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The Dream Arcades Story

From a garage passion project in 2003 to the premier U.S. manufacturer of authentic, multicade arcade machines.

The Dream Arcades® Difference

Our Production Line

Production Line Scale

Unlike other home arcade builders, we are a true arcade manufacturer. Our home arcade machines are built on an assembly line. This saves hundreds of dollars on every table we build—savings we pass directly to you—while ensuring consistent craftsmanship.

Authentic Craftsmanship

Our video arcade machines are designed to commercial specifications and built using 3/4” Medium Density Fiberboard with laminated melamine. It's water-resistant and heavily resilient—up to ten times stronger than most of our competitor's systems.

Ultimate Flexibility

Each home arcade machine is highly customizable and easy to load with new games via our RetroReload software. Our PC-based cabinets include built-in Steam support, MP3 players, and the ability to stream movies safely and effortlessly via Windows.

Our Philosophy

Each Arcade Is as Unique as Its Owner
Every Dream Arcades machine begins as a CAD design in our Sacramento studio, where we develop and refine our prototypes in the United States. Our own overseas quality team works closely with our manufacturing partners to ensure every cabinet meets our exact specifications. Then, in California, we make it yours.
The cabinets arrive at our California workshop as unfinished shells. From there, our team installs the electronics, configures the system for your selected game library, assembles the controls, and applies any custom artwork. Each machine becomes a unique creation because no two owners want exactly the same arcade.
Finished by Hand in Sacramento.
Each machine spends three to five business days in our workshop, depending on its configuration. Our team assembles the control panels, installs the computers and electronics, builds out the claw mechanisms in our amusement machines, and tests every feature.
Before packing, each arcade undergoes two separate quality-control inspections performed by different team members. CNC machining gives the cabinet its precision, but the finished product is assembled, configured, and completed by hand.

Michael Ware

Founder & Head Geek
Dream Arcades began as a passion project in my garage in 2003. I wanted to recreate the arcade experience I remembered growing up—the glow of the screen, the unmistakable feel of real arcade controls, and the way a great game pulls people together.
From the beginning, I believed a home arcade should be more than a fragile novelty. It should be built to commercial-grade standards, with dependable components, thoughtfully engineered controls, and a design that can be maintained and enjoyed for decades.
More than two decades later, our team has grown and our capabilities have expanded, but that original philosophy has not changed. We still approach every arcade as something personal—built around the games, the style, and the memories of the person who owns it.
“We build the arcade dreams your family will remember.”

Visit Our Showroom

We are always happy to have customers stop by and visit our factory! You can take a physical look at our lineup and play a few of your favorite games before you buy.

Please call ahead so we can ensure we have a machine powered up and available for you to play. Shipping available, or pick up your assembled machine directly from our factory.