Retro gaming culture remains strong, with the collector's scene, events and expos remaining hugely popular around the world. Arcades are less common, though some entrepreneurs in Glasgow have decided that rather than simply open a cafe, it'd provide a blend of old and new.
MEGABytes is opening in Glasgow (Scotland) this weekend, and is a gaming themed cafe that's sure to attract plenty of gamers. In one sense a cafe with a sense of daring (including milkshakes "like soda pops" including a muffin flavour) it's also a retro gaming haven.
This site will also have classic arcade machines, a pinball machine and a range of retro consoles hooked up to CRT TVs; naturally systems such as the NES, SNES and GameCube feature. The walls are also adorned will all manner of game-related goodness. The arcades will have varied slot prices, while a system costs £2-3 an hour, or you can have more time if you buy some food and drink.
This business has been in the works for over a year, and with some crowdfunding help it's finally made it to opening; its launch is on 18th July, and if you're near Glasgow and want to go you should check out the MEGABytes Facebook page for information.
Are any of you in Scotland thinking of checking this out, or would you like a similar cafe near you?
[source glasgow.stv.tv]
Comments 36
I think a better name for this establishment would be "The House of Sausage"
Sooooo, a Cafeade then?
Looks cool. I especially dig the Star Wars posters on the wall and that Street Fighter II machine! YOGA FIREEEEE~
Sweet hope to check it out next time I am in Glasgow!
Judge Dredd pinball? I'm there! I'll be away this weekend as it happens, but I expect I'll be able to make the time to visit soon!
Moving to Glasgow in September, will have to check it out!
Megabyte Cafe needs more Megabyte.
I'll be checking this out on Saturday for sure.
@rjejr +1 for reboot
Man do I really want to go there, or at least something similar.
sweeet!
Hopefully this cake isnt a lie
See you there later this year
@Angelic_Lapras_King I like that name.
Looks so cool,I want it.
I see you guys and girls there.
Epic!
There was a place very similar to this around me about two years ago but they only last a few months before going out of business. It was pretty hard for them to keep the money coming in. It's sort of a niche crowd you're going for, and a lot of people just wanted to go play games and wouldn't buy too much food or drink. Really hope this one does better!
Why does every cool place like this or event always happen so far away from me?
There are already 2 very popular gaming cafes in Glasgow doing pretty much the same thing, this is anything BUT "original", trust me, I live near Glasgow and am very much a big part of the 'geek' scene, especially with Smash Bros and Pokemon TCG. Search up Maxxp to see who they're copying. Even Geek Retreat had tellys with retro games years before now!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynYNT9wUBvw (a tour of a Smash Tourney at Maxxp)
@ThomasBW84 [see above] You should genuinely rephrase some of this article, or add an update, gaming (retro, new or mixed) cafes, lounges or meeting places have been a HUGE part of Glasgow culture in the past 5 years or so. It's like making an article about a place in New York that sells Pizza... ok, a bit exaggerated, but you get the point
@SanderEvers maybe we should form a union or something
@EverythingAmiibo you seem incredibly bent out of shape over this cafe opening
@EverythingAmiibo I took out 'unique' in one sentence. It's just a thing I saw browsing local news (though I'm near Edinburgh and not familiar with the Glasgow scene) and thought was cool, that's all.
@EverythingAmiibo No offence to Max-xp but it's not exactly a proper cafe now is it? It's more akin to a stoners living room. Geek Retreat caters more towards the board game and comic crowd, if you don't play Magic or Yu Gi Oh you're out of place. Hosting the odd DS night doesn't make it a gaming cafe. These two places are entirely different. Neither of them offer all that Megabytes do.
Despite your reservations about it not being something new it IS in fact doing something that the others aren't. And that's having a heavy focus on gaming with it's many consoles and arcade machines whilst also being in a proper cafe setting. Can you honestly tell me that Max-xp looks as good and professional as this? I wish them all the best with their business but it's not somewhere I would go.
If you want to talk about copying then lets point to the fact that Megabytes was in conception LONG before Max-xp opened. Their Indiegogo was up and running by at least mid last year, they were officially registered as a business in April 2014 and had already acquired arcade machines a month or two prior to that. It's perfectly conceivable that two groups of people can have the same idea of opening a haven for geeks. Plenty other places exist elsewhere that do the same. Megabytes even had to contend with copycats literally copying their indiegogo campaign word for word.
You talk about being a big part of the geek scene. Well Megabytes is also a business that has been crowdfunded by that geek scene. It has a LOT of support. Maybe you should not be so quick to dismiss it with elitist behaviour. Why so intent on dividing geek culture? Do we seriously already have fanboy'ism in gaming cafes now?!
Play games, be happy, rejoice with your fellow nerds. Peace and gaming.
This would be great to go to and I live so close by. >< I wish I wouldn't feel anxious going alone, but I would. :/
I'll check it out at some point soon for sure.
@finestwines lol, the effort you put into that xD
House of the dead!!! I gotta go!
I've wanted to open an 80's themed restaurant for years that would include great food from the 80's such as hot dogs and crinkle cut fries, Pespi, Pizza, and homemade Ecto Cooler, but I also would love to have an arcade in there as well featuring Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, a Playchoice cabinet, and more.
If I was in Scotland then I would check that out. The world needs more cafes that are comfortable places to spend an afternoon with a cup of tea and a good book - or video game, in this case. America gets too many noisy, messy Starbucks with nowhere to sit.
I thought about setting exactly this up in Glasgow a few years ago! Weird.... However, I saw certain fatal flaws in the idea, namely being the cost of replacing hardware that is being used and abused constantly, ie controllers, old TV's, the games themselves being worn out, and other more unfortunate issues like cleaning sticky muffin and latte encrusted controllers and the inevitable thefts and/ or deliberate damage to said hardware.
I do however wish them the very best of luck! I'll come visit!
I've wanted to do this for many years in Las Vegas. A Starbucks type of Cafe with Videogame areas and free WiFi. But a nice place to eat for Teens and adults to come and play where it doesn't cost 100 bucks to have a great time would be cool. Teens have no Hangouts anymore. When I was a Teen arcades were thriving. Then of course the home consoles killed them. I still think there could be a place like that if you served a small menu of their favorite foods and drink.
I'm talking off the Las Vegas Strip for the teens who live in Las Vegas. Maybe somewhere in Summerlin. There is a mall right by my house with a bunch of empty space now for years that I think would be a great place to put one
Sounds like a fun idea, I wish them the best.
Looks nice. I'm sure it's fun.
Small looking. There does not seem to be a good selection in its arcade games and u know that couch will be filled with people playing the nes, etc. Overpriced pastries and special drinks. A few games tacked to its wall and a sonic poster.... Not very impressive if u ask me. I hope crowd funding wasn't much. To each their own.
@finestwines dayum son, shots fired.
@Froid its busy and big enough that you could go in unnoticed plus the people that run the place will leave you be.
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