ArcadeWorld began in 2005 when three friends—Emma Chen, Mark Williams, and David Thompson—found themselves lamenting the disappearance of Australia's once-vibrant arcade gaming scene. What started as a nostalgic conversation in a Sydney pub quickly evolved into a mission to preserve this unique slice of Australian cultural history.
Our founders began by documenting the remaining arcade venues across Australia, capturing photographs, stories, and technical details before these historic sites disappeared forever. Within months, they had assembled an impressive digital archive that attracted attention from gamers, historians, and media outlets nationwide.
In 2008, we launched our first physical exhibition in collaboration with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne. The overwhelming public response confirmed what we suspected—Australians deeply missed their arcade gaming culture and hungered for a way to reconnect with it.
By 2012, we had established our permanent home in The Rocks, Sydney, where we continue to operate today. Our collection has grown to include over 200 original arcade cabinets and thousands of digital artifacts from Australia's gaming history. What began as a passion project has evolved into Australia's premier resource for arcade and browser gaming preservation, research, and celebration.