NQ64 Arcade Bars
NQ64 Arcade Bars Ltd operates 12 retro arcade-and-cocktail bar venues across major UK cities, combining vintage arcade machines and themed cocktails to serve 18+ young adults, students, corporate groups, and families at Sunday daytime sessions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What NQ64 Arcade Bars does
NQ64 Arcade Bars Ltd is a UK private limited company headquartered in Manchester that operates a chain of 12 retro arcade-and-cocktail bar venues across England, Scotland, and Wales, founded in 2019. Each venue offers 24-45+ arcade machines, pinball machines, and a suite of retro consoles (PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, N64, SNES, MegaDrive) alongside a themed cocktail menu, with the Birmingham location adding an adults-only Laser Quest attraction in its basement. The core technology is a token-operated arcade system (£9.50-£14 for 15-25 tokens at most locations; £10.50-£14 at Soho) where console play is complimentary for drink purchasers, tying gaming volume to bar spend.
The company monetizes through a multi-stream revenue model: bar beverage sales (cocktails like Hellboy Marg and CherryVania, beers, spirits, soft drinks), per-play token revenue, gift cards from £10 redeemable across all venues for 12 months, pre-booked session packages (Solo, 2-Player, Group), corporate and private-hire events (Beginner £32pp / Extra Life £42pp / Final Boss £55pp, accommodating 20-450 guests), dedicated student discounts via UNiDAYS/Student Beans, weekend Supercharge bundles, and commission from third-party food vendors (Pizza Geeks in Edinburgh, Crazy Pedro's in Manchester Northern Quarter) accessed via on-table QR codes.
Customers split across young adults (18+) seeking experiential nightlife, students served via ongoing discount programmes, corporate clients (named accounts include Google, Capital One, Amplifi Capital, Digital Voices) booking large private events, and families attending Sunday daytime sessions. Distribution is direct via physical venues plus an owned e-commerce gift card platform (giftcards.nq64.co.uk) and a central online booking system. Marketing relies on Instagram (@nq64arcadebars), email newsletter (GOSS), local SEO, corporate field sales, and student ambassador programs. Capital structure to date consists of a single disclosed £2.5m growth-debt facility from ThinCats in August 2022 earmarked for UK expansion.
NQ64 Arcade Bars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NQ64 Arcade Bars
- Legal name
- NQ64 Arcade Bars Ltd
- Website
- https://nq64.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- NQ64 Arcade Bars Ltd operates 12 retro arcade-and-cocktail bar venues across major UK cities, combining vintage arcade machines and themed cocktails to serve 18+ young adults, students, corporate groups, and families at Sunday daytime sessions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NQ64 Arcade Bars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arcade Bar Hospitality
- NAICS
- Amusement Arcades (71312), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gaming Café/Bar Hybrid Venues (Food & Beverage + Competitive Play) (MPAFALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD), Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards) (MPAEAJAF)
Keywords
Where NQ64 Arcade Bars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices13 records
Markets served
NQ64 Arcade Bars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bar Sales: Alcoholic beverages including cocktails, beers, wines, spirits, and non-alcoholic options. Cocktail menu features game-themed drinks like Hellboy Marg, GTA Spice City, CherryVania
- Arcade Token Sales: Token-operated arcade machines generating recurring per-play revenue. Console gaming free with drink purchase to drive alcohol sales
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards from £10, redeemable for tokens, drinks, or food at any venue. Valid 12 months from purchase
- Pre-booking Packages: Pre-booked sessions including Arcade Gaming, Arcade + Drinks, Arcade + Cocktails packages at discounted rates vs walk-in
- Corporate/Group Event Hire: Private hire packages for corporate events: Table Area (20-40 people), Semi-Private (up to 180), Private hire (up to 450). Package tiers: Beginner (£32pp), Extra Life (£42pp), Final Boss (£55pp)
- Laser Quest (Birmingham): Adults-only laser tag in basement arena. One game from £5, two games from £9. 15-minute sessions, 6-minute games
- Food Partnerships: Commission from third-party food vendors: Pizza Geeks (Edinburgh), Crazy Pedro's (Manchester NQ). QR code ordering system
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Arcade Tokens - Nottingham |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Arcade Tokens - Soho |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2-Player Session - Most Popular |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group Session |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Solo Session - Entry Level |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Supercharge Weekends |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Packages |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Laser Quest - Birmingham |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Student Discounts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
NQ64 Arcade Bars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NQ64 Arcade Bars operates a UK chain of 12 retro arcade and cocktail bar venues, offering token-operated arcade machines, retro consoles, pinball, and video game-themed cocktails to adult consumers. Each venue combines on-site bar sales (cocktails, beers, spirits) with pay-per-play token gaming, and offers group/corporate event packages, gift cards, and pre-booked experience bundles (Solo, 2-Player, Group) redeemable across all UK locations.
Product overview
NQ64 Arcade Bars operates a chain of retro gaming and cocktail bar venues across the UK, offering arcade gaming experiences paired with hi-grade cocktails and drinks. The core offering revolves around access to over 30 arcade machines, retro consoles, pinball machines, and video game-themed cocktails at each venue. The product portfolio includes gift card products (NQ64 Gift Card, Solo Session, Group Session, 2-Player Session) sold through their gift card platform, which provide prepaid access to gaming tokens and drinks packages redeemable across all 12 UK locations. Additional offerings include Laser Quest (Birmingham only), Shorty Sundays family sessions, Supercharge Weekends unlimited gaming packages, Student Deals discount programme, and Corporate/Group Bookings for private events and Christmas parties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NQ64 Gift Card Digital or physical gift card redeemable for food, drinks, tokens, and experiences at any NQ64 venue across the UK. Valid for 12 months from purchase; available from £10.
- Solo Session - Entry Level Entry-level experience package for solo guests including 15 arcade tokens and 2 standard drinks (alcoholic or soft). Priced from £20; 18+.
- 2-Player Session - Most Popular Bundled experience for pairs including 25 tokens, choice of one cocktail sharer or two premium drinks, and free console gaming all night. Priced from £32; 18+.
- Group Session Group gaming package for four including 50 tokens and choice of 2 cocktail sharers or 4 premium drinks. Priced from £70; suitable for birthdays and group nights out.
- Laser Quest Birmingham Adults-only laser tag attraction located in the basement of NQ64 Birmingham. 15-minute sessions comprising 6-minute games; one game from £5, two games from £9.
- Shorty Sundays Family gaming sessions for under-18s held Sundays 11am-3pm, allowing children with adult supervision to access arcade gaming. Not available at Glasgow.
- Supercharge Weekends Weekend package available Saturdays and Sundays 12-5pm offering 90 minutes of unlimited gaming plus four cocktails or beers, priced from £40 per person.
- Student Deals
Companies that use NQ64 Arcade Bars
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
NQ64 Arcade Bars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
NQ64 Arcade Bars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Pizza GeeksminorPizza Geeks supplies pizza to NQ64 Edinburgh venue. Customers order via QR code on tables and pizzas are delivered directly to the venue. Menu includes themed pizzas like The Shire, The Chorizard, The Braveheart.
- Crazy Pedro'sminorCrazy Pedro's supplies pizza to NQ64 Manchester Northern Quarter venue. Pizza is served til late and ordered via QR code on tables.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NQ64 Arcade Bars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lane7: UK bar and entertainment venue chain featuring bowling, karaoke, shuffleboard and other games alongside cocktails and food. Same core concept as NQ64 (games + bar) with multi-city UK presence and corporate/party hire focus.
- Roxy Ball Room: UK chain combining bowling, shuffleboard, beer pong and other games with a full bar. Closest direct competitor to NQ64 in the UK competitive socialising category, targeting similar 18-35 demographic with shared multi-city footprint and walk-in plus group-booking model.
- Boom Battle Bar: UK operator of bars offering axe throwing, darts, crazy pool, shuffleboard and other competitive games with food and cocktails. Directly comparable to NQ64 in concept, target market, multi-city UK expansion strategy and group/corporate event focus.
- Flight Club (Darts): UK social darts bar chain pairing tech-enabled darts with cocktails and small plates. Comparable to NQ64 as a games-plus-bar concept targeting similar 18-35 demographic for walk-ins, group bookings and corporate events.
- Puttshack: Tech-enabled mini-golf and bar concept with locations in London, Cardiff and other UK cities. Comparable socialising-plus-bar model with technology-driven gameplay, group bookings and similar price point to NQ64's premium positioning.
- Junkyard Golf Club: UK crazy-golf and bar concept operating in multiple UK cities with themed courses, cocktails and group event packages. Directly comparable to NQ64 in competitive-socialising-plus-bar positioning, group bookings and 18+ atmosphere.
- Bounce (Ping Pong Bar): London-based ping pong bar combining table-tennis, cocktails and food with private event hire. Same games-plus-bar format as NQ64, comparable target audience and corporate/group event capability.
- Mr Mulligan's: UK chain of gaming bars offering mini-golf, darts, shuffleboard and other activities with food and drink. Comparable multi-activity bar concept targeting similar walk-in and group-booking customers in the UK.
Emerging players
- All Star Lanes: UK boutique bowling and cocktail venues with food offerings and event hire. Comparable to NQ64 as a UK-based entertainment-plus-bar operator with corporate/group event capability, though centred on bowling rather than arcade machines.
Broad incumbents
- Topgolf: Large international golf-entertainment and F&B operator. Comparable only at the highest level (games + bar + group events); a much broader incumbent whose tech-driven golf format does not directly overlap with NQ64's retro arcade bar niche but defines the wider competitive-socialising category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NQ64 Arcade Bars social profiles
Digital presenceNQ64 Arcade Bars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NQ64 Arcade Bars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
NQ64 Arcade Bars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NQ64 Arcade Bars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NQ64 Arcade Bars
What does NQ64 Arcade Bars do?
NQ64 Arcade Bars operates a UK chain of 12 retro arcade and cocktail bar venues, offering token-operated arcade machines, retro consoles, pinball, and video game-themed cocktails to adult consumers. Each venue combines on-site bar sales (cocktails, beers, spirits) with pay-per-play token gaming, and offers group/corporate event packages, gift cards, and pre-booked experience bundles (Solo, 2-Player, Group) redeemable across all UK locations.
Is NQ64 Arcade Bars a public or private company?
NQ64 Arcade Bars is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NQ64 Arcade Bars founded?
NQ64 Arcade Bars was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is NQ64 Arcade Bars based?
NQ64 Arcade Bars is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does NQ64 Arcade Bars make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Bar Sales are the primary driver. The others are arcade Token Sales, gift Cards, pre-booking Packages, corporate/Group Event Hire, laser Quest (Birmingham) and food Partnerships.
Who are NQ64 Arcade Bars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lane7, Roxy Ball Room, Boom Battle Bar, Flight Club (Darts), Puttshack, Junkyard Golf Club, Bounce (Ping Pong Bar) and Mr Mulligan's. All Star Lanes is listed as an emerging player. Topgolf is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does NQ64 Arcade Bars have an API?
No public API is recorded for NQ64 Arcade Bars.
What industry is NQ64 Arcade Bars in?
NQ64 Arcade Bars's product category is Arcade Bar Hospitality. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFALAD, Gaming Café/Bar Hybrid Venues (Food & Beverage + Competitive Play), with a secondary code of CRANACAD, Cocktail Bars & Lounges. Its NAICS code is 71312 and its SIC code is 5810.