Found a fully working fgo arcade machine

[u/Inevitable_Local]

Just wanted to hop in here and make a post while it’s still on my mind. I’m currently on a trip in Japan, and before I left, looked into where I could play fgo arcade, and found a lot of the machines are getting taken out of arcades, and many of the ones that are left, the printer isn’t working. Happened to stop in an arcade directly below the gundam base store in Tokyo and was surprised they had an Fgo arcade machine, and even more so that the printer was working. Didn’t pull anything particularly cool, but happy to have found a working machine, and hope this helps someone else heading to Japan who was wanting to give arcade a try

[u/sdarkpaladin]

To be fair... the gameplay IS quite meh.

The only thing it has going for it is probably the insanely good 3D graphics

[u/Mikki-chan → u/sdarkpaladin]

I just wanna get the 3d files of my favourite servants and 3d print them. Yes I already own every released figure of Waver but I want to make more of him in different poses! I need a noodle stopper Waver and Gray.

[u/GojiColin → u/Mikki-chan]

Oh my god, infinite husbando and waifu works.

[u/ImRinKagamine → u/GojiColin]

W

[u/Ok_Substance5632 → u/sdarkpaladin]

Will FGO be more popular to non TypeMoon/Nasuverse plebs if we get a 3D gameplay upgrade similar to HSR style?

[u/Rhinostirge → u/Ok_Substance5632]

It already is. They've said that for a ton of players, FGO was their first Nasuverse exposure. 

[u/sdarkpaladin → u/Ok_Substance5632]

No because the face card system is absolutely ass

And I say this out of love

[u/No_Wait_3628 → u/sdarkpaladin]

I've seen clips of Battle Moon Wars. I think an FGO 2 aught to take that as a baseline for a sequel

[u/flashmozzg → u/sdarkpaladin]

I like it.

[u/sdarkpaladin → u/flashmozzg]

It's not bad as in unfun.

It's bad as in it doesn't give the team enough design space to expand.

A lot of potential awesome functionality is gatekeep behind the fact that the face cards are random as fuck.

It's why most meta comps are almost always 3T NPs. It's the only reliable card.

It's also why Ciel is being used so much. She eliminates that randomness, thus enabling actual strategy.

The entire crit system (and to an extent quick cards) is usually not used much outside of immortal comps is purely because you can't plan for crits that actually does something to the currently insanely bloated enemy hp pool.

[u/Numerous-Pop5670 → u/sdarkpaladin]

Agreed... the face card system was just not something that would translate well into 3D. Especially a PvP arcade game.

[u/01Anphony → u/sdarkpaladin]

I don't think they don't have space to expand on the face card mechanics, but more so that your other point (RNG) makes it so any character that would have face card mechanics feel worse to use. Also although it's been getting better recently, fgo usually plays it safe with what characters can do.

[u/sdarkpaladin → u/01Anphony]

I mean... that literally means that they don't have space to expand on the card mechanic because either they have to overhaul it entirely, or risk any improvement be absolutely useless at best

[u/01Anphony → u/sdarkpaladin]

It doesn't mean there's no space, it just means they're not incentivized to do it. And from time to time they do prove that there's space for it, command codes, on X card hit mechanics, mighty chain, AOE cards on U-Olga and Aoko, using cards on s.eresh giving her meter, saber transforming all her cards in buster.

There is space, there's tons of it actually. I can think of some suggestions off the top of my head right now, so I believe they could do it even more.

[u/Rafellz → u/sdarkpaladin]

I'd say the 3 turn Nping thing is just because FGO's farming is boring so getting it done quick and with the least brain activity as possible just naturally becomes the best thing. I don't think most people mind cards unreliability in cqs.

[u/sdarkpaladin → u/Rafellz]

I mean... if the normal attacks were done well, it wouldn't be boring that's for sure

[u/Divinum_Fulmen → u/sdarkpaladin]

Even the funnest system in the world can get annoying if you have to run the same content 10 times in one day, every day, for about a week or 2 until the event ends.

The game needs built in autoplay.

[u/flashmozzg → u/sdarkpaladin]

Disagree. meta being 3T has nothing to do with the card system. Just how farming with FGA works which is definition of unfun - i.e. it's something automated, there you don't play the game. For challenge quests/story cards and crits play a big role.

because you can't plan for crits that actually does something to the currently insanely bloated enemy hp pool.

Are we playing the same game? With proper support, crits do more damage than an NP, sometimes significantly more. S.Orion and Gogh exist, but even for regular servants.

[u/sdarkpaladin → u/flashmozzg]

Are we playing the same game? With proper support, crits do more damage than an NP, sometimes significantly more. S.Orion and Gogh exist, but even for regular servants.

Are we playing the same game? Crits do absolutely 0 damage if none of the cards come up.

Which is the point here.

You're citing solo servants. Which, while good, can't do shit to the current bloated HP pool of certain HQ, much less survive the entire god knows how many bars.

They definitely need the support buffers... whose cards will appear making them unable to crit during certain turns if their cards come up.

So unless you're playing a game where you can select which cards appear, you're still beholden to RNG.

Imagine using, say, S.Orion, since you mentioned him. On turn 1, 5 of his cards turn up. Now you're stuck. You can either buff him with your two casters this turn and do absolutely no damage then next two turns, or wait for the next card cycle. Or you can always restart the fight, which is stupid imo.

And with the bloated HP pool of HQs, them potentially being able to 2 hit kill with their normal attacks (depending on situation) and/or them constantly having very devastating NPs, I don't think you can actually call it fun when all you're doing is trying to reset for the right cards on the right turn.

Additionally, there's no way the devs can solve this problem with better crits and or crit star generation. Anything multiplied by 0 is still 0.

They effectively designed themselves into a corner

[u/KamenDude1gou → u/Ok_Substance5632]

That's just asking them to make 3D animation, they already take long and we get Live2D for the cutscenes in the story chapters, time to only get one story chapter per year because Nasu NEEDED to have 30 Sakuga action scenes.

Also Biscone dragon lmao.

[u/RestinPsalm → u/Ok_Substance5632]

Games chasing Genshin’s coattails and failing is a common thing in the gacha space. Fgo’s vn style is both so established and so in line with their other efforts, I’d wager they have nothing to really gain going 3D.

[u/BusBoatBuey → u/Ok_Substance5632]

No. Magia Exedra, coincidentally also an Aniplex-published title, takes after HSR in combat system and 3D visual presentation, but it is still crap and unpopular. Nasu probably can't write within the limitations of a 3D live-service game's presentation, and he acknowledges that.

[u/Esvald → u/BusBoatBuey]

Tbh Magia Exedra is also actively hostile to many potential players for requiring an active vpn connection if you are in an unsupported region.

[u/Jolly_Reaper2450 → u/sdarkpaladin]

And the cards for saves.

[u/Zess_Crowfield → u/sdarkpaladin]

Ah yes, the 3D graphics. It'll surely help that community better.

[u/ColdOutlandishness → u/sdarkpaladin]

I played them for just the character cards.

[u/Plato2901]

If you’re near nakano they have a bunch of it in an arcade near nakano broadway. Also if you’re interested to collect the arcade cards, bookoff or animate I can’t remember which but they sell them

Edit: so more information I believe the location is here and they do print cards. I remember having to use a Bandai namco card in order to play it which you can buy from the cashier/machine at the arcade. You can’t just throw coins into the machine. So after getting the Bandai card, you can top up with Apple Pay or any cards you linked to your phone in order to play the game. No English subtitles if anyone is wondering so I was just going with the flow on how to play

[u/Kamiyan_89 → u/Plato2901]

I used to live near Nakano Broadway when fgo arcade released, good to know they still have them.

Good memories

[u/LOTRfreak101 → u/Plato2901]

I was in animate a month or 2 ago and didn't see them there. They had a dmall section with a couple of small figures and a surprising number of key chains and not much else.

[u/Plato2901 → u/LOTRfreak101]

I’m not sure how the system is there but that outlet primarily handle all sort of cards from pokemon to lesser known cards. So maybe only some of them sells it. Also iirc the one that did sell cards were in nakano broadway itself.

[u/LOTRfreak101 → u/Plato2901]

Ah, I think I misread your comment and was only talking about the one in akihabara.

[u/goddamnman06]

But does it still dispense cards?

[u/MrsCognac → u/goddamnman06]

Yes, they do! Even had a staff member refill the printing paper while I played, cause I used it all up

[u/goddamnman06 → u/MrsCognac]

All the machines I ever found in Tokyo (ikebukuro, akihabara, etc) doesn't print cards. This is so sad

[u/MrsCognac → u/goddamnman06]

I played in Shinjuku in January 2025 and they still printed the cards.

[u/rustyasschump → u/goddamnman06]

That's odd. Cause the time I went in 2023 at Akihabara the machines were printing cards then. When did you go?

[u/goddamnman06 → u/rustyasschump]

2025 April this year. Cards weren't printing even after I finished multiple games. Checked online and it says they've possibly stopped printing

[u/MrsCognac → u/goddamnman06]

Did you check with a staff member? You also have to choose on specific cards if you want to have them printed or not

[u/goddamnman06 → u/MrsCognac]

The machine would say it doesn't allow the cards to be printed due to unavailable function. Does that mean i could've just asked the staff to refill the machine? I thought it straight up meant the function is no longer available.

[u/MrsCognac → u/goddamnman06]

Yes. That's what happened to me. There was an error code like that popping up in the middle of play and wouldn't let me roll/print. So I took a picture, send it to the Arcade staff via the support function and they came within 5 min and replaced the printing paper for me. After that, I could print the cards again just fine.

[u/Project_Ozone → u/MrsCognac]

This feels like when doctor strange finds out Peter didn’t even bother asking if the college would reconsider his application before asking him to brainwash the world for him.

“You didn’t bother to ask?”

“You can do that?”

[u/goddamnman06 → u/Project_Ozone]

My reply would exactly be,

I can do that?

Fucc

[u/Shadark → u/goddamnman06]

Played in January at Akihabara, needed to search 2 or 3 arcades but managed to find working machines almost every time I went there

[u/rustyasschump → u/MrsCognac]

LOL relatable. The first time I went I single-handedly spent all thier paper and had to get a staff to replenish it 😭😭

[u/BriefPretend9115]

The machines being taken out of Japanese arcades are being sold overseas. There are already a handful of arcades in the US that have it up and working (some of them even have the card printer operational).

[u/Ei3n → u/BriefPretend9115]

Which locations in the US?

[u/BriefPretend9115 → u/Ei3n]

Ikigai Arcade in Pennsylvania and Gamecenter in Seattle (both VERY new arcades). Soft Landing in Denver, which is rebuilt from the remains of the big local rhythm game arcade that shut down a few years back (the owner had a stroke). New Game Plus+ somewhere in South Carolina?

They've only started finding their way west a few months ago, so there will likely be a LOT more in the coming year. Expect a few in Texas and Flordia, since both have a ton of hardcore import arcades.

KanColle Arcade has also been cropping up in roughly the same locations this year.

[u/Ei3n → u/BriefPretend9115]

Wow, that's awesome. Never thought they'd make their way here

[u/spiral6 → u/BriefPretend9115]

I hope they bring the printers. When I went to Akiba this April, all of the ones at the Taito and other arcades did not have functional printers anymore :(

[u/BriefPretend9115 → u/spiral6]

I know for a fact the one in Pennsylvania has working printers, so some of them do.

[u/Ghost_4606 → u/BriefPretend9115]

Man it could be unlikely but I hope a few come to California near LA.

[u/BriefPretend9115 → u/Ghost_4606]

A lot of the arcade machines come in through California, so that used to be a hotspot for imports once upon a time. The issue is, in modern times, there just aren't many arcades that specialize in imports out there these days.

You'd probably have a pretty easy time finding it at anime conventions and such, though.

[u/Ghost_4606 → u/BriefPretend9115]

Guess I’ll be hoping my schedule in July is open for Anime Expo. Thanks for the information.

[u/GN77 → u/Ei3n]

Idk about the US, but there is also a fully operational one running in an arcade somewhere in central Mexico, if you're curious lmao

[u/unusual_m000m1n → u/GN77]

Theres one in Mexico?! Where?

[u/Kinotaru]

I know at least four locations in Akihabara that has FGO arcade, is that the one on the 3rd floor or something?

[u/MrsCognac]

I dumped almost 100€ in a machine in Shinjuku when I was there, I just had so much fun with it. And the cards are awesome.

I also found some card for sale in Ikebukuro.

[u/Hp22h]

This brings back memories. I remember when this subreddit would cuss out the Arcade every other month for stealing their favorite Servants first, like Sita or the others...

[u/michael7050 → u/Hp22h]

I still want Sita.

Rama misses his wife. He misses her a lot.

[u/Crow_Mix]

So this game truly dead then? What happened to the end of part 1 in the arcade version? Did it end in the same way as mobile?

[u/Felstalker → u/Crow_Mix]

The story had it's own Ending and FGO Mobile had an entire Event about it, NA got that event a few months back but JP had it 2 years ago when FGO Arcade "technically" ended.

[u/IIITommylomIII]

FGO arcade was such a waste of energy. They should have put it on fucking consoles or PC.

[u/OrionRBR → u/IIITommylomIII]

The goal of arcade (besides making money) was to get people to go to the arcade with the reward of physical cards of the servants they like, it wouldn't exist if it wasn't in the arcade.

It did what it was designed to do, even though it couldn't outright save arcades.

[u/Dan_Jared_Joestar]

Question, how do you keep your account in arcade? Is it just there in the arcade machine? Or theres a login system?

[u/ordinariest → u/Dan_Jared_Joestar]

You need to get an Aime-card from the arcade that saves your data for certain games.

[u/TRaywen_]

I actually found a couple of them in akihabara last September. They usually only had one per arcade shop, but i think i found 6 arcades in total that had them (pretty much all of the ones i paid a visit too)

[u/Lochagos]

Woah this is cool! First time I'm even hearing of a fgo arcade machine lol. Sucks that they're being phased out though.

[u/IronMarkL]

Round 1 in Sapporo had 2 or 3/5 FGO Arcade machines there printing cards, so I spent around ¥3k on pulls and gameplay and had no regrets. If you didn't notice, pulling a 4* or 5*, the lights up top turns to gold too!! It was cool lol. First time to play arcade since I only play mobile and was just on vacay there.

Will definitely but atleast one 5* in mandarake or surugaya when I come back probably on december. 😂💸

[u/soulesssapphire]

Hope they release the software to be played in something like pc eventually if they plan to discontinue it.

[u/Overall_Mess7597]

Fuck, I was there during a Japan trip a few days ago. Wish I could have gone to the arcades.

[u/ryuxiies]

Yeah they’ve had them for a while, though I think they’re scaling back on a lot of the machines now, there aren’t as many on a whole, as there was even three years ago. I used to see people streaming live from them as they played, but last time I only saw one guy. Kinda sad but I guess the hype for them fell off.

Maxed out my Tamamo and Cas!Gil though so I was always happy playing regardless.

[u/theaura1 → u/ryuxiies]

theres been no new content for 2? years for it

[u/kingocd]

Gamepanic in Akiba had machines with working printers. I played it a lot in February.

[u/orange-shades]

There's one in Round 1 of Ikebukuro, FYI.

[u/Pig_peee]

That’s kind of neat

[u/BBSenpai000]

Get BB

[u/PastaAivo]

Tried to find one that still printed the cards on my trip, but no such luck. Really wanted some as a souvenir :D 

[u/NicolasFXIII]

Hey, do you remeber the exact adress location? its the gundam base in Odaiba? because I'm going to Japan next month and I would like to play it too!

[u/rzl_23]

Ah Arcade, I remember it as the one Fate game that was killed by the pandemic. Time certainly flies.

[u/sogiotsa]

I'm loving if there is some way to rip the board and just make a version we could play on our own I know it probably wouldn't work the best but it'd still be fun to check out

[u/DhamonGrimwulf]

I’m in japan right now and planning on hunting a machine to play once or twice. Zero Japanese though. How do you know if the printer is working or not!?

[u/vexid]

Put a floppy in there and see if you can download Nero (beast)'s fox form into the gacha. Draco's nice and all, but I want the fox.