China’s smartphone arcades let kids play games without their parents knowing
Smartphone cafes are popping up near schools and parents aren’t happy about it
China has more gamers than anywhere else in the world, and most of them are playing on their smartphones. Mobile gaming is so popular in the country that it’s driving the next generation of arcades -- except these aren’t filled with big Street Fighter machines, they’re filled with smartphones and tablets.
For just 1 yuan (16 US cents) an hour, customers can play on smartphones and tablets preloaded with the hottest games. One eatery offers a 10 yuan (US$1.57) package that also includes servings of tea with milk.
One elementary school kid told a reporter, “My mom won’t let me play games because she only wants me to study.”
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that their parents are not amused.