For some, the concept of a gaming cafe or gaming lounge might seem novel, almost twee. After all, with all of the top-end consoles being priced at a point where hundreds of millions of people can afford them, why bother paying to sit in a cafe and use a borrowed console? However, when done right, this can be a very smart business idea.
The gaming industry is growing at a breakneck pace and is already worth $175 billion – more than the entire US film industry. Meanwhile, the rise of eSports and social gaming has meant that, in some respects, gaming lounges are once again a growth industry. If you want to break into this potentially rewarding market niche, make sure to follow these tips.
Budget appropriately
Few people consider the startup costs involved with opening a gaming lounge. However, it is not a cheap undertaking. As this game lounge owner explains, it can cost around $120,000 to get up and running, once you factor in hardware, licensing, lease, and catering costs. However, one advantage of gaming lounges is that margins tend to be higher than in some other service sectors. Food and drink costs are generally low, while very few staff are required to operate the venue.
Location is key
If you want your gaming lounge to be a success, you must conduct thorough research into the ideal location. You want to be located in an area that has a lot of footfall from your target audience. Often, this means inner-city areas or semi-affluent suburbs, which is where you are likely to find the kinds of professional and social gamers likely to patronize your establishment. Location is the most important component of your market research.
Market to your target audience
Do you know how your gaming lounge is for? While you should not be exclusionary in your marketing or messaging, you should tailor your message to those most likely to be receptive to it. In addition, it can be helpful to carve out a niche for yourself. Perhaps you want to appeal specifically to Nintendo fans, or Fortnite players, or streamers. Once you have figured this out, you can ensure that your marketing has the intended impact.
Tech performance is everything
If your gaming PC network shuts down, you are out of business. You must prioritize peak performance and do everything you can to avoid downtime. One affordable way to do this is by using the best software for networking monitoring, which can keep tabs on your network of gaming PCs and alert you to performance issues as and when they arise. This sort of proactive approach can help you to avoid the sort of devastating downtime that will cost your time, money, and lifelong customers. These systems are easy to implement and help you prevent any minor issues from eventually bringing your network down.
By following these simple steps, you can launch your own gaming lounge and be in the best possible starting position. Once you get going, you could hold events and eSports tournaments, so that your place of business can foster a community of gamers. That’s a goal worth pursuing.
Want more news from the Tech world for Gaming Peripherals to Hardware Click Here
You must be logged in to post a comment.