We have more bad news for fans of Japanese arcades.
Namco's Sugamo location has announced on social media that it will be closing its doors next year, on March 22nd, 2026 (as highlighted by denfaminicogamer).
The location, which was formerly called Namco Play City Carrot Sugamo, has been open for decades and has become something of a sacred place for fighting games fans in Japan, having hosted tournaments and early location tests for games in the Tekken and Soul Calibur series.
In its statement (written in Japanese), the arcade operators apologized for the closure and thanked fans for their continued patronage over the years. It also revealed that it will be holding a pre-closing event and will continue operating as normal up until its closing date.
In response to the news, several people have come out to pay tribute to the location.
The former EVO champion and Tekken pro Daichi "Nobi" Nakayama described the location as "a second home", while the Tekken 8 co-director Kohei Ikeda called it a place where many connections were born, and "irreplaceable memories" were made.
No specific reason was given for the closure, but it comes at a time when many arcade businesses in the country seem to be struggling.