Arcade closures are becoming increasingly common these days, and all types of business models are affected. A perfect example is RGS Arcade, located in Pourrières, which is facing a difficult time despite its non-profit status.

We're sharing this with you here and on our social media because this venue holds a special place for Recalbox. Our team visits regularly, and it's also the location where we host IRL meetups with members of our community based in southern France.

A Space for Everyone, But a Delicate Balance

Today, due to insufficient funding, RGS Arcade may be forced to close its doors after only three years of existence. With an annual membership fee of €20 and a €5 entry fee for unlimited playtime, the association’s mission honors our shared passion: making retrogaming accessible (consoles, arcade cabinets, and pinball machines) to the widest possible audience.

Unfortunately, this level of accessibility comes at a cost. Each opening costs the association around €50, due to unavoidable fixed expenses (rent, insurance, machine maintenance…) and occasional low attendance.

More Than Just an Arcade: A Community Hub

RGS is more than just an arcade — it's a true community space that brings life to the village, as Mike, the venue’s co-founder, explains:

"We had a lot of people come in during the first year.
Over these three years, we’ve hosted tons of tournaments: arcade cabinets, consoles (modern and retro), and pinball nights with special challenges.
It’s open to everyone — women, men, kids, regardless of age."

"Throughout the year, we run high-score tournaments on arcade games — both classics (Pac-Man, Donkey Kong…) and titles of historical interest like Le Bagnard (the first French game with digitized voices), or original games like QBert, with its diagonally positioned joystick."*

"It’s given many people the chance to discover games they wouldn’t normally play at home.
The combination of community spirit and friendly competition in the arcade is fantastic.
All the contests offer prizes (which often cover the entry fee).
We’ve got regulars who come every week, and kids who stop by after school on Fridays to have a snack and play some pinball."

"The atmosphere is just great."

How to Support RGS Arcade

If you’d like to support the association and this human adventure, you can:

• visit the arcade in person — open Fridays from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. — in Pourrières (near Aix-en-Provence) ;
• make a donation through the HelloAsso platform ;
• and of course, share this article or our social media posts.

We don’t need to remind you how rare such places are in France — and how important these initiatives are in helping people rediscover, and share, our favorite games in authentic conditions, in a space filled with passion and community spirit.