One of the most frustrating aspects of traveling is finding yourself stuck at the airport. Your options are typically waiting for your flight, eating from expensive cafes, or battling with a poor wi-fi connection, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport has taken note and has come up with a solution. It will provide visitors with the opportunity to play video games while awaiting their journey.
Two gaming lounges
The Dallas Business Journal reported that the airport has introduced two gaming lounges for guests. They were opened on June 30. Mobile gaming company Gameway launched its own version of Korean-based PC and gaming rooms. The Gameway version includes numerous Xbox Ones and flatscreen TVs. Each Xbox comes with close to 20 games, including Overwatch, (2016), Rocket league (2015), and Fortnite (2017).
Not unlike other aspects of an airport terminal, access to the lounges doesn’t come cheap. Customers are asked to pay 42c per minute or $20 for an unlimited pass. If you only wish to pay for a single hour, it would set you back $25 plus tax. That hasn’t stopped President of Gameway, Jordan Walbridge, from feeling positive about the venture. He already has plans to open more lounges in airports throughout the U.S.
The right market
Walbridge said that the purpose of the lounges is to add an entertainment factor to airports. He made the point that a significant percentage of Americans play video games for three hours or more every week. He also pointed out that the typical demographic is either a 35-year-old male or mid-40s females, which also describes those travelling through airports.
Of course, while wi-fi connection isn’t always the best at airports, mobile gaming is still an option. At this minute, it’s the only option at every other U.S. airport, in fact. It’s also a cheaper one than the costly lounges. For those who prefer not to invest in Gameway’s innovation, there’s plenty of fun to be had with mobile gaming. Clash Royale (2016), The Sims Mobile (2018), and Book of Dead slot are some of the more popular games available on mobile. Unfortunately, there are numerous slots machine myths that stop people from enjoying the latter. One such myth says that they pay out better at certain times. That’s one of many that simply isn’t true. The sad thing is that for those who believe these myths, they’re missing out on some truly great games.
Prime for Xbox players
In spite of their cost, the lounges still add something to what is typically a boring experience: waiting for a delayed flight. Xbox Live account holders can sign in to see all their achievements in milestones in such games as Overwatch. They can also play on the Web through their default Gateway accounts. If the plan succeeds at Dallas Fort West International, it could indeed be replicated in other airports. It took around 18 months for the lounges to open at DFW, however, so it will be some time before we see them at other airports. Of course, it all depends on how they are received at DFW.
Terminal E opened 22 stations after the lounge in terminal B opened early last month. The lounges can be found at B42 and E16, Those who wish to play would be wise to arrive at the airport well before their flight.
