With washed out, saturated colours and creative framing of machines as subjects, Bohbot’s transportive, dreamlike photographs capture the diverse array of arcades – from the casual beachside spots, to the fresh-faced modern haunts, and those that appear unchanged through the decades. "A lot of gaming comes from Japan," he says. "But California and Chicago have been very involved in the arcade industry and gaming industries, so there’s gaming for kids, for adults, lots of new places and a lot of barcades."
But his shots also document a culture, activity and space that has long been declining in popularity. While some show thriving businesses, others depict rows of empty, untouched machines. Their heydays came in the late 70s and 80s, as the addictive fun of titles like Space Invaders, Pac-Man and Galaxian saw a wave of excitement sweep across the States, East Asia, Europe and beyond. But with rapidly advancing technology, gaming has become more complex, accessible and portable, leaving arcades largely outmoded as people play instead on home consoles and mobile phones – save for some devoted enthusiasts keeping arcade culture alive.