Influx

We have long been tracking the trend of people trying to make video gaming more physical and more social. This stems from a desire among gamers to feel legitimized in their talents by competing and being recognized, as well as a desire to share a sense of community around a game and to physically realize that community in person. We’ve heard about LAN parties and LAN cafes as gamer-fringe social venues but now trendy video game lounges are making gaming a legitimate night-time social activity.
New York Times article about video game lounges

Until recently, a guy in his mid twenties, when asked, would drastically under-report how many hours a week he played video games. There was an ‘in the closet’ feeling, as though if a guy were discovered as a gamer, it would reflect poorly on his social standing. But in this latest video game lounge development, gaming steps further out of the living room into a venue where it will become the center activity around which mainstream guys and girls drink and socialize. Think about what a billiard hall is. It’s a set of groups gathering around a game that’s accepted and consensually considered ‘cool,’ where talent at the game is recognized and appreciated by onlookers. This is precisely what gamers want: legitimization of their skills and a real, tangible social arena where they can showcase those skills.