Arcades
Overview
Popular destinations for people of all ages to meet and socialize. In addition to games and interactive entertainment, arcades often serve food and beverages, including alcohol, and are popular venues for live entertainment.
Arcades across GATA are restricted to “blue” tech–legacy technology that is deemed safe–as well as any other technology that is in-paradigm.
In contrast, arcades located in Gray Zones and across the Free Territories, offer a wider range of unfiltered entertainment, and are hubs for sync raves, illegal drugs, sex trade, and illegal technology, from illicit psychotech to legacy weapons and other contraband.
Arcade Culture
Licensed Arcades
Increasingly popular for all ages, and particularly among the youth of Greater Atla, arcades are thriving hubs where patrons experience the latest and most sophisticated entertainment technologies and media. Arcades feature a mix of classic games, modern interactive media, immersive virtual constructs, and popular gambling staples, and they host live entertainment such as live music, comedy, theatre, and tournaments.
As with all legal enterprise, they are restricted to "blue" tech—including legacy technology that has been deemed safe by the AIC, as well as other technologies permitted within their jurisdiction's paradigm.
Most arcades are eclectic entertainment malls that appeal to all ages, and benefit from a family-friendly atmosphere during daytime hours. However, arcades are even better known for their late-night scene, which is much more raucous and lively, particularly when a big performance is headlining on their main stage.
Over the table, arcades offer a wide selection of vendors and restaurants where patrons can purchase food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as various legal Manna extracts. However, with a little savvy, it's often possible to acquire a range of substances that aren't strictly legal.
Underground Arcades
In contrast to regulated arcades, those in Gray Zones and across the Free Territories offer a much wider range of unfiltered entertainment, featuring both legal and illegal tech and media, and few restrictions on the use and sale of recreational substances.
These arcades tend to be operated by, or under the protection of, local gangs or criminal syndicates, who are incentivized to maintain a relatively safe environment for GATA citizens venturing into the zone, bringing money, keys, and other opportunities into the local economy.
They are hubs for black market trade, often housing bazaars teeming with booths and kiosks selling everything from illicit psychotech and legacy weapons, to Old World media and other scavenged contraband. These Gray Zone arcades are also known to share a roof with unlicensed pleasure houses, some more discreet than others.
The vibe in these arcades can range significantly, from chaotic and vibrant, to derelict and foreboding. They attract a diverse crowd, from wannabe rebels and thrill-seekers, to gangs and smugglers and dark operators, or simply some lost souls looking to treat themselves to a night to forget.
Recently, Gray Zone arcades have become the go-to destination for sync raves—intense, immersive experiences guided by skilled syncjockeys where participants' minds are synchronized to create collective hallucinations. The modded sync hubs that are key to synchronizing the audience's links are illegal across Greater Atla, making Gray Zone arcades the hot destination for those in the know.
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