Play Meter

FROM THE EDITOR It's not your dad's Oldsmobile p . Valerie Cognevich Editor PLAY METER eople who have been in the coin machine business at least 10 or 15 years often compare the growing FEC phenomenon to the video boom of the early '80s. There are some striking similarities: interest from people outside of the industry and an explosion of locations opening up. In the early '80s, coinciding with the proliferation of video games, arcades began to pop up everywhere. Video games blanketed cities; hardly a donut shop or gas station was immune . Professional operators bypassed many of these locations, knowing that there would not be a fair return on investment. Newcomers were so anxious to sit back and rake in the bucks that they didn't bother with unnecessary details like return on investment. I vividly recall a conversation I had with a disillusioned newcomer. When the video boom reached its peak, our subscription list bulged with new subscribers. As the bust began, we noticed subscribers falling by the wayside. I decided to call some of them and talk about their experiences. The most memorable was a lawyer who candidly admitted that he had gotten into the business for the promised big money. However, he added that he hadn't had any idea it was going to be so much work! This gentleman echoed the sentiments of many who called it a day on their operating ventures. Visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads were soon replaced with stark reality when the extent of the dedication required was realized. Many lost everything they owned. It was a rude awakening. It's 10 years later and we're seeing another influx of new blood into the coinop entertainment business. As one of our distributors noted in his comments in this issue, each generation seems to crave more physical stimulation and 8 depends less on mental stimulation. Counting the minutes until "The Shadow" started on the radio and then gripping the edge of your seat in anticipation of what would happen seems awfully tame compared to what we expect from our entertainment today. We don't depend on our imaginations. Perhaps that's why FECs are so compelling to families; we aren't entertaining ourselves, we're being entertained. The physical stimulation is becoming so sophisticated that we don't need to imagine we're traveling into outer space; there's a head gear and visual images to imagine it for us. FECs are popular because families are in a crisis. As children are shuffled between their divorced mothers and fathers, it's important to have memorable times together. Parents have more money to spend but less time to do it. It's been said before, but to plan a three- or four-hour trip to Disneyland or Astro World is out of the question. But three or four hours in a well-run, well-organized FEC can be a rewarding experience. The key here are the words well run. It's easy to open a fresh new place and watch customers flock there. What's hard is keeping it fresh . I was always impressed with the Show Biz restaurants and could easily understand their success when others tried and failed. They didn't ever stop improving. From the salad bar and pizza to the games and decor, it was always fresh. In comparison, I recall an imitator who didn't last long. The place was great-at first . But then the lettuce wasn't quite so crisp, the pizza toppings were skimpy, and games sported out-of-order signs more than they worked. Opening an FEC is not a one-time expense, especially with games. There must be funds budgeted for updating. This is an area that can be best served by using a reputable operator. FECs are a tremendous investme nt and it will be sad to see many of them fall by the wayside, but it's inevitable. Competition will be fierce and plentiful. Only those who are willing to do the work will survive. 0 JULY 1994