The software features are designed to support in-person and location based gaming, while connecting these physical communities with their digital counterparts – features like small-pond leaderboards, location-based achievements, live streaming, and enabling players to access their game library from any Polycade, commercial included, by simply logging in with the scan of a QR code. Polycade’s upcoming meetups and tournaments will take place in bars and universities across the country, helping to build local communities via gaming.

Polycade launched with a Kickstarter campaign, featuring a reimagined, wall-mounted arcade design that challenged the perception of what an arcade machine looks like and where it should be placed.

The design came about when Tyler Bushnell, co-founder and creator of the Polycade, mentioned to his wife, a furniture designer, the idea of putting an arcade machine in the living room. She was horrified at the idea of a classic arcade cabinet in the center of the house. Tyler set about to create a design that would feel like a piece of modern furniture in their mid-century style home, and after presenting his wife with a variety of possible
designs, settled on the form factor used today. Shortly after fulfilling the Kickstarter orders, Jake Galler joined Polycade as they prepared to build out the software platform and bring high-fives to people across the world!