Crafting a compelling story within the confines of an arcade machine presents a unique set of challenges for game designers. Unlike open-ended PC or console games, arcade titles operate within strict limitations of time, hardware, and player attention. The goal of procedural narrative design—generating a dynamic, evolving story through algorithms—clashes directly with these constraints. The most significant challenges include creating meaningful player agency in extremely short play sessions, ensuring narrative coherence across countless potential story branches, and working within severe technical limitations of classic and modern arcade hardware. Designers must balance the desire for a complex, evolving plot with the need for immediate, visceral gameplay that defines the arcade experience. Furthermore, writing content that remains engaging and fresh over multiple playthroughs, without becoming repetitive, is a monumental task. Overcoming these hurdles requires ingenious design that prioritizes tight, impactful moments of choice and consequence, ensuring the player feels their actions matter even within a five-minute gameplay window.