Lawson adds UFO Catcher crane games to convenience stores in Japan

New machines are proving to be standard with international vacationers.

There are some issues in Japan so charming and strange they turn out to be icons talked about all over the world, and two of probably the most well-known are comfort shops and “UFO Catcher” crane video games.

Whereas these two honored features of Japanese tradition often dwell in separate worlds with out a lot crossover, that’s all altering now, due to a brand new initiative by comfort retailer chain Lawson.

The chain says it goals to put in crane video games at 1,000 branches nationwide by the top of 2025, and machines have already been added to quite a lot of its shops in Japan’s Kinki area, which covers Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, Wakayama, Mie, Osaka and Hyogo prefectures. In April, Lawson started putting in the UFO Catchers at some shops within the Tokyo metropolitan space, the place they’ve reportedly been nicely obtained by international vacationers.

▼ The crane video games, as seen at one department of Lawson.

Lawson to put in crane video games at 1,000 shops in an effort to draw prospects with standard gameshttps://t.co/Of1ptZzNem

Lawson goals to put in crane video games in 1,000 shops nationwide by fiscal 2025. They’ve already been put in in some shops within the Kinki area, and from April this yr within the Tokyo metropolitan space, and are stated to be standard with inbound (international guests to Japan) prospects.

— Mainichi Shimbun (@mainichi) July 18, 2024

In line with the chain, the brand new initiative goals to draw extra prospects, with character items being the principle prizes. Gross sales have been significantly sturdy at branches in vacationer areas resembling Kyoto and Tokyo’s Odaiba space.

What makes the video games so standard is the truth that the prizes aren’t bought in shops, so there’s no different method to buy them, and it prices subsequent to nothing to attempt them, as they’re priced at 100 yen (US$0.63) per go.

▼ At that value, our game-loving reporters are tempted to spend 10,000 yen on them, like they did at this arcade beneath.

Whereas the UFO Catchers are serving to to draw extra prospects for Lawson, it’s a win-win for each events, because the amusement services the place the video games are often put in are in steep decline as a consequence of elevated working prices. This tie-up helps to safeguard the way forward for crane video games whereas bringing an additional sprint of leisure to Lawson comfort shops, and the chain says it seems to be ahead to increasing its companies and linking them with promotional campaigns in future.

Supply: Mainichi Shimbun through JinImages©SoraNews24● Need to hear about SoraNews24’s newest articles as quickly as they’re revealed? Observe us on Fb and Twitter!