How I went to the Charlotte airport and accidentally became a gamer
Some people drink or doom scroll social media to pass the time at the airport. Not me. I found myself in a black leather chair playing Xbox. After making my way through the long line at TSA, I headed over to Concourse E. But I wasn’t there to catch a flight that day. I was on assignment for The Charlotte Observer about an inside look at Gameway, a gaming lounge in Charlotte Douglas International airport. Gameway opened in 2022 as part of the Concourse E expansion. It includes individual gaming stations that are fitted with PlayStation or Xbox game consoles and Razer gaming PCs and accessories. The company invests over $1 million per location, said Geena Martin, director of business development for Gameway. Gameway at Charlotte airport costs $17.99 for up to 30 minutes, $27.99 for up to one hour or $45.99 for unlimited time, according to the company’s website. Monthly passes also are available. Gameway is open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. It has locations at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Houston Hobby Airport, Chicago Midway International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Airport. When I walked in to the site at CLT, I hesitated, feeling out of my element. As someone with little-to no-gaming experience other than Candy Crush I questioned if this really was the spot for me.
Death by green glowing turtle
Following a conversation with Trey Quinn, one of the employees at Gameway, I decided the Xbox would be my best bet. Quinn told me that he was a big gamer. “I hurt my back so I can’t play sports. So it’s nice to pretend I’m playing for the St. Louis Cardinals every now and then,” Quinn said. With that in mind I grabbed my too-big headset and a white controller, and took a seat in one of the black leather chairs in front of the screen. Wanting the perfect game, I looked at my controller and began scrolling through the options after I had Quinn show me how to operate the controller. I settled on Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. In the game you play as Crash, a genetically mutated bandicoot. In the game Cash runs, jumps and spins through different levels where he can rescue friends and collect relics. Set in the N. Sanity Island, the game seemed like the perfect escape from the busy airport. I selected the game and began my first attempt —which was short lived. I began running through the islands, but one minute in I missed my cue to jump and Crash fell into a hole. I was not deterred and began again. This time I did not miss my cue to jump over the hole and I made it to two minutes into the game before a green glowing turtle killed my character. I took this as a win; slow progress is still progress and whatnot. I started attempt three and I was rewarded by unlocking a new level in the game. Feeling like a pro I started the game up. I began playing in the new level where I only made it just a few minutes before another green glowing animal killed my character. Deciding that after three strikes I was out I, wanted to switch it up and play something else.
What the pilots play
While scrolling through the options, I took a second to look around when I struck up conversation with a pilot in the chair across from me. Chris Miller, a pilot with PSA Airlines, was killing time before his flight to Asheville and was playing on one of the Playstation consoles. Miller told me he got an unlimited pass to play at Gameway while he passed time between his flights. He shared how other pilots have done the same thing. Miller said that NBA 2k25 was a popular game among the pilots, so I thought I would try that next. After customizing the game I began playing.
Unfortunately, my athletic prowess in the video game world was about as good as it is in real life. After losing dramatically, I began talking to Fontaine Green, a traveler playing at one of the Xbox stations beside me. He was waiting for his flight to Mobile, Alabama. An avid gamer at home he was shocked to see a gaming lounge at the airport. As for me, I was dumbfounded to look up at my phone and see the time, I had become completely sucked into the games. I never left the airport that day, but it was worth the trip: I left slightly better at video games.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article308599520.html