I did a brief search for this but couldn't find it anywhere. I'm surprised, because this apparently opened up a while ago.

It looks like a few people in Australia, among them a notable gamer known as "Yahtzee" (you've probably heard of him), teamed up to build a social center for gamers cleverly named Mana Bar. It's in Brisbane, Australia, so unfortunately unless you live there, you won't be able to experience it for yourself.

Here's the link [manabar.com.au] to their site if you haven't seen it before.

So, now that everything's thrown out there - I'd love to see more of this in other countries! Of course, many countries in Asia already boast several net cafes, but nothing seems to embrace the gamer culture quite like this. And then where I live, the US, it's hardly noticeable at all. Most of the tournaments and gatherings happen on the east coast anyway. I've only been to a few LAN or retro arcade events here on the west coast, but that happens maybe once or twice a year. This bar seems to have everything we're missing. Including the fact that there is some acknowledgment to the now older generation of gamers.

Dave & Busters, ESPN Zone, and Jillians come to mind. Plus we do have quite a few net cafes in the US, as well. Here's a few more which aren't chains. In fact, there are quite a few of these establishments in the US. It may be a new phenomenon in Australia, but it's pretty familiar ground, here.

And regarding other cultures, Asia was really the first region to push this idea with a good portion of their arcades being adult only establishments.

It's true that Asia appealed to adults from the start, but I felt the atmosphere was a little off. I've really only been to one PC bong though. While it was enjoyable, I didn't really see much interaction going on. It was more of a sit-down-and-play sort of center. Maybe I just visited at the wrong time.

Whereas with this bar, it's all about meeting new people that share your passion for gaming. And one distinction I see is this - the Mana Bar is there for players to grab some drinks and have a good time, while the places I've seen in Asia were more of a cheap outlet for those that didn't have the hardware to support current-gen games. None of them served as "bars," but I might have potentially missed ones that did.

And as far as here goes - are you referring to the ESPN zone in Downtown Disney? I've been there before - unfortunately I didn't see a great selection of games. But it's been years, so maybe that's changed by now. And I'm always happy to see net cafes launch, but the two that appeared near my area shut down about a year later due to lack of interest. There's one I sometimes go to in the San Jose area, but even in such a populated area it's still struggling with business during certain times of the year. I can't remember the last time I've seen an arcade around, either. I miss the days where just about every pizza shop had one, but when I return to those places today, all of the equipment has been sold away.

ESPN Zone, Dave & Busters, and Jillians are all chains that have locations across the country. You'll find good and bad locations, and I'd assume anything located in a Disney park is going to be toned down to some degree. Most ESPN Zones have more of a sports bar atmosphere and have an emphasis on more physical games.

Every D&B I've been in has been a straight up bar meets arcade sort of establishment. Usually they are split into two sections, one with restaurant style seating, pool tables, and some private booths with more expensive large screen games, and then you have the arcade which is basically a fairly large selection of mostly recent arcade titles on one side, ticket games on the other side and a bar running down the middle. The games all have tables next to them and buttons for bar service. I'm not sure about ESPN Zone, but both D&B and Jillians card people and kids can't get in after 10 (some locations also have a cover charge).

Jillians has been more hit or miss for me. The location in Newport News was fairly nice with oldschool Battletech machines (the ones where you climbed into the pod to play timed network matches) and a setup very similar to D&B locations, but the one out here on the Universal Citywalk is completely lame. It has maybe three arcade machines and is otherwise little more than a pool hall. Their cover charge is to buy a five dollar game card, which is mostly useless at that location. I try to hit the D&B out in Pasadena, instead. It may not be as close, but it's definitely more what I expect from these places.

Out here in LA, there are some non-chain bars that also specialize in video games. Much like regular bars, they also follow certain themes. Bar 107 is mostly classic games, for instance.

God, Yahtzee is such a massive wanker...

It's a good idea, but man, most of the people going there are such kids :)

I'd kill to go to one of these places in a local area. I'd hate the drive to get to D&B though; the closest I can think of is an 'Oh Wow' arcade in Merced. Go on a soda high and jam with the Capcom vs. SNK 2 machine (almost every Street Fighter iteration or crossover is there). Last time I went to a D&B was a good five years ago, when I lived in Tracy, maybe earlier than that.

I'll take Chuck E. Cheese in the mean time. <3 Grew up on that.

ozoneocean
God, Yahtzee is such a massive wanker...

I had always been curious to know how you felt about him! Somehow, I indirectly got that answer. ;)

I think what surprised me the most is that girls actually go there. That would never happen here in the States. I have friends that are female and game, but they'd never show up at a net cafe. The typical American gamer doctrine pretty much alienates anyone that even hints they have uterus. Online and in person.

blindsk

ozoneocean
God, Yahtzee is such a massive wanker...

I had always been curious to know how you felt about him! Somehow, I indirectly got that answer. ;)

Well I'm a wanker too, but not nearly as much of one...
Plus, I have to take off some wanker points now because I see he actually really is British and not an Aussie trying to sound posh. :)

I don't think too highly of Yahtzee. I mean, for a while he was funny, but then one day just watched too many of his videos. It was the same exaggeration of awfulness without pausing to take a breath, over and over again.

But really, the worst part is that there are a lot of people who take his comedy act as actual reviews. They'll see him completely trash good games, and they'll never play them because they thought he was serious.

That would never happen here in the States.

I've seen girls in net cafes before, and I definitely see them at places like Dave and Busters.

Hawk
It was the same exaggeration of awfulness without pausing to take a breath, over and over again.

Yeah, unrelenting hyperbole gets really irritating. That's what turned me off Red Dwarf in the end; too much humour was just based on silly hyperbole.
People don't get that extreme silly exageration is only funny when you do it to especially emphasise the occasional point. If you do it all the time the emphasis is meaningless, so doing it at all just sounds idiotic.

It's like overusing capitals or smiley faces typing, or lens flares in comics and movies, or autotune effects in music. Or explosions on a Michael bay film.

isukun
I've seen girls in net cafes before, and I definitely see them at places like Dave and Busters.

Hahahaha! "seen".
They have been "sighted" on occasion... usually in small packs gathered for protection or accompanied by a large bull male. Little is known of their mating habits.

When it comes to Dave and Busters it's usually not on occasion. All of the locations I've been to get a pretty mixed patronage. Net cafes maybe not as much, but I can't say I've ever been in a net cafe where the emphasis was on social interaction of any type.