Chuck E. Cheese’s grown-up-focused arcade opens first location in California
Many grown-ups no doubt have fond memories of a childhood visit to Chuck E. Cheese. Perhaps it was a robotic performance from one of the once ubiquitous animatronic bands, or vague recollections of a pizza party and a Skee-Ball tournament. But to enter a Chuck E. Cheese today is to set foot in a fully-realized kid-focused video-game-inspired palace, one where digital floors encourage a more active form of play. No more, except at a few select locations, does Munch’s Make Believe Band exaggeratedly strike its guitars and pound the drum set. There are still arcade games, of course, but a modern Chuck E. Cheese leans more activity center than retro, low-lit game room. McKillips says the the company’s core locations today heavily target those between the ages of 3 and 8.
And thus, Chucks Aracade, says McKillips, will fill a void, aiming to reach those who have fond memories of a Chuck E. Cheese but have clearly outgrown the company’s target market. He’s hoping Chuck’s Arcade taps into the marketing segment known as the “kidult” — grown-ups, perhaps, who were raised on games and still cherish the thought of crowding around a “Ms. Pac-Man” console. But the “kidult” sector is large, encompassing everyone from the so-called “Disney Adult” to those who carry a Labubu doll as a fashion accessory. Think anyone who believes that a childlike openness to play and silliness doesn’t have to be eradicated by maturity.
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