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GameWorks

{{Short description|Arcade in Seattle, WA}}

{{About|a chain of entertainment venues|Nvidia's proprietary middleware software suite|Nvidia GameWorks}}

{{Infobox company

| name = GameWorks, Inc.

| logo = GameWorks Logo.jpg

| type = Private

| industry = Entertainment

| predecessor = Sega City

| founded = {{Start date and age|1996|07}}

| location = Seattle, Washington, United States

| num_locations = 1 ({{as of|2022|lc=y}})

| owners = {{ubl|Howard Brand|Greg Stevens}}

| website = {{URL|gameworks.com/}}

}}

GameWorks is a gaming-based entertainment center with a single location {{as of|2022|lc=y}}. It was owned by then-owner ExWorks Capital, each venue featured a wide array of video game arcades, in addition to full-service bars and restaurants. It was originally created in 1996 as a joint venture by Sega, DreamWorks SKG, and Universal Studios, with the company growing into an international chain. Two former executives subsequently acquired the Seattle location and reopened it in August 2022.

History

File:November 2022 in Seattle, Washington - 003.jpg

GameWorks began as a joint venture between the video game developer Sega and the film studios Universal Studios and DreamWorks, with filmmaker Steven Spielberg providing creative input.{{cite magazine|last=Webb|first=Marcus|date=May 1996|title=Sega Gameworks Goes Forward with Speilberg and MCA|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=17|page=26}}{{cite magazine |title=Inside Scoop|magazine=GamePro|issue=104 |publisher=IDG|date=May 1997|page=24}}{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Ernie |title=That Time Steven Spielberg and Sega Built the Arcade of Your Dreams |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/that-time-steven-spielberg-and-sega-built-the-arcade-of-your-dreams/ |website=vice.com |access-date=5 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105231853/https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvapxx/that-time-steven-spielberg-and-sega-built-the-arcade-of-your-dreams |archive-date=5 November 2020 |date=29 April 2017 |url-status=live |quote="...Steven Spielberg, who offered creative input on the concept..."}} Skip Paul was GameWorks' first chairman and CEO, and Jon Snoddy headed the design team.{{cite magazine |title=Arcades Grow Up |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=104 |date=March 1998 |pages=106–111}} Its first location opened in Seattle in March 1997 with many high-profile guests in attendance, such as celebrities Will Smith and Gillian Anderson and billionaire Bill Gates.{{cite magazine|date=June 1997|title=Tokyo Game Show Report from Japan|url=https://archive.org/stream/NextGeneration30Jun1997/Next_Generation_30_Jun_1997#page/n17|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=30|page=17}}{{Cite news |last=Eads |first=Stefani |last2=Eddy |first2=Andy |date=July 1997 |title=GameWorks, opened with a star-studded gala |pages=24 |work=Digital Diner |url=https://archive.org/details/digital-diner-july-1997/}} DreamWorks sold its portion in 2001.{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/news/dreamworks-backs-out-gameworks|title=DreamWorks Backs Out Of GameWorks|publisher=}}

GameWorks filed its first bankruptcy in 2004. On November 3, 2005, Sega Sammy Holdings, formed following the 2004 merger of Sega and Sammy, bought the controlling interests of GameWorks. GameWorks filed its second bankruptcy in 2010; as a result, Sega Entertainment USA, the parent company at that time, closed seven GameWorks venues on March 29, in an attempt to focus on profitability and future growth. Two locations that closed, one in Circle Centre at Indianapolis, Indiana, and another in Irvine Spectrum Center at Irvine, California, originally opened as Sega City.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}}

In 2011, GameWorks was sold to an investment group, HNR Capital.{{cite news |last1=Wilde |first1=Thomas |title=GameWorks ready to power back on in Seattle as onetime execs take control of arcade/restaurant |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2022/gameworks-ready-to-power-back-on-in-seattle-as-onetime-execs-take-control-of-arcade-restaurant/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |work=GeekWire |date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506223603/https://www.geekwire.com/2022/gameworks-ready-to-power-back-on-in-seattle-as-onetime-execs-take-control-of-arcade-restaurant/ |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |url-status=live}} In October 2011, GameWorks acquired the assets of several Jillian's Billiards Clubs in California, Washington, and Virginia.{{Cite news|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/gameworks/jillians/prweb8884962.htm|title=GameWorks Entertainment, LLC Acquires Five Locations From JBC Entertainment|date=October 18, 2011|work=PRWeb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023214125/http://www.prweb.com/releases/gameworks/jillians/prweb8884962.htm|archive-date=October 23, 2020|url-status=dead|access-date=February 24, 2023|language=en-US}}

In May 2017, Oomba acquired GameWorks.{{cite news|last=Madler|first=Mark|date=May 16, 2017|url=https://sfvbj.com/media/video-games/gameworks-acquired-oomba/|title=GameWorks Acquired by Oomba|work=San Fernando Valley Business Journal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804045929/https://www.sfvbj.com/media/video-games/gameworks-acquired-oomba/|archive-date=August 4, 2022|url-status=live|access-date=August 4, 2022}} In May 2018, Chicago-based ExWorks Capital took ownership of GameWorks.{{Cite news|last=Minotti|first=Mike|url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/09/05/gameworks-arcades-has-a-new-owner-exworks-capital/|title=GameWorks arcades has a new owner: ExWorks Capital|date=September 5, 2018|work=VentureBeat|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906040301/https://venturebeat.com/2018/09/05/gameworks-arcades-has-a-new-owner-exworks-capital/|archive-date=September 6, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=September 16, 2018|language=en-US}}

On December 24, 2021, GameWorks announced that it would be closing all of its remaining locations, citing financial difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last1=Winslow |first1=Jeremy |title=The Arcade In The Last Of Us 2 Has Seemingly Closed IRL |url=https://kotaku.com/the-arcade-in-the-last-of-us-2-has-seemingly-closed-irl-1848266237 |website=Kotaku |date=23 December 2021 |access-date=24 December 2021 |language=en-us}}{{Cite tweet|user=GameWorks |number=1474424432856870912|title=Thank you for the many years of memories! The past 20 months we have seen our business turned upside down-the continued slow economic recovery has left us no choice other than to close}} Greg Stevens, who served as the company's CEO from 2011 to 2018, subsequently reacquired the assets of the Seattle location with business partner Howard Brand, a managing partner at former owner HNR Capital.{{cite news |last1=Wilde |first1=Thomas |title=GameWorks ready to power back on in Seattle as onetime execs take control of arcade/restaurant |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2022/gameworks-ready-to-power-back-on-in-seattle-as-onetime-execs-take-control-of-arcade-restaurant/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |work=GeekWire |date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506223603/https://www.geekwire.com/2022/gameworks-ready-to-power-back-on-in-seattle-as-onetime-execs-take-control-of-arcade-restaurant/ |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |url-status=live}} After some reorganization, the Seattle location reopened on August 3, 2022, after the closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last1=Cassidy |first1=Benjamin |title=GameWorks Reopens in Downtown Seattle |url=https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2022/08/gameworks-reopens-in-downtown-seattle-august-2022 |access-date=August 4, 2022 |work=Seattle Met |date=August 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804043332/https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2022/08/gameworks-reopens-in-downtown-seattle-august-2022 |archive-date=August 4, 2022|url-status=live}}

Locations

=Former locations=

==Standard==

==GameWorks Studio==

=International locations=

  • Kuwait City, Kuwait (Opened in 2003, later called Gamewizz, closed in 2013)
  • Mexico City, Mexico (Opened in 2006, closed in 2020)
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Opened in 1999. Despite being a very successful location, constantly full, it was closed in 2003 due to disagreements with the local representative. They wanted to remove the restaurant, and only keep the two bars. The Brazilian company created its own arcade brand, called [https://www.hotzone.com.br/ HotZone].)
  • Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (at Mega Centro Mall, opened in a former McDonald's fast food, closed in 2015)
  • Tumon, Guam (Closed in 2006)
  • Vienna, Austria (Opened in November 2001, filed for bankruptcy in April 2002)

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|GameWorks}}

  • {{Official|https://www.gameworks.com/}}

{{Sega}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gameworks}}

Category:Sega amusement parks

Category:DreamWorks Pictures

Category:Universal Pictures

Category:American companies established in 1996

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010

Category:Esports venues in Nevada

Category:Former joint ventures