Diving into the bizarre lifestyle of a Maimai player - what is the true cost of having an expensive hobby?
Tucked away at the corner of an arcade, you would find players moving enthusiastically in unison whilst syncing gracefully to different beats. These are a community of close-knitted people that finds solitude in the presence of like-minded companions, drowning in a cacophony of laughter and rhythm in a place where time is non-existential.
Timezone Westgate, home of four cabinets of Mai Mai machines, boasts 18,000 sq ft, making it the largest outlet in Singapore. (Picture: Mothership.SG)
What is Mai Mai?
Mai Mai was first introduced internationally in July 2012 after being heavily influenced by the cosplay and anime community with over thousands of songs available for players to choose from - ranging from J-pop, Anime openings, Rock Instrumental, Vocaloid, and more. Developed and distributed by Sega, this rhythmic game requires players to tap, hold and slide notes that form on the touchscreen, hitting it in sync with music that serenades the place.
Mai Mai, a Sega rhythm game that looks like a tricked-out washing machine. (Photo: Arinna Nur Aqillah)
Also known as a cabinet, the Mai Mai machine comes with eight circular buttons that generate different beats for players to tap on. Now when it comes to the different levels of the game itself, Mai Mai offers players the option to select from the basic, advanced, hard, and master tiers which determine the difficulty and speed of the game. This is where having a pair of gloves becomes essential in avoiding blisters and the tearing of skin on one’s palm from the friction of tapping multiple buttons at one go. Work gloves are available and players would usually have them purchased from Daiso for $2. Another essential that you will often see would be personal headphone plugs to help them better focus on the game due to the noise pollution coming from all the different arcade machines that surround the bustling ambiance. Once they’re all set in place, players can insert tokens and relish in the game for hours on end.
A Mai Mai player at Woodlands’ Timezone, donning a pair of construction work gloves from Daiso. (Photo: Arinna Nur Aqillah)
Located in 20 arcades all over Singapore, it gained a huge cult following where players can be active members - the one thing they turn to as a way to seek out a sense of belonging, solace, and security.
A Modern Escape
After 11 years, the community has only shown signs of expanding, and it does not seem to stop any time soon. Players have turned to different forms of social media to build an active Mai Mai portfolio. Their own private space to flaunt their personal achievements and keep up with their own progress - an online journal.
On Reddit, there is a community of Mai Mai players called r/maimai. Updates on the game and maintenance works will be published so that they are in the know of the latest happenings. Another platform where one can find themselves buried with Mai Mai content would be Instagram. An example would be @shikimaii, belonging to Darion, 21, an active Mai Mai player.
“I would say that the community is very scattered because I am not very integrated but I know there’s a lot of groups there but we don’t mingle much.” says Junkeng, a 22-year-old active player of Mai Mai.
Despite efforts of bringing the community together, there is still segregation within the different groups. Many Mai Mai players out there hope for the abolishment of this barrier between communities by organising more meet-ups in the future where everyone can come together to bond as a family just like any other community out there. This would also be a step towards attempting to finally debunk misconceptions of the way society perceives them.
Darion’s personal Mai Mai Instagram account (Photo by: Elysha Aslam)
Society’s Misconceptions
This hobby that is enjoyed by many can be seen as an interesting pack of wolves that keeps to themselves, but what about the perception of our modern society on this group of people? How do they tackle the misconceptions that have been placed upon them?
In a community of Mai Mai gamers, the terms, ‘otaku’, ‘socially awkward’, and ‘anti-social’, are all words that have been associated with the community. Often they are seen and labeled as an outcast, misunderstood for the kind of lifestyle they are deemed to inhibit.
With regards to that statement being made, Junkeng mentioned that “I wouldn’t say it’s more of a misconception but more of a generalisation.”
Over time, the stereotype placed has become a norm for such assumptions towards Mai Mai players to be generalised without taking into consideration that most people could be doing it as a form of past time, hobby, and interest and need not necessarily be tied down to the term, ‘otaku’.
When it comes to having an open mind, Singaporeans will have to expand their mindset on acceptance of what normality is being defined as by society.
Who’s to say what’s the right lifestyle and what’s not?
Escapism or Addiction?
According to a survey by MyRepublic, 91% of Singaporeans regard gaming as a way to destress. This form of escapism is a safe space for players to form meaningful relationships along the way. The extension of the Mai Mai community does not limit to the competitiveness one might possess when taking their turn on the machine but it also offers long-lasting friendships that make the arcade a place to look forward to after a stressful day, thanks to the space the arcade has rendered available to the players that allows them to interact while waiting for their turn on the (washing) machine.
It provides a sanctuary for these players to express themselves without being judged by a society that is heavy on stereotyping them for their interest in Mai Mai.
22 Year old Junkeng, competing side by side with his friend under the Master tier (photo: Arinna Nur Aqillah)
For 25-year-old Choon Keat, he has been actively hopping arcades over the last 5 years spending on average 5 to 6 hours in a day clearing levels and unlocking achievements.
“Usually I will come for half a day and because there are people I know here at the arcade, we will talk and chit chat so it is also a meet-up among friends”
Expanding one’s inner circle through shared interests must be one of the most gratifying feelings. Darion, a 21-year-old who is currently serving the National Service has also been coming here with his friends for the last 6 years. He mentions being recognised by the community as time passes due to the frequency of his visits to the arcade.
On the other hand, when spending is not curbed and priorities are set aside, the addiction that comes from frequenting the arcade on a daily basis could act as a double-edged sword and for many, it is a dungeon that never stops pulling you in. The constant update of the game is what keeps individuals fully immersed in the virtual world.
“You don’t stop them, you can’t” says Junkeng when asked how to stop a player from drowning in the dangers of addiction.
Mai Mai players can spend up to $1,500-$5,000 in total for token credits.
The Competition for A Safe Space
As the community grows, so does the competition.
The competition for these machines between old and new players could cause an unfriendly dispute. Newer players tend to spend more time on the limited number of machines because they are trying to achieve more but they often overlook the time and by then, the line for the game has an angry look to it.
When asked to give a piece of advice to amateurs who are growing into the game, 21-year-old Darion mentions, “Just be respectful and don't hog the machine. There's a lot of new players that keep hogging the machine like they see people waiting to play, but they continue to just tap new credits.”
Nonetheless, healthy competitions exist and can be seen within friend groups.
Yasmeen, an 18-year-old Republic Polytechnic student mentioned that “Usually most competitiveness between friends is friendly banter which is what my friend group used to do a lot.”
Students from different institutes would conquer the arcade after school hours and this is where the social networking between players can be forged.
There has never been a fight breakout here despite the crowd for the Mai Mai machines because everyone here is very respectful towards one another.” said Intan, a 40-year-old full-time arcade worker at Woodlands Timezone when asked about the situation of the arcade on a busy day.
Respect works both ways and in order to maintain good grace amongst the different players and communities, Mai Mai players are seen to be cooperative and empathetic.
Darion wishes that new Maimai players would provide the same space he’s been forging for the last few years, “there's no benefit to you looking down on people. Just respect people so that people can give you back the same respect.”
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