I didn't even think arcades were all that popular anymore and were about extinct anywhere you went, but it seems Capcom is still making money on them, and they hope to make even more by attracting women and families into their arcades. Could it be that women will be the saviors of the videogame arcade scene?

From the article:

Capcom Co., publisher of the ``Resident Evil'' games, may boost profitability to a seven-year high by the end of March 2009, helped by earnings from its arcade operations, President Haruhiro Tsujimoto said.

The operating margin, or the percentage of sales left after deducting the cost of goods sold and administrative expenses, may rise to 15 percent next fiscal year from 12.8 percent in the 12 months ending March 2008, Tsujimoto said in an interview on Nov. 12. Sales growth may more than double to 10 percent, he said.

Capcom is closing unprofitable centers and opening larger stores that target women and families to help improve earnings at the arcade business, which generates 18 percent of sales. The Osaka-based company is seeking to revive earnings after losing arcade customers to home video game players such as Nintendo Co.'s Wii.

Read the full article over at bloomberg.com