financial decisions. The changes were necessary for us to move into the future as a robust, exciting, and viable entertainment company."

"We are committed to meeting the changing needs of our consumers, and to delighting them with a GameWorks experience that is fresh and exciting. We have complete confidence that our leadership team and valued employees will continue to deliver an outstanding experience to our guests with each visit."

Seems like a shame but business is business after all and companies want to continue making profits. Arcades have a hard time surviving in today’s gaming market anyway unless they have a dedicated playing community so it does make sense.