Japanese entertainment conglomerate GENDA Inc. announced two more US acquisitions Tuesday, adding over 1,200 arcade and gaming locations to its North American footprint as the company pursues an aggressive roll-up strategy in the American amusement market.
GENDA’s Dallas-based subsidiary Kiddleton will acquire arcade operator Barberio Music Company, which runs 12 amusement centers and 89 mini-locations in Texas, along with the mall-based mini-location business of VENUplus Inc., which operates approximately 1,100 small gaming corners across hundreds of US shopping centers.
The deals follow GENDA’s November acquisition of National Entertainment Network and April purchase of Player One Amusement Group, which added over 100 arcades and 2,000 mini-locations. Financial terms for the latest transactions weren’t disclosed.
GENDA, which has completed 26 acquisitions since 2018, aims to become “the world’s number one entertainment company” through what it calls “continuous transformational growth.” The Tokyo-based company plans to install Japanese-style claw machines and anime-themed prizes across its expanding US network.
GENDA projects North American sales of roughly $300 million (¥44 billion) by fiscal 2027, representing about 25% of total revenue. However, the company’s ambitious targets depend heavily on successfully integrating multiple acquisitions while competing against established US arcade chains and family entertainment centers.
The rapid expansion raises questions about execution capacity and whether American consumers will embrace the company’s Japanese-style gaming format outside traditional arcade markets.
