A key aspect in actually “coming down” to PC cafes is the in-person element, with its attendant social benefits.
Research has found that proximity and easy access to gaming devices, for instance in the bedroom, can be a potential risk factor contributing to youths developing excessive gaming habits, compared to having such devices in common areas.
Dr Choo Hyekyung, a youth gaming researcher who conducted the study with her team, said PC cafes on the other hand can help youths – and for that matter, seniors as well – gel over shared interests, and build and strengthen friendships both offline and online.
That’s not to say that overly frequent visits won’t lead to problematic gaming habits.
Youths should thus strike a delicate balance by approaching visits to PC cafes as opportunities to interact face-to-face with fellow gamers, rather than focusing solely on the gaming itself, said Dr Choo, an associate professor in the department of social work at the National University of Singapore.
“Emphasising the social dimension can help maximise the benefits of gaming.”
Mr Yip said “the heart of gaming has always been about the community”.
“Devices may change, but the desire to connect, compete and share experiences hasn’t,” he added. “For a long time, gaming was viewed as an individual activity, but the reality is that it’s deeply social.”
PC cafes are a physical anchor for that culture, and when designed well, can become more – for instance, touchpoints for joining the dots between the digital and physical sides of gaming, said Mr Yip.
Gamers Ms Leo and Ms Chan feel the same, even if they hardly patronise PC cafes any more.
The latter said such cafes remain a great way for her to test out games before buying them, and told CNA she worried about the community becoming “smaller and smaller” without places for people to come together and play in the real world.
Ms Leo simply said: “I will be quite sad if there are no LAN shops anymore.”
That will never happen, if the old hand Good Speed cafe has its way.
“We’re building a safe and welcoming community hub for anyone simply wanting to meet new friends,” said its supervisor Mr Tee.
“Our goal remains to be a bridge that brings people together. Ultimately, we want Good Speed to be a place to heal, connect and recharge … (and) to revive that ‘meet new people in person’ energy that the LAN cafes in the 2000s used to have.”
