Multiple technological developments have altered society over the last 100 years. Silent films gave way to movies with sound in the 1920s, and movies transitioned from black-and-white to color in the first part of the last century. Television sets brought visual programming into people’s homes, challenging the popularity of radio programs.
In 1972, Magnavox introduced consumers to the first video game console. Since then, video games have become a multibillion-dollar industry that’s on track to generate over $200 billion in 2023. Gaming enthusiasts can capitalize on their love of video games and entrepreneurial spirit by becoming streamers or starting a gaming cafe. Let’s look at the costs to consider when you’re preparing to launch a gaming cafe.
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Cafes that serve food need kitchen equipment.
The exact cost of starting a gaming cafe depends on multiple factors, including location, size of the cafe, and range of services provided. You’ll likely need more capital to launch a larger cafe in a big city than you will to start a cafe in a rural location because of the difference in property rental prices. Those planning to include food services in their gaming cafe will also have some additional costs.
Food-service venues need refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, and prep tables. Depending on your menu, you may need sandwich prep tables, pizza prep tables, deep fryers, grills, mixers, and commercial ovens. Fortunately, restaurant equipment suppliers such as The Restaurant Warehouse make it easy to secure the essential items you need through in-house financing to lease equipment. Leasing is more affordable than buying, and you’ll pay low monthly fees for your equipment, enabling you to reduce your start-up costs without compromising quality.
You’ll need gaming computers.
Gaming personal computers (PCs) are computers with the hardware required to run gaming software correctly. Since video games use a lot of memory and generate detailed graphics, gamers need PCs with powerful central processing units (CPUs) and graphics cards. Superior gaming PCs feature processors such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600–5950X, 9th Gen Intel Core i3 10-series – i7 10-series, AMD Ryzen 9 3900X – 3950X, and AMD Ryzen 7 3700X – Intel Core i7-10700KF. The best graphics cards include the Nvidia GTX 1650 Super–RTX 3090, NVIDIA GeForce RTX RTX 2080 Super – 2080 Ti, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super – 2080 Super.
Investing in superior gaming PCs can help you attract clientele and generate revenue. The best gaming PCs available today include the Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R11, Corsair One a100, Dell G5 gaming desktop, MSI MEG Trident X, and Lenovo Legion Tower 5i gaming PCs. In addition to the processors and graphics cards, consider the amount of random access memory (RAM) available. The computer’s RAM operates like short-term memory and stores instructions from the game, ensuring the computer responds promptly and preventing disruptions during gameplay. Gaming computers should have at least 16GB of RAM.
You’ll need furniture.
Invest in gaming desks with headset holders and cup holders, preventing users from spilling drinks on the computer. You can also buy gaming desks with a built-in full desk mousepad, eliminating the need for mousepads.
Gaming chairs have lumbar supports and neck supports, preventing players from experiencing back or neck pain during gameplay. The best gaming chairs on the market ensure the player’s comfort, enabling them to play for extended periods. Since longer gaming sessions produce more revenue for gaming cafe owners, superior gaming chairs are worth the investment.
You can apply for a loan to cover your start-up costs.
Once you’ve determined the cost of rent, start-up equipment, staffing, and promotional costs, you can prepare revenue projections and apply for a small business loan. The U.S. Small Business Administration supports several loans for small business owners, enabling entrepreneurs to access the capital required to launch their businesses.
The exact cost of starting a gaming cafe varies. Location, size, and equipment costs will affect your gaming cafe start-up costs.