Should You Buy or Rent Arcade Machines? A Quick Guide

Are you considering starting a small business with arcade machine games? Are you curious about those corner arcades that require very little maintenance and management to turn a profit, or those amusement centers that have a steady stream of revenue that is so appealing? When you start thinking about this intention, you will be faced with the question: rent a game machine or buy it?

Joystick on arcade video game machine.

There are a lot of differences between these two choices, and yes, you need to create a trade-off between their pros and cons, which makes it difficult. This article will give you an alternative quick guide by comparing renting and buying. Of course, the final decision is yours. In terms of comparison, we consider three main aspects.

Cost Issue

In the beginning, the rental of a gaming arcade machine is undoubtedly less costly than an outright purchase needs to be. However, as the time of use increases, the cost of renting gradually exceeds the cost of purchasing, which means that you will have to deduct a regular amount for renting from your revenues, and this adds to the cost of running your arcade games.

Simply put, in the short term, the cost of renting is less than buying; in the long term considerations, the cost of buying is less than renting. Considering the uncertainty of the earning capacity of your arcade game machine, if you want to try your luck first, you can make a short-term lease and decide whether to buy the arcade game or not based on the subsequent profitability.

Maintenance issues

If you purchase a gaming arcade machine, you are responsible for all maintenance, repairs, and upgrades of the machine. Of course, there are game arcade suppliers that offer after-sales service and guarantees, so you can send the machine back within the deadline and let them take care of solving your problems. However, this kind of backing is limited after all, and you still need to maintain and deal with minor day-to-day issues.

If you rent an arcade machine, you can spend less effort on maintenance. The rental company takes care of the maintenance and repairs of the machine, and you can more easily be the one to get rid of it. But isn’t it just as much of a hassle to deal with the shipping in between? This specifically takes into account the location and availability of local services for both the rental and supplier companies.

By in large, when it comes to maintenance, renting a game arcade is generally superior to purchasing one.

Three yellow vintage 80's video arcade machines

Ownership issues

Ownership means many things. First of all, if you buy a console, you own it completely. This means you can design it however you want, just as some manufacturer companies offer customization services. Additionally, when you don’t want to own the machine anymore, you can resell it, thus minimizing your losses. You don’t have to worry about being restricted by anything else.

However, if you rent a game arcade machine from a rental company, you are only a partial owner. This means that you need to abide by the restrictions imposed by the rental company, which may make you feel limited. If something happens to the game arcade, perhaps you will be responsible for compensation. When the rental company repossesses the game arcade, the rental fee you pay will only be compensated from your earnings instead of mitigating your losses. However, the upside is that the option of renting a game arcade is more flexible and you can change to a different game arcade.

Overall, if you want to have more freedom in owning an arcade machine, there is no doubt that buying is better than renting.

Conclusion

So, after considering all of this, it’s time to choose. A rental console that doesn’t require responsible maintenance but has more restrictions? Or a purchased console that is completely personal and hence fully responsible for it? We can’t say who is certainly the best choice, as they have their own pros and cons and influencing factors. It depends on your budget, your planning considerations, and your preferences.

Happy young woman playing toy grabbing game with friends at amusement park.

Buy arcade machines at GM Tech

GM Tech is an arcade game manufacturer with fifteen years of experience in the business. They have manufactured a number of arcade games for the market with their insight and experience. Their arcade machines are sold at a factory-direct discounted price, and each one is meticulously crafted with attentive customization services. Due to their superior quality, GM Tech’s arcade games are durable, low maintenance, and high yield. Moreover, GM Tech provides perfect guarantee and after-sales service and is committed to solving every problem of customers. If you are considering purchasing an arcade game to start your business, GM Tech will not let you down.

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