Jun 18, 2021 • 48M

Tyler Bushnell Founder and CEO of POLYCADE (Full Interview- Arcade Press Podcast Ep.2)

With style, the Polycade Experience makes gaming a social event.

Jun 18, 2021

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Arcade Future

ARCADE PRESS is a newsletter and online publication started by writer and founder RAMCPU. Topics revolve around art, arcades, the FGC, philosophy, life, and culture. Subscribe to our newsletter at www.thearcadepress.com/welcome

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Tyler Bushnell is the CEO and mastermind of Polycade.

He’s also the son of Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari (and Chuck E. Cheese).

Still, Tyler finds ways to electrify and innovate on a long legacy of pioneering new gaming tech— this time, he leads Polycade and their mission to make gaming a Social Experience again. This same focus on building relationships and experiences through play is partly what made Pong such a massive hit in the 1970s.

Polycade makes a variety of arcade-styled hardware and software that emphasizes making gaming a social, in-person, and tactile. You’ve probably already seen their sleek Polycade arcade machines online, or maybe you’ve seen them in-person at your local bar or streetwear store. Perhaps you’ve seen them being played by celebrities like Snoop Dog, Lil John, Steve Aoki and 2Chainz just to name a few. Each Polycade cabinet is carefully crafted and aesthetically impressive; each one could (and should) be in an art museum.

We’ve been lucky enough to spend several minutes with Tyler to find out what he’s been up to recently, how his company has dealt with the challenges of the pandemic, and what we can expect from the future forward brand.

Listen to the full interview and check out their website to browse their store and learn more about their work + give them a follow on their instagram @polycade