Welcome to the Gig Arcade is a satirical and allegorical virtual reality (VR) game which aims to invite players to reflect upon the practice of “gamification” in the gig economy, highlighting its overlooked addictive nature. The project speculates a future where digital freelancing platforms have evolved into fully gamified, Japanese arcade-like working environments in which people will conduct work using various videogame-machine interfaces, with their boundary between work and play completely blurred. This game also amplifies the role of mascots, extending the inflatable mascot language from mere characters into the whole spaces, reappropriating the captivating power they hold in Japanese arcade culture.