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Choosing the Best Location to Place Your Arcade Video Game Machine

Sep 02, 2025

Running a successful arcade or family entertainment center isn’t only about stocking your floor with the latest new & hot game machines. Location is equally critical. A carefully chosen spot for each machine can have a big impact on foot traffic, player engagement, and overall profitability. Whether you operate a large-scale arcade, a cinema lobby, or a compact game room, understanding where to place your shooting game machines, drive racing game machines, and redemption game machines is key to maximizing performance.

Below, we’ll explore practical strategies for choosing the best location to place your arcade video game machines, drawing on industry insights and proven tactics.

Why Location Matters for Arcade Video Game Machines

Arcade games attract players with lights, sounds, and interactive fun—but even the most exciting cabinet won’t reach its potential if hidden in the wrong corner. Strategic placement enhances visibility, increases playtime, and ensures machines complement each other instead of competing for attention.

Maximizing Visibility

Players are naturally drawn to bright, eye-catching displays. Placing new & hot game machines near entrances, wide corridors, or high-traffic areas can turn casual visitors into active players. Visibility works as a silent invitation that sparks curiosity and encourages first plays.

Boosting Revenue Potential

Every square meter in an arcade has earning potential. A carefully positioned drive racing game machine in a busy area can outperform multiple smaller machines tucked away in quieter corners. Revenue per square foot becomes a key measure of success, and smart placement maximizes this.

Creating Player Flow

Location planning also involves guiding players on a journey. For example, positioning shooting game machines next to redemption game machines can encourage visitors to move naturally from action-based play to prize-based play, extending their stay and increasing spending.

Key Considerations When Placing Arcade Machines

Understanding Your Customer Demographics

Different players are drawn to different machines. Younger audiences may prefer prize-focused redemption game machines, while teens and young adults often flock to competitive drive racing game machines. Analyzing your customer demographics helps decide which areas deserve which machine types.

Balancing Noise and Interaction

Some machines are louder and more immersive, such as shooting game machines with surround-sound effects. Others, like claw machines or ticket redemption games, are quieter but require space for crowds. By balancing noise and interaction zones, you avoid overwhelming visitors while still creating an exciting environment.

Considering Space Requirements

Large drive racing game machines often come in pairs or linked groups, demanding more floor space than compact prize games. Make sure placement doesn’t create bottlenecks or block pathways, as smooth traffic flow enhances customer comfort and safety.

Best Locations for Different Types of Arcade Machines

1. New & Hot Game Machines

  • Where to Place: Near entrances, reception desks, or the main arcade thoroughfare.
  • Why: Players notice fresh arrivals first. Placing new & hot game machines upfront creates excitement and communicates that your arcade is up-to-date with the latest trends.

2. Shooting Game Machines

  • Where to Place: Alongside walls or in semi-enclosed spaces.
  • Why: Shooting game machines often involve longer play sessions and immersive experiences. Positioning them in slightly quieter areas allows players to concentrate without blocking high-traffic zones.

3. Drive Racing Game Machines

  • Where to Place: In open spaces where groups of players can gather.
  • Why: Drive racing game machines are highly social, often linked for competitive play. Placing them in open areas lets onlookers cheer, which encourages more players to join in.

4. Redemption Game Machines

  • Where to Place: Close to prize counters or ticket redemption stations.
  • Why: The connection between play and reward is strongest when redemption game machines are visible near the prize area. Players immediately see the link between effort and reward, motivating them to play longer.

5. All Machines in a Balanced Layout

  • Where to Place: Mixed across the arcade floor with complementary positioning.
  • Why: A balanced mix of all machines ensures variety and maintains player interest. Strategic spacing reduces crowding and promotes natural movement throughout the arcade.

Practical Placement Strategies for Arcade Success

Grouping Machines by Category

Organizing by type—such as grouping drive racing game machines together—creates themed zones that attract enthusiasts. This also makes it easier for players to find their favorite experiences quickly.

Using Anchor Machines

Just like retail stores use anchor products to attract customers, arcades can use big, attention-grabbing machines. Placing an oversized shooting game machine or the latest new & hot game machine in a central location draws in traffic, which naturally spreads to nearby machines.

Rotating Placement for Fresh Appeal

Players often perceive a machine differently when it’s relocated. Rotating redemption game machines or changing the order of all machines keeps the arcade feeling fresh, even without buying new units.

Making the Most of Corners and Dead Zones

Corners and overlooked areas can be brightened up with smaller redemption game machines or interactive attractions. This ensures no space is wasted and increases the overall profitability of the arcade.

Mistakes to Avoid in Machine Placement

Overcrowding Popular Areas

Placing too many machines in one busy spot creates congestion, making customers uncomfortable. Instead, spread out the appeal across different sections of the arcade.

Ignoring Accessibility

Machines should be accessible to players of all ages and abilities. Avoid placing large drive racing game machines where wheelchairs can’t pass, or positioning smaller games too high for children to reach.

Forgetting About Maintenance Access

Every arcade game requires regular servicing. Tight placement that blocks machine panels makes it difficult for staff to perform maintenance, leading to downtime and lost revenue.

The Future of Arcade Machine Placement

As arcade environments evolve, placement strategies are becoming more data-driven. Many operators now use analytics to track playtime, ticket sales, and revenue per machine in different spots. By rotating all machines based on performance data, arcades can fine-tune layouts for maximum return.

Interactive technologies are also shaping placement decisions. For example, linking shooting game machines with digital leaderboards placed nearby encourages competitive play. Similarly, integrating redemption game machines with mobile reward apps changes how players engage with prize counters.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best location to place your arcade video game machines is part art, part science. By combining visibility, customer flow, and machine type considerations, you can create an engaging environment that maximizes both player satisfaction and business profitability.

Whether you’re putting the latest new & hot game machines in the spotlight, drawing crowds with thrilling shooting game machines, entertaining groups with drive racing game machines, or encouraging repeat plays with redemption game machines, placement is the silent partner to your success.

At ACE Amusement, we specialize in providing all machines that bring energy, excitement, and profit to your arcade. With smart placement strategies, every cabinet becomes more than a game—it becomes an experience that keeps players coming back for more.

Aerial view of arcade showing visitor movement patterns and clustered crowds near central machines