Taiwan’s claw crane game craze leaves players and shop owners wanting more
- Enthusiasts give online tutorials on how best to manoeuvre the claw while other websites are devoted to swapping toy prizes
- There is one claw crane machine for every two convenience stores in Taiwan
As Taiwan’s economy stagnates, claw crane arcades where customers lower a grabber to try to pick up a prize from a glass box are booming as affordable entertainment, while operators see them as a way to make a fast buck.
According to official figures, there is one claw crane outlet for every two convenience stores in Taiwan, with the number more than doubling last year to become the fourth largest tax income source in the entertainment industry.
The concept is simple – for as little as TW$10 (US 3 cents), customers manually lower a metal claw into a pile of prizes, which are usually soft toys, but can also include electronic gadgets and fashion accessories.
Some claw machines stand in the corner of neighbourhood grocery stores, while others sit in rows in brightly lit arcades spread out in residential and entertainment districts alike. A whole culture has built up around the craze – enthusiasts give online tutorials on how to most effectively manoeuvre the claw while other websites are devoted to swapping toy prizes.
For Albee Chou, 34, playing the crane machine in her neighbourhood arcade in Taipei is a cheap way to find a gift for her daughter. A skilled player, she quickly picks up a few Hello Kitty storage boxes.
