Companies collaborating to earn all of the disposable income from 20 and 30-something males in Japan.
Asked to complete a checklist of their interests, just about any young man could put a mark next to “beer,” “breasts,” or “video games,” and many would be asking where the “all of the above” option is. So perhaps it was inevitable that Namco, one of Japan’s biggest video game companies, would eventually partner with Hooters, the American restaurant chain with busty waitresses and five locations in Japan.
This month, the companies are opening a new joint venture called Gaming Bar Side-B. Located on the premises of Hooters’ branch in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood, Gaming Bar Side-B is being billed as an “interactive sports bar.” Along with drinks and light fare, including Hooters’ signature chicken wings, Gaming Bar Side-B will have video games, foosball, slot car racing, and Pop-A-Shot-style basketball shooting games. In addition to 18 different gaming stations, customers can watch sports being televised on screens mounted around the facility.
The aesthetic is described as “downtown New York,” which in this case seems to mean concrete floors, chain-link, and comfy sofas, at least judging from artist renditions.
Namco has announced that the facility will offer all-you-can-drink-and-play packages for 1,500 yen (US$12.50) for the first 30 minutes, with 30-minute extensions available for an additional 500 yen, which represents a decent value as long as you’re drinking and gaming at a brisk pace.
Gaming Bar Side-B opens December 18.
Restaurant information
Gaming Bar Side-B
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Dogenzaka 2-29-5, Shibuya Prime 4th floor
東京都渋谷区道玄坂2-29-5渋谷プライム 4F
Open 5 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-4 a.m. Friday, noon- 4 a.m. Saturday, noon-11:30 p.m. Sunday
Source: Namco via IT Media
Images: Namco