“Minecraft,” “Grand Theft Auto V,” “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege”- these popular video games may not be what come to mind when you think about the pastimes of business travelers. But given the evolution of corporate travel toward a more diverse population, it’s inevitable there are frequent flyers who love a game of “Fortnite” in their free time.
DFW Airport is staying ahead of the curve by being the first airport ever to offer a gaming lounge in two terminals. And it’s an enlightened move on their part: according to a 2018 study by Statista, the penetration rate of American adult gamers is up to 68%, an eight percentage increase from 2013.
On a quiet Sunday morning at DFW Airport’s Terminal E, three people are seated in leather loungers, their ears covered in headphones, quietly playing video games. Up walks a young professional, Ariana Figuera. “I’m trying this for the first time-I saw the story on NBC-5,” she enthusiastically explains while putting on a pair of headphones. “I am boarding at E14, so I thought I would try it.”
Vincent Zirkle, Gameway employee, pleasantly gets started on a game of “Call of Duty World War II.” He explains that on any given day, a large variety of clients from children to adults stops by to play one of the 19 games offered in the X-box entertainment lounge. “So far no one has missed their flight yet,” he laughs.
Zirkle explains prices:
$11 for 30 minutes
$20 for one hour
$45 for all-day play
Not unreasonable for passengers with long layovers. The lounges are located at gates E16 and B42 and are open from 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. respectively.
According to a recent study by National Car Rental, 92% of business travelers are happy with their wanderlust lifestyles, and 89% are satisfied with the amount they travel for work. Young people are changing the face of business travel, and Gameway is an innovative way to bring the comforts of home along for the ride.
Over in her gamer’s seat, Figuera laughs excitedly as she tackles the challenges of “Call of Duty.” “He’s teaching me. I just got killed over and over,” she says, all while killing time.
For up-to-date information on game offerings and hours, click here.
