Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you offer free tickets for carers? and Q. I only want to supervise my child or wait a table while they play - do I have to pay for entry?

A. For carers and those just accompanying minors, we offer a heavily discounted rate of £4 tickets (only available in person). We are optimistic about the future of Playback Arcade, so seating and space will become limited with us having to ensure safe operation and needing to stay profitable to remain open. 

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Q. Why can't I just come in and pay per play - I only want to come in for 20 minutes or so? 
A. Unfortunately our model is set up as a free-play arcade. A person on average would last about 5 minutes with a single credit on most the games, and would lose credits far more rapidly as the difficulty of the game increases. We believe the our price is good value, especially for an all-day ticket, and gives a confidence that you won't be spending more than you intend. Most importantly for us, it encourages people to try all the games, rather than just spending money on ones they're familiar with.

Q. I'm only interested in playing board games - do I have to pay the full rate?

A. We offer tickets for playing board games for as long as you like for only £5. This gives you access to an excellently curated selection of over 100 board games, including child-friendly, party, light, filler, family and medium-weight games (with about 10-20 additional heavy-weight games). If it's quiet than we should be able to give you a bit of guidance in how to play some of the lighter games, and maybe even some pointers for the heavier games.

Q. This machine is broken. Can I have a refund?

A. We work hard to keep all machines working well, but some repairs have to take priority over others, and it is very much in the nature of hardware of this age to malfunction. We always have at least 40 games available to play (usually 50-60 with this number growing), but we understand that some people may visit for a specific game, or just for pinball (which are by far the most likely to malfunction!). In this case we would urge you to check before visiting to avoid disappointment.

Q. What is the youngest age that can be admitted?

A. We do not have a hard limit on this, as the ability of children can differ a great deal. We usually suggest that our arcade games as suitable for children 7 years and up. Although, if children are used to playing video games and capable, then we will gladly make exceptions. We also have board games that are suitable for children younger than 7. 

Q. Can I book tickets in person?

A. Tickets can be purchased from the counter on arrival. In future we may offer discount tickets as online-only prices, however, and also we may have to refuse admission if we're too busy. For these reasons we would recommend booking online if you're planning to visit. 

Q. I love arcade games but the noise is too loud. Can it be quieter?

A. Some of the games need to be at a high volume (especially dance and rhythm), and we are eager for the ambiance to feel like a classic arcade. We understand that this can be a sensory overload, however, and so offer noise dampening headphones for adults and children. We are also trying to make some of area towards the back of the arcade be a bit more relaxed. 

Q. Why have your prices gone up?

A. Our initial pricing was a promotional offer on the basis of us being a brand-new business and wanting to build a reputation. With the original prices the business would not be viable on a long-term basis with the cost of these machines, their repairs and electricity costs. We will offer discounts in future, however, that we will promote via social media. 

Q. Can I play this specific game?

A. We try to alternate the games we curate to cover well-known classics and lesser-known gems. By all means request games though. Either we can put it on for you (if we're not too busy), or it will be a game we look to acquire in future. 

Q. Where are you located?

A. On the ground floor of The Galleries, just across from Boswells Cafe. 

Q. Do you offer a gift card or voucher?

A. We will be producing vouchers within the next month, so watch this space!

Q. What will you do when The Galleries closes?

A. We last heard planning permission is being applied for at the end of 2023, so we would anticipate it staying open until at least the end of 2024. What happens beyond that really depends on how successful we are.

Q. Do you have board games suitable for young children?

A. We have many games that are suitable for 5+ Ask for a recommendation or description of some of them.

 

Q. Can I leave and come back?

A. We offer wrist bands so guests can leave the arcade and return whenever they like within the same day. 

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Q. Do you run gaming tournaments?

A. We are intending to start running tournaments within the next couple of months. We have a lot of original hardware and CRTs, so lots of options for excellent low-lag gaming. 

Q. Do you sell games and CRTs?

A. Not currently. This is something we're very likely to do in future though. We understand that retro gaming has made these things highly desirable and therefore hard to obtain, which is part of the reason we wanted to make somewhere they can be experienced authentically. 

Q. Do you offer console repairs?

A. This is very time-consuming and our own repairs need to take priority. If you need some advice, we would be happy to offer it though. 

Q. Can I hire Playback Arcade for a private event?

A. Of course! We offer very decent rates but would need to cost it on an ad-hoc basis. Depending on whether we would be normally open for business and how much business would potentially be lost. 

Q. Do you serve tea or coffee?

A. We're looking to start serving take-away tea and coffee very soon. 

Q. Do you offer a monthly pass?

A. We're going to get some passes printed soon, but if you enquire in person we can offer a one-off monthly pass for £30.

Q. How can we get in contact?

A. There are many ways to contact us: through the website, through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) or through our email: arcadeplayback@gmail.com