BYU-Idaho students returned to campus this fall to find a fully renovated game area in The Crossroads. Students have access to new models of ping pong, pool and air hockey tables, as well as multiple new electronic machines, including pinball, Pac-Man: Battle Royale, Nitro Trucks racing, Hoops FX arcade basketball, a Jurassic Park-themed first-person shooter, claw machines and a photo booth.

According to Harold Rose, BYUI's Direct Service Business Manager, the games were selected based on the feedback and requests the university has received since the game area's last renovation in 2019.

"Over the last five or six years, we've come to understand that students wanted a little more variety," Rose said.

When asked about her experience with the new updates, Karla, a senior studying Business and Analytics, said she's noticed an upgrade in the quality of the pool tables. Karla and her friends often come to the MC to enjoy a friendly game of pool as a way to connect and decompress.

Though there is one thing she and her friends found less than ideal this semester: a price to play.

While free in past semesters, a game of pool can now be played for the cost of one dollar, paid in quarters. However, Karla admits the price is reasonable.

"It's not a lot. It's just a dollar per game, which I think is great," Karla said.

The only game to remain free is ping pong. To access the rest of the games, students must purchase a "reloadable player card" at a kiosk in the arcade area. Five dollars buys players 20 credits. The majority of the arcade games cost two to four credits, meaning $5 can buy five rounds of air hockey. The most expensive machine is the photo booth, which costs 28 credits, or $7.

Why the sudden cost?

Rose explained that in the past, the game area was maintained using the profits of the MC's Strike Zone Bowling Alley. He said the university wanted to offer more options as the students requested, but couldn't afford to keep taking money out of the alley's revenue to make that happen.

In response to the tug of supply and demand, the University entered into a partnership with Ellis Amusements. Rose says the entertainment company now supplies the machines and handles their maintenance and updates, in exchange for a portion of the game area's profits.

"Our goal at the end of the day is to keep things affordable to every student and still have fun," Rose said.

Rose added that because of this, the increased revenue of both the bowling alley and the Game Area can now be allocated to help fund BYUI's returned missionary scholarships.