Hey there! Yep we would definitely have a snack bar =D..and thanks for all the great suggestions and feedback.. keep them coming!

Sounds like an interesting idea, not too sure how feasible it is, but I'll definitely check it out

I agree with what other people said, organize enough local tournaments, have a gamers league or something and you'll definitely boost your chances of success a fair bit.

Check out for license from Perbandaran 1st..can open console cafe or not
nanti keluar kat Edisi Siasat,lagi pening
Golongan pelajar ponteng berleluasa skarang ni

Yes, you also need to check whether Microsoft and Sony is ok with you using their games to make money. Especially Microsoft. They may try to charge you royalties.

Also take into consideration that console gamers usually play online so they may not need to go to a shop to play. That means that your target market will be mainly gamers who haven't bought a console/cannot afford to buy a console. If they cannot afford to buy a console, then you can't afford to charge them too high.

If you can work out the main issue above (MS and Sony) the idea may be feasible.

This post has been edited by ooj: Aug 5 2008, 02:32 AM

hahahahahaha. sorry but i find the first para funny and ironic. coming from a fella who runs a home business renting out games and blu-rays.

Ooj's first para is already my main concern on the first place of providing Gamefly's service.

the reality could be more expensive than you can imagine.

imagine just 40 units of ps3/xbox 360 in your cafe. how much would that cost already? say an average of rm1300 per machine, thats already RM52,000.

what about games? are you going to network all the machines together? are you going to provide LAN gaming? what if everyone wants to play a particular game together. are you going to have 20 to 30 ori copies of the same game? are you going to alwauys have 20 to 30 copies of the LATEST and hottest games?

let's not forget the wear and tear costs as well. game discs will get scratched. controllers will get damaged and for all you know, things will get stolen.

don't forget about other equally important things like power bills, entertainment license, furniture, etc.

and then there is the ultimate question. how much are you going to charge gamers for a session. RM2 or RM20 per hour?

truth to be told, unless you got a lot of money to burn and you don't mind burning it for a while, go ahead.

if you do open one, i actually dont mind dropping in once in a while to kill some time - if the price is right.

That's why I'm constantly moving house, keeping one step ahead of the authorities.

All I can say is good luck.

You either have loads of cash to burn or have really good investors with huge amount of start-up capital and willing to take a risk. This is an ambitious plan.

You start small and people won't see the point of playing at your premise, you start big and you run the risk of burning out. You have to juggle between a fee that is suitable for you and affordable to the customer (which is practically non-existent )

And the way I see it, the most popular games are going to be Rockband or the upcoming Guitar Hero (which is a band anyway). And how many units will you be able to support considering its not even cheap to have one?

Not pouring cold water on you but I hope you have taken into account all the costs - both start-up and also the running costs. And also take into account how long you can sustain yourself without profit.

A LAN concept cafe with consoles is interesting and it might even be possible but you need deep pockets to do so and a timeframe for people to get used to the idea.

So, all the best to you and if it works for you, I'll be one of the first to say - job well done for I know how difficult it is.

I must also add that before in the Playstation subforum, there was one person who wanted to do such a thing, but it got halted because his concerns was of the "elections".

So, I wanna say all the best to u my friend.

@ooj, Lol!

TS, beside the high cost of starting business
another major concern will be the licenses for such business

If I'm not mistaken, currently there's no license for such console gaming business, better check with your local bandaraya office before proceeding with the plan.

and again, if I remember correctly, there's already a few cases of bandaraya raiding on those small shops running similar business like yours, but all they have is just a few tiny tvs and ps2 and loads of pirated games. I remember those shops are quiet popular with those ahbengs playing soccer games and school kids in their uniforms.

No matter how much money you got to burn, as long as you don't have a proper license to run the business, it's doomed.

Wahh...your business must be damn good since you can afford to keep buying new houses, lol

RISKY BUSINESS THIS IS....

All in squatter area.

TS, another thing you need to consider is the different group sizes. If a group of 10 friends want to play, will you be able to accommodate all of them in 1 room? It may mean shifting your tv and consoles around, so you may want to put them on mobile stands.

I suggest you hire a market research firm to do a consumer survey on whether there is demand for this and also the price range they are willing to pay. I can recommend you a good consultant. He gives away free RM5 coupons and can accumulate points.

yeah. having a marketing research consultant will always help. a small price to pay for good planning in the long run.

CONSULT THE AUTHORITIES FIRST, HE MUST...

Well just a suggestion, if u really open this shop, be near a game shop
people can buy the game they like

but i would assume the shop would include video game rental?? if got then i don't need to buy a PS3 just to play GoW3

Or be part of the game shop?

i think it's better if u start your business with a smaller quantity of consoles.. then try to find the optimal quantity of them to ensure maximum earnings..