Gameway Gaming Lounges Open at Detroit Metro Airport

A New Way to Pass Time at the Airport

Travelers arriving at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport now have a unique option to spend their waiting time: playing video games. Gameway, a company that provides gaming lounges in U.S. airports, has introduced two such spaces within the McNamara Terminal. These lounges opened at the start of September and offer a variety of entertainment options for passengers.

The lounges are open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and feature ready-to-play games like Mario Kart and Fortnite. Travelers can also log into their personal accounts to continue games they started elsewhere. Emma Walbridge, co-founder of Gameway, explained that the lounges cater to all types of gamers, whether they are avid players or just looking for some nostalgic fun.

Pricing and Additional Amenities

Gameway offers different pricing options for its gaming lounges. For up to 30 minutes, the cost is $17.99, while an hour-long session costs $27.99. A full-day pass is available for $45.99. In addition to the gaming options, the lounges provide a range of snacks and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, which can be purchased by guests.

The Vision Behind Gameway

Emma Walbridge and her husband, Jordan Walbridge, founded Gameway in 2017 with the goal of bringing entertainment into airports. Their motivation came from the realization that airports are often seen as dull places, especially when flights are delayed. “I've never been to an airport and gone, 'Wow, that's really fun. I'm glad my flight got delayed.' It just doesn't happen,” Emma said. “We want vacations to start at the airport.”

The idea for Gameway was inspired by a gaming lounge they visited in a mall, which had high traffic during the day but was nearly empty on Sundays. This observation led them to think about other locations that are consistently busy, such as airports. They found that the majority of gamers are adults in their 30s and 40s who grew up playing video games and now travel frequently.

Expanding the Concept

Gameway made its debut in the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in 2018. At the time, it was a new concept in an environment typically dominated by established brands. “You don't normally see new concepts coming into locations at airports,” Emma said. “It's normally true and tested brands. We were completely new, and they took an absolute risk with us.”

The response to the Dallas location was overwhelming. Within hours of opening, travelers began sharing the lounge on Reddit, where it quickly went viral. “It's actually thanks to passengers and the gaming community that we truly tried to be authentic and we’ve really been embraced,” Emma said. “Through passengers using the experience, we’ve been able to grow.”

A Personal Journey

Emma Walbridge grew up gaming in England, while Jordan Walbridge, a military veteran, connected with fellow soldiers through games like Halo. “I was able to truly live the American dream, which was coming over to America after meeting my husband, and we set up our company stateside,” she said.

Detroit is now the 10th Gameway location in the United States. Since its first opening, travelers have played more than 477,000 hours and defeated 1.7 million bosses, according to data from Gameway’s website. “Detroit has really had a boom with particularly the gaming space,” Emma said. “You've got more esports that have come and cosplay events. So we're really excited to be able to bring that culture of gaming that’s growing in Detroit actually into their (people's) travel experience.”