It’s not often that gamers of the present day get to enjoy a social atmosphere—outside of a residence—that offers the convenience and commodities to which we’re accustomed. The world of arcade gaming has been reduced to a much-appreciated novelty only indulged by corporations like Dave & Buster’s or Chuck E. Cheese’s. It would appear that the flashy nostalgia of the arcades the kids of the ’90s remember is nothing more than a memory; a high-score reset to zero after the plug was pulled on the arcade scene by in-home entertainment. (One might remember such consoles as the Nintendo Entertainment System, etc.). But the visionaries at Kaos Theory aren’t really ones to follow the rules. Rather than let you stare at the black screen of your memory that reads “Game Over,” they’re handing you another shiny new quarter and giving the formerly dead business model an extra life.
Having officially opened Oct. 8, 2012, Kaos Theory has decided to treat the business of entertainment quite seriously. Driven to build an atmosphere in which gamers feel at home, the business’s owner Andrew Kauffman, is bringing back the social component to gaming: players get to meet face-to-face with their partners, challengers and fellow patrons to put a face to the name of what would otherwise be a random gamer-tag, so that the best of physical and digital fun can be enjoyed at the same time. Offering a wide variety of games, the stock of Kaos Theory boasts over a hundred games in a database to choose from and play, ranging from fighting games such as Super Smash Bros Brawl and Tekken Tag Tournament 2 to sports games like Madden 2013 or first-person shooters like Halo 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. What’s more, players can enjoy the games on one of 20 42-inch, 3D, high-definition TVs. Each TV is equipped with a PlayStation 3, a Nintendo Wii and an Xbox 360.
But the fun doesn’t end there. As Kaos Theory is looking to encourage social interaction, it has also provided air hockey, Ping-Pong, foosball and pool tables. Players are also provided with a 25-foot high-definition projection screen that has satellite and cable. Also, one of the TV sets is plugged in, which means you can spectate the tournaments on a big projection screen, watch the football game, or even see TV shows like AMC’s The Walking Dead, on Sunday nights. Beer pong, one of MTSU’s favorite pastimes, is also among the tournaments currently in the planning stages.
“This store was meant to be a tournament powerhouse,” Andrew tells us. “Each night we run weekly tournaments with cash prizes for 21 of the most popular games. We also hold monthly tournaments with higher payouts.”
Kauffman tells us that to get to his position he has had to overcome many challenges. Occupying the former location of Murfreesboro’s Cornerstone Cheesecake and Gifts (yes, they are gone), Kaos Theory had some interesting issues with planning. According to Kauffman, “The city put red tape up every corner we turned. We would have an inspector come by and tell us this needs done and that needs done, we would do it, then another inspector from the same department would come by with a whole different set of things to do. Almost like they were doing it for fun. Even the contractors were getting fed up with the ridiculous requests and off-the-wall requirements.”
But Kauffman was not alone. His partner, Anthony Loh, an assistant professor of political science at Vanderbilt, met with Kauffman over the Internet eight months before the opening after searching for an investor to finance the opening of Kaos Theory here.
“It didn’t take long for us to hit it off. He is an amazing partner and friend,” Kauffman says. “I am extremely lucky to have him. The experience and wisdom he brings to the table also comes with a very humble personality.”
Personality, it seems, is the key to Kaos Theory’s business model. The interactions between two different people—the social component, as it were—is something Loh and Kauffman have given the greatest amount of thought. Andrew offers some insight on this: “We want to give serious competitive players consistency, something they’ve never had before. Other professional gaming leagues have to rent out hotel banquet halls and convention centers, which makes them change their setup every time. Online gaming is riddled with cheaters and has limited moderating with little oversight,” he notes. “Video games, in my opinion, are more competitive than any other sport. The variables never change from game to game. We want to start our own league for gamers to compete in as recognized and respected professionals. Our setup will even give us the chance to compete within our network of future stores. Location versus location, city versus city, a store should be within two hours of wherever you are in the country. Supporting your area won’t be an issue. This will revolutionize the gaming industry,” emphasizes Kaufmann, “while simultaneously bringing it back into the social spotlight.”
So, there you have it—an opportunity to bring back many of your favorite memories, but this time with the resolution and performance of gaming found in this decade. A place where you can go to get a beer, some nachos, kick off the Nikes, and blow off some steam while blowing a zombie’s head off. And there are rumors that Kaos Theory may be looking to provide cheesecake, for those who still miss Cornerstone Cheesecake.
Kaos Theory is located at 211 Robert Rose Dr., and can be found at kaostheory.pro as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch @kaostheoryinc.
