GameTruck rolls into Seattle
MOBILE GAMES
GameTruck rolls into Seattle
John Cook on Thursday, November 4, 2010, 10:19am PDT
Forget about clowns or giant bouncy houses. Here comes the GameTruck. Equipped with four 55-inch plasma screens, an enhanced sound system and video game titles for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, the GameTruck brings a new definition to the term mobile gaming. With the ability to accommodate up to 16 game players at once, the green and black truck can roll up to birthday parties, graduations or other events.
The GameTruck concept, which started in Tempe, Arizona in 2006, arrived in Seattle two weeks ago. The brains behind the local franchise is Didier Monin who was laid off from Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast last December after 14 years.
“After losing my job, I started thinking about starting a business around multi-player video games,” said Monin, who has lived in Bellevue for the past 10 years. ” I had set up computers and LANs at friends’ parties in the past years as a hobby, and saw how people liked using them without having to set them up themselves.”
After some investigation, Monin discovered the GameTruck franchise and set out to bring it to Seattle. He sees the concept resonating here, an area known for its strong gaming community. In addition to birthday parties, Monin said he’s hoping to market the GameTruck as an alternative at corporate events and fundraisers.
So far, business has been booming. Since the truck started rolling on October 23, Monin said that they’ve been averaging about one party a day, which he says is “blowing away our conservative expectations.”
“Once kids outgrow bouncy houses and the like, what’s a parent to do when it comes to party planning?” says Monin. “As you likely know, kids with Wii, Playstation and Xbox systems LOVE them … they would play all day if allowed. There is not a multi-playing console gamer out there who would not love to pour 15 of his/her friends into the truck.”
A two-hour party costs $299 during weekends ($279 during weekdays) with extra time available for $119 per hour on weekends