GameWorks
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GameWorks is a chain of entertainment venues featuring video games and a full service bar and restaurant. Once famous for their menu, GameWorks restaurants switched over to a California Bistro menu which has not gone over well with their customers.GameWorks Studios are smaller facilities without food and beverage service. The first GameWorks opened in Downtown Seattle in March, 1997.
The chain began as a joint venture between Sega, Universal Studios, and Dreamworks SKG. Dreamworks SKG withdrew their involvement in 2001, and the chain itself filed for bankruptcy in 2004. The chain was bought out by Sega Sammy Holdings in November 3, 2005 and is now operated by its subsidiary SEGA Entertainment USA, Inc.
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[edit] National Tournaments
GameWorks has held a total of four national video game tournaments.
The first tournament featured the arcade game Top Skater at the grand opening of their Ontario location. David Simmons of Seattle, Washington was the $10,000 grand prize winner.
The second featured The House of the Dead during the grand opening of their Grapevine location. Ottis Pittman of Rancho Cucamonga, California won the $5,000 grand prize.
The third tournament was held on Harley Davidson and the LA Riders in Seattle during their one year anniversary party. A player from Ontario, California won the Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle.
The fourth and final tournament, called the GameWorks Triathlon, featured three games, Racing Jam, Rapid River and Kick It Soccer in Las Vegas. A player from Tempe, Arizona took home the $5,000 prize.
[edit] Locations
[edit] United States
Midwest Locations:
- Auburn Hills, Michigan (Detroit area)
- Schaumburg, Illinois
- Columbus, Ohio
- Indianapolis, Indiana (GameWorks Studios)
- Newport, Kentucky (Cincinnati, Ohio area)
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Northwest Locations:
Southwest Locations:
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Long Beach, California
- Ontario, California
- Tempe, Arizona
- Tucson, Arizona (GameWorks Studios)
Southern Locations:
- Grapevine, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas (GameWorks Studios)
- Miami, Florida
- Sunrise, Florida
- Tampa, Florida (Ybor City district)
Now Closed:
- Irvine, California (closed, now a Fox Sports Grill)
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (GameWorks Studios) (closed)
- Orange, California (closed, now The Power House arcade)
[edit] International
Caribbean Locations:
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (at Mega Centro Mall)
Middle East/Southwestern Asia Locations:
- Kuwait City, Kuwait - (Called Gamewizz Now)
North American Locations:
- Mexico City, Mexico (Opened in 2006)
Now Closed:
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Closed due to disagreements with the local representative. They wanted to get rid of the restaurant, and only keep the 2 bars. Due to this problem the company created its own arcade brand, called HotZone)
- Tumon, Guam (Closed in 2006)
- Vienna, Austria (Opened in 2001, filed for bankruptcy around 2003)
[edit] Locations never built
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin (struck down in the Pabst City project vote)
- Westbury, Long Island, NYC (though a sign outside the Source mall touted its arrival, it never materialized; instead, 'Jillians' took over the location which is now Dave & Busters)
