Update [Mon 27th Feb, 2023 12:00 GMT]: It has been officially confirmed that Bandai Namco is taking up residence in the Akihabara building formerly known as Sega Akihabara Arcade 4 (thanks, TechRaptor).
Opening on March 1st, Namco Akihabara will be the company's first arcade in the area in its 68-year-long history. Five floors of entertainment will be on offer, ranging from UFO catchers, arcade machines and even a retail store.
There will also be a staggering 46 Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. 2 XBoost units on-site, as well as Taiko no Tatsujin cabinets. The building's fourth floor will be home to the Gashapon Bandai Official Shop Akihabara, and will feature 800 machines – making it one of the largest locations of its kind in the area.
Original Story [Wed 4th Jan, 2023 17:40 GMT]: Bandai Namco is to occupy a former Sega amusement arcade location in Tokyo's Akihabara, it has been revealed.
The Sega Akihabara Arcade Building 4 – which was briefly branded as the GiGO Akihabara Arcade Building 4 when Genda GiGO Entertainment, Inc. took over the site – was in operation for 12 years, and closed for good on 25th September, 2022.
Due to its location south of Akihabara train station, Akihabara Arcade Building 4 was an important part of the Akihabara gaming scene. It was not only home to an arcade but also a cafe, which itself hosted several partnership events with popular game franchises.
The building has been vacant since then, but last week, cabinets containing Bandai Namco titles were brought into the building, sparking rumours that it would become an amusement facility. This week, part-time job recruitment for game centre staff has been spotted on multiple Japanese job sites.
The building will be named 'Namco Akihabara' and is expected to open this March.
Thanks to @Pi3R10 for the tip!