This is just another example of the difference between Japanese arcades and the rest of the world’s arcades. If you placed headphones on any game, in any arcade in the UK, I can guarantee you they would be half inched the moment you turned your back. Thanks to Kotaku for this interesting find…
“Japanese game centers are noisy. If you can’t hear yourself think, how can you hear yourself game? Club Sega in Osaka‘s Umeda has the solution: Head phones. This Initial D 4 racing cabinet has a set of cans that players are free to use during play — Pioneer ones at that. So thoughtful!”
I’ve heard of arcades in Argentina doing this, modifying existing cabinets with hook-ups for headphones. Good idea actually.