Do you think internet cafe would work in America? Which country has the best internet cafes?

Cryomatrix · January 2018

I must say, I love internet Cafes. I've been to Greece twice and loved going to the internet cafes there. The only problem I had was that everyone smoked which was disgusting as hell. I now want to go to South Korea because I hear they have the best internet cafes.

I don't think an internet cafe would work in America, maybe I'm wrong, they may have them, who knows. I love internet cafes but then again, with my situation, I can only play when my kid goes to sleep and I'm sure my wife won't be fine with me saying, "Hey honey, kid's asleep, i'm off to the internet cafe, be back in 3 hours?" Like won't happen for me.

Cryomatrix

Scorchien · January 2018

NO

Elsabolts · January 2018

They tried Soccer once here didn't work. Same as kneeling at NFL games, not gonna fly.

Panther2103 · January 2018

Internet cafes have existed in America before. They have different names in different areas, but I had a local "Lan Center" when I was growing up (it's actually still around and is the longest running one in Washington state). They are amazing when you don't have access to a decent computer, or when you have a big group of friends that want to go play a game.

I remember the way it worked was you paid per hour, or a flat fee for all day, it was relatively reasonable as well I think 15 bucks all day or 4 an hour. I would go with a group of friends and play Halo and CS 1.6 and it was great. It was a little iffy if you wanted to install other games or mods, you had to get someone who worked there to do it for you.

The weird thing is, everywhere I've lived in has had some form of Lan Center by it (or internet cafe) and they usually got income through large hosted tournaments. Even Gameworks (the big 2 floor arcade in Seattle) has a gaming corner with PC's in it now as well.

A few months ago a new one just opened in a mall next to my old house. So they are still popping up here and there.

I don't see them really working in the sense that they do in Korea where it's HUGE, but the smaller ones get success through hosting tournaments, and being in a good location (by colleges is great to get a lot of people).

dave6660 · January 2018

Why leave the house to do something I can do at home where it's comfortable and quiet?

Elsabolts · January 2018

Hell, just get a job at the NSA and listen all day.

kitarad · January 2018

In Korean dramas people hang out in internet cafes. I don't think that happens in the States much so that could be the reason and in China I have also watched Chinese dramas where people game a lot in cafes. Different ways for people to meet and enjoy themselves plus I believe there is a restriction on how long you can play in China so cafes make sense.

Luiden · January 2018

I thought about opening one up, the problem is you can't really make a lot of money with them unless you franchise it. The other problem is that as a general statement, millennials don't really understand what it means to make money and almost always there is a millennial who will open up another one down the street and no charge anything for the services.. which drive both you and them out of business. That's the main reason why you don't see a lot of them in the US.

Tofke · January 2018

I quite enjoyed the ones we had in Belgium, didn't go to them frequently though. It was usually to meet up with friends. We also did meetings at those, visiting an online friend's local Inet cafe or LAN party.

That all disappeared rather fast with ADSL and Broadband becoming more available.

I could see a use for them for local competitions but I guess they'd have to offer board/card gaming and run a store to make it feasible. Only ones I still know about have that.

Amathe · January 2018

Not unless it is a cafe where I can play in my underpants.

moosecatlol · January 2018

Doesn't America already have internet cafes? I'm pretty sure I spent at least 30% of 2003 in an internet cafe. Planetside's pre-release event was great. That being said I haven't been to one in over 14 years, mainly because there's no point.

Hashbrick · January 2018

The cafes in other countries for the most part is a necessity and demand over there as public internet is either really expensive (due to data caps) or terrible (speed wise, legal throttling) to play games on. Also popular with kids whose parents would not get or can not afford internet access. There is no demand here in the states because for the most part internet access is "fair"

Sovrath · January 2018

We've already had internet cafes. They all closed in my area and years ago.

I remember there were two in Harvard Square, one on Church Street that was all colored lights and had video games, pc's a bar, etc and one that was on Brattle Street below Cafe Algiers (now closed) and another restaurant Casablanca (now closed and replaced by a MUCH better restaurant) which was dark and felt like someone's basement.

Those were the two I remember.

Scot · January 2018

Torval said:

We have gaming centers here in Oregon, that's what we call them. They survive, but not on PC's alone. I'd say that's a smaller part of their business. They actually do as much renting console time and offering PnP/table-top gaming sessions. Table top games are really popular here. I think some also sell stuff, like pnp books and table top games and maybe trade used console carts.

So PC Bang here in the US? Nope. But a diverse offering maybe.

Great to here that. Internet cafe's especially and to a lesser exent table-top seem to be dying out in the UK.

Cryomatrix · January 2018

@Sovrath

I used to work at algiers coffee shop in 1996 as the bust boy dishwasher boy on sundays. Owner got parkinsons, kids didnt continue with it. Owner is a family friend, poor guy. I do actually remember that internet cafe.

Cryomatrix

SBFord · January 2018

We have internet cafes. They're called "home" with multiple PCs, mobile devices and consoles attached to the network by multiple family members. :P The added bonus: The kitchen, the bathroom and the bed / couch to lounge on when playing.

Oh and for anyone without all that, there are public libraries that are packed with PCs.

Galadourn · January 2018

lol, where did you get internet cafes in Greece? These are so 00's era....

Cryomatrix · January 2018

Santorini and crete.and athens

FlyByKnight · January 2018

Elsabolts said:

They tried Soccer once here didn't work. Same as kneeling at NFL games, not gonna fly.

Image: https://media1.tenor.com/images/cd41bf3e3c3800b0946b0f99fc46a874/tenor.gif

Scot · January 2018

SBFord said:

We have internet cafes. They're called "home" with multiple PCs, mobile devices and consoles attached to the network by multiple family members. :P The added bonus: The kitchen, the bathroom and the bed / couch to lounge on when playing.

Oh and for anyone without all that, there are public libraries that are packed with PCs.

All the libraries now have PC rooms or spaces, but with physical books on the way out, libraries are too.

It's back to Suzie's café then as she seems to have everything.

postlarval · January 2018

I have an Internet Cafe...

Me sitting in a coffee shop with laptop connected via Bluetooth to an iPhone running as a VPN.

Ungood · January 2018

Cryomatrix said:

I must say, I love internet Cafes. I've been to Greece twice and loved going to the internet cafes there. The only problem I had was that everyone smoked which was disgusting as hell. I now want to go to South Korea because I hear they have the best internet cafes.

I don't think an internet cafe would work in America, maybe I'm wrong, they may have them, who knows. I love internet cafes but then again, with my situation, I can only play when my kid goes to sleep and I'm sure my wife won't be fine with me saying, "Hey honey, kid's asleep, i'm off to the internet cafe, be back in 3 hours?" Like won't happen for me.

Cryomatrix

They used to have them here in the states.

The idea boomed and then died away, but lots of places offer free Wi-fi, so, that's kinda the same thing, save, it often ends up with some broke creep in their car using the wi-fi at White Castle.

Aethaeryn · January 2018

They all died out here (Canada). Table top gaming, as other people mentioned is having a big comeback and those stores often have some networked PC for things like Artemis. . going all geek all the time seems to work

its cool now.

Cryomatrix · January 2018

yeah, i'm thinking, I could rent out a place around me. Fill it with space for table top, computers, books, massage chairs, sound proof areas, some cheap ass pizza, arcade games. But the input cost would probably not be worth it

. There are better ways to make money for me, I could just work extra and make good extra money, but then again, the thing about business is that it can become passive income afterwhile. Plus, the area where I am at, I don't think the demographic fits.

Cryomatrix

Tiller · January 2018

In some other countries they have free wi-fi city wide that is crap, in rural areas the internet is also crap; so the best way to get decent speeds is to go to an internet cafe, which has turned into a social experience. That won't work here since for the most part the only thing that brings people together is beer, football and coffee.

dougha1 · January 2018

Internet Cafes were a thing in the 1990s, back when net was still shaky and not everyone owned a computer. Now people chat on their phones.

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