Ever wondered about the roots of our beloved arcades? Dr Alan Meades, principal lecturer in game design at Canterbury Christ Church University, has written a comprehensive, entertaining and accessible book, investigating their long history, their place in British society and, of course, the myriad of games which populated them.
Was the motivation for writing the book a misspent youth playing Out Run in arcades, Alan?
I grew up in the English seaside resort of Broadstairs. There was a great little arcade by the beach that became my hangout forof my childhood and adolescence, and then there was the massive arcades at Margate and Ramsgate a few miles either way. I grew up with a great love of arcades and arcade games but it wasn’t until I finished my PhD, where I spent a few years alongside hackers, glitchers and modders on the Xbox scene, that I realised there was a whole untold history of the origins and development of the British arcade to be told.
