Dave & Buster's logo is straight up boring. So we did something about it: we overhauled the entertainment staple's entire branding identity. Retro is making a big comeback among Gen Z, especially in the gaming world, so we brought Dave & Buster's back to the past with a retro redesign and brought back classic games and pinball machines to the arcade giant.
We brought back icons of the decades in the all-new themed sections, ranging from the pinball machines of the 50’s to the 3D, photorealistic games of the modern era. Each decade features iconic characters and machines, such as Mario in Donkey Kong and the ubiquitous Pac-Man. This redesign not only brings back classic games, but also makes Dave & Buster’s easier to navigate, with players now being able to easily navigate the arcade based on what type of game they want to play.
We even brought retro to the bathrooms with mirrors that pixelate when you look at them, so you can see yourself as a character from one of the classics.
We redesigned boring old play cards to be fun collectables, allowing players to collect cards featuring their favorite games like Galaga, Donkey Kong, and Pac-Man. Each card will be available for a limited time, with the specific card number featured at the top, incentivising players to try to collect the first edition of each card.
To improve the eating experience and make it more mobile, we created two cups and a carry tray. The first cup is a non-spill, untippable cup that can be taken anywhere in the arcade as customers play games. The second cup has a built-in screen and controls so that people can play mini games while they wait in line for their favorite games. Finally, the carry tray straps over the user's shoulders so that they can bring their food and drink everywhere and never miss a moment of play.
To combine Dave & Buster’s motto elements of Eat, Drink, Play, Watch, we created new Xbox controllers made to look like pixelated food. The controllers can be won as a reward using tickets earned in the arcade.