Round1 has found itself in a very weird arcade drama: fans are accusing some US locations of replacing the good stuff in claw machines — anime figures, plushies, licensed collectibles — with items like kitchen sponges, tissues, drinks, snacks, ramen, and even Band-Aids.
For a chain known for arcades, bowling, karaoke, and crane machines, that is not a small change. A lot of regulars do not just drop by Round1 to randomly press buttons. They go because the machines usually carry the kind of prizes anime and game fans actually want to take home.
Now, photos shared by customers suggest that at least some Round1 locations have been filling machines with everyday supermarket-type items instead.
Fans are asking why they should pay arcade credits for household goods
One of the posts getting attention came from a Round1 location in Gurnee, Illinois, where machines were shown holding blue kitchen sponges, green cleaning products, and rows of boxed items. The user tagged Round1USA and questioned why an arcade prize machine was offering something as basic as kitchen sponges.
Another customer posted machines stocked with Gatorade, Pringles, Band-Aids, and other low-cost goods, arguing that players were being asked to spend multiple credits on things they could just buy from regular stores.
That is the core of the frustration here. Claw machines are already a gamble, even when the prize is good. But if the reward is something like instant noodles or tissues, the whole arcade fantasy kind of collapses. You are not chasing a rare figure anymore — you are basically paying premium arcade rates for convenience-store items.
One arcade-goer claimed they spent around three hours at a location over the weekend and saw nobody using the food-prize machines. That says a lot, honestly. If even casual players are walking past, the prize mix may be missing the whole point of why people play these machines in the first place.
Reddit users are tracking affected locations
The backlash has also moved onto Reddit, where Round1 fans have been comparing notes on which branches appear to be affected.
One post mentioned the Danbury, Connecticut location, with the user claiming that staff said skill-based games were being changed over to food prizes. According to that post, anime figures would reportedly be moved into claw machines that also contain Round1’s yellow plush toys.
Another Reddit post showed a machine packed with sponges, Gatorade, and cereal boxes. The user said they were disappointed because Round1 had been a regular date spot for them and their girlfriend, and they hoped the anime figures would return.
At the moment, it is not clear how many Round1 locations are involved, whether this is a temporary rotation, or if certain branches are testing cheaper prize setups. Some customers say staff suggested the lineup could change again, while others think this may be a trial run.
Why SEA arcade fans should care
Malaysia and SEA arcade culture runs on the same basic magic: the prize has to feel worth chasing. Whether it is at a mall arcade, a Japan-style crane game corner, or a random claw machine near the cinema, people are usually playing for cute plushies, anime merch, character figures, or something that feels collectible.
If arcades start replacing fan-service prizes with everyday household items, the vibe changes fast. A RM10 or RM20 claw-machine session feels very different when the possible win is a figure versus a packet of snacks you can grab downstairs at the supermarket.
For anime fans especially, prize machines are part of the collecting culture. You may not always win, but the dream is pulling a character figure or plush that looks good on your shelf. Sponges and tissues? Bro, that is not exactly display-case material.
Round1 has not clearly explained how permanent or widespread this change is, so fans will be watching to see if the anime prizes come back. Because if the machines stay like this, players may simply take their credits elsewhere.
Source: Dexerto Gaming