Los Angeles Business Journal: Gaming out

Ron Rosenberg said his new Arena Lounge in West L.A. is this generation's bowling alley, or even pool hall, although video arcade might be a closer fit.

Gamers can sit in sofas with built-in speakers and choose from a wide variety of video games to play or buy. Arena Lounge also has "game sommeliers" offering instructions and advice to novices. "During the week we do leagues," said the 26-year-old. "On the week ends we want to see guys taking girls on dates."

There have been several examples of interactive gaming lounges, but not enough to produce a significant trend, said Christopher Swain, professor of interactive media at USC and co-director of the EA Game Innovation Lab. Walt Disney Co. and Dreamworks SKG have re-created the virtual theme park experience in malls, and he has seen bars offering video game tournaments and interactive features, like video cameras focused on different tables and people.

But the combination of a bar and interactive gaming without a cover charge isn't common.