Roppongi GiGO

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Roppongi GiGO Exterior.jpeg
Roppongi GiGO
Location: 東京都港区六本木七丁目14番4号 アイビス共同ビル5階, Japan
Opened: 1992-09-18[1]
Closed: 1998

Roppongi GiGO (六本木GiGO) is a former GiGO venue jointly developed by Sega and Ibis, which owned the hotel it was situated in.[1] Located in Roppongi, a district of Tokyo noted for its nightlife, the venue was at one stage the largest urban amusement facility in Japan,[2] initially creating positive results. Sega are thought to have dropped involvement with the center in the late 1990s.

History

Inaugurated with a press event on September 10[3] and opened with the aim of becoming a fixture of Roppongi's adult nightlife, Roppongi GiGO was the first GiGO center[4] and the largest urban amusement facility in Japan up to that point in time.[2] Its public opening the following week represented one of Sega's first steps in establishing large scale entertainment centres in prime inner-city locations; the facility's large size, elaborate décor, and themed zones[5] significantly outclassed the Hi-Tech Land Sega and newer Sega World locations opened previously in the country.

For a time, GiGO maintained a high-profile status and popularity among the clientele of Roppongi,[6] generating front-page coverage from The Asahi Shimbun newspaper and strengthening the view of video amusements as a healthy, social form of entertainment;[7] women regularly accounted for about half of the facility's customer base.[7] Celebrities made appearances at the venue, both locally, as a result of its close proximity to TV Asahi's studios, and from around the world - Michael Jackson visited the site in December 1992,[8] alongside other notable figures including Megumi Hayashibara[9] and Christian Fittipaldi.[10]

In the months following its opening, it became the debut location of the four-player Virtua Formula model,[11] as well as a site for numerous events.[12] Roppongi GiGO is thought to have lost Sega's involvement sometime after the late 1990s. It continued to operate as a game center in a downsized capacity under the name of Roppongi Vortex,[13] later closing permanently at the end of 2013.[14]

Layout

Roppongi GiGO Interior.jpg

Establishing an organised concept also seen in subsequent GiGO locations, each of Roppongi GiGO's four floors were devoted to specific machines and attractions - the first floor featured video games, including deluxe Virtua Racing and R360 units, the second housed prize redemption, sports games, and a bar,[5] the third featured medal games, and the fourth contained a casino area and karaoke rooms. Customers had to be at least 18 years of age to enter, and 20 to access the fourth floor's casino area.[1]

The floors were featured in segments of the Mega Drive Perfect Video '92~'93 promotional video, with Dream Palace and Royal Ascot machines demoed.

Branding

Name Branding Date
Roppongi GiGO (六本木GiGO) GiGO 1992-09-18[1]
Closed 1998

Videos

Gallery

  • Later "Vortex" façade in 2007

Magazine articles

Main article: Roppongi GiGO/Magazine articles.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Famitsu, "1992-10-09" (JP; 1992-09-25), page 10
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Game Machine, "1992-11-01" (JP; 1992-11-01), page 11
  3. ↑ Game Machine, "1992-11-01" (JP; 1992-11-01), page 2
  4. ↑ Sega Magazine, "1997-05 (1997-05, 06)" (JP; 1997-04-11), page 36
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Press release: 1994-02-07:Shisetsu-nai inshoku tenpo shirīzu `aisu biru'(Tōkyō Roppongi) hoteru goraku inshoku zōn
  6. ↑ https://xtrend.nikkei.com/atcl/trn/pickup/15/1008498/102200986/ (Wayback Machine: 2021-02-26 03:58)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://blog.goo.ne.jp/lemon6868/e/c05a21f4c655a617cf9ce433e0651744 (Wayback Machine: 2021-05-07 02:05)
  8. ↑ https://mdshock.com/2020/12/08/michael-jackson-visits-sega-in-japan-december-1992/
  9. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1994" (JP; 1994-04-08), page 63
  10. ↑ File:Roppongi_GiGO_Christian_Fittipaldi.mp4
  11. ↑ Game Machine, "1993-05-01" (JP; 1993-05-01), page 14
  12. ↑ File:Roppongi_GiGO_FV_1995.mp4
  13. ↑ http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~k-nishi/tgm/roppongi.html (Wayback Machine: 2001-04-26 21:41)
  14. ↑ http://throwbackjapan.blogspot.com/2014/03/arcade-vortex-roppongi-tokyo.html
GiGO venues in Japan
Akihabara | Gifu | Hiroshima | Ikebukuro | Roppongi | Shibuya | Shinsaibashi | Tenjin
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