I had a chance last month to visit my old stomping grounds in SW lower, MI and I realizes that there were no less than three game stores per city in MI to our one per city here in South Florida. It got me thinking, “Why do they have so many more FLGS than we do?”
Research shows that one significant factor influencing the distribution of game shops is population density and urbanization. Northern states, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, tend to have higher population densities and more urban centers. A higher concentration of people in these regions translates to a larger customer base, making it financially viable for game retailers to set up shop in these areas. I figured that can’t be it as we have a similar population and the city I was in (Kalamazoo, MI) has about 15k less people in it than Fort Myers.
So what then? Climate… Climate can influence recreational activities and consumer behavior. In some parts of the South, the hot and humid climate might encourage outdoor activities and reduce the appeal of indoor entertainment, including gaming. Conversely, colder climates in the North might lead to increased interest in indoor hobbies, such as gaming, fostering a more substantial market for game retailers in these regions.
So now to my prediction. We are seeing record high temperatures all across the South. So high that its getting harder and harder to justify outdoor activities (the juice ain’t worth the squeeze). Playground equipment is becoming so hot that children would come away with burns through even normal use; dogs can’t be walked on pavement; loaves of bread can be cooked in mailboxes; and no one ought to be outside for more than ten minutes without a bottle of water. This leads me to believe that (if this keeps up) we’ll se an activity void. People will turn to indoor activity. Sure, video games will be an alternative, but ultimately people are social creatures and a lot of people are sick of tele meeting (thanks, Corona) meaning they’ll be looking for face-to-face contact.
This is where the FLGS can step in providing play spaces for people to escape to and experiences for people to escape reality.