New arcade gaming lounge opening in Surfside Beach. It’s made to be sensory friendly
A new arcade coming to Surfside Beach will offer a sensory-friendly gaming experience.
Low Tide Gaming at 799 Highway 17 Business S, offers noise-canceling headphones, dimmable LED lights and more than 15 consoles, including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
The arcade is part of Beachfront Blessings, a nonprofit in the Myrtle Beach area aimed at spreading awareness for sensory sensitivity.
People with autism, for example, are sometimes more sensitive to loud music or bright lights. Some people find it difficult to communicate when their senses are overwhelmed.
General Manager Will Pamplin said he was born with Asperger’s, and his disability got in the way of his forming a community.
“There’s only a few places that I can go around here because of the live music and I can’t do certain lighting,” Pamplin said. “A lot of people have a hard time meeting new people. I want to make it easier.”
The space has 15 desks with either an Xbox or a PlayStation on it with plenty of games to pass the time. Two of those desks have enough room for two players to play co-op games together.
Low Tide Gaming also has two televisions with a couch, Nintendo Switch, and an Atari 2600 for even more players.
The back of the building features a soundproof tabletop gaming room perfect for a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Pamplin said.
The Town of Surfside Beach will host a grand opening for Low Tide Gaming at 2 p.m. May 20 before the business’ official opening on May 23.
Pricing and hours
Business hours are noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Guests can play as many games as they want for $20 an hour. Residents of Horry or Georgetown counties get a discounted rate of $15 an hour.
Groups of six or more people also get $5 off per person.
Groups of up to eight people can rent the tabletop area for two hours with an added free hour of gaming for $100.
Party rentals and private events can rent the entire building for $450 after giving 48 hours notice.