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GiGO Opens 1st Overseas Arcade in Taichung

GENDA GiGO Entertainment opened its first overseas GiGO arcade venue in Taichung, Taiwan on Tuesday. The arcade, named GiGO LaLaport Taichung, is located in Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport.

GENDA GiGO Entertainment founded its Taiwanese subsidiary GSE Taiwan in September 2021.

GENDA (Global Entertainment Network for Dreams and Aspirations) purchased 85.1% of the shares of Sega Entertainment in December 2020, and renamed the company GENDA Sega Entertainment. Sega Entertainment's percentage of voting rights became 14.9% following the share transfer.

In January 2022, GENDA acquired the other 14.9% of shares of arcade and amusement center company GENDA Sega Entertainment, and renamed the company GENDA GiGO Entertainment. GENDA is renaming all 196 Sega arcade centers across Japan as GiGO (which stands for "Get into the Gaming Oasis"), starting with arcades in Ikebukuro, Akihabara, and Shinjuku.

The occupancy rate of many arcades had been declining due to closures from the effect of COVID-19. The Sega Akihabara Building 2 arcade in Tokyo closed in August 2020. Sega then permanently closed its Sega Ikebukuro GiGO arcade in Tokyo in September 2021 after 28 years. The large-scale arcade center opened in July 1993 under the name Ikebukuro GiGO, and was renamed Sega Ikebukuro GiGO in July 2013. Sega then opened a new arcade center across the street in October 2021. The new arcade was renamed to GiGO Ikebukuro.

GiGO Akihabara Arcade #4 formally closed in September 2022.

Sources: PR Times, Gamer