Former Pittsburgh Church Reopening As Video Game Arcade

PITTSBURGH, PA — A former Catholic church is about to be reborn as a video arcade.

Holy Name Church on South First Street in Duquesne will open on Jan. 31 as The Church Arcade. It will be operated by the Pittsburgh Arcade Collective, a group of classic arcade and pinball enthusiasts that hosts and sponsors arcade game events and tournaments.

The collective describes the arcade as "a retro arcade housed inside a retired Catholic church. We have preserved most of the original architecture—stained glass, vaulted ceilings, and altars, but reimagined with arcade and pinball machines, and lighting, creating a completely unique atmosphere."

The collective's Mike Hough said excitement is mounting for the arcade's opening weekend ticketed events.

"We're going to 100 video games all set up to play, more than 30 pinball games all set up to play," he said. "We're going to have pinball tournaments, arcade tournaments, craft beer, food trucks, a live DJ and raffles for all kinds of cool prizes. It's going to be a really cool weekend."

All of those activities will take place in a historic building. According to the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Holy Name was established under the name of St. Killian in 1890. The original church burned down in 1899; when the cornerstone for a replacement church was laid soon after, the parish was rechristened Holy Name.

The church closed in 2023 and has been vacant since.