I used to play these all the time as a teenager.

當我還是青少年時，我常常玩夾娃娃機。

And while I eventually grew out of it, Taiwan, well, hasn't.

當我終於戒掉夾娃娃時，台灣...嗯...還沒有。

In 2016, there were only about 920 claw machine stores in Taiwan.

2016 年時，台灣只有 920 間夾娃娃機店。

Today, there are over 6,678 of them across the island.

現在，全台已經超過 6,678 間了。

And you can usually find them clustered together in night market corners like this one.

它們通常會聚集於夜市裡的角落，就像這間。

Over the years, they've become a popular investment strategy for young people, particularly because of low stagnating wages on the island.

多年來，它變成年輕人投資的熱門選擇，特別是因為台灣的低薪停滯不前。

(Speaking Mandarin) Why work with claw machines?

(中文) 為什麼會有夾娃娃機呢？

(Speaking Mandarin) The main hope is that I can make a little more money on top of my day job.

(中文) 一方面最主要就是，希望能夠除了自己本身的工作之外，我還想要再賺一點錢。

(Speaking Mandarin) Because many friends have told me that they can make money, then I wanted to try.

(中文) 因為聽很多朋友都說，夾娃娃機可以賺錢，那我就想要嘗試看看。

Here's how it works:

它是這樣運作的：

An arcade owner sets up all the infrastructure and buys the machines and security cameras for a grand total of around 30,000 USD.

拱廊商業街的店主會備齊所有基礎設備，買機器和監視器，總共需要花大約 30,000 美元。

The owner will then rent out each individual claw machine at around 150 USD to 250 USD a month to interested individuals.

接著，店主會以每月大約 150 至 250 美元的價格，出租機台給感興趣的人。

Pisuy has been obsessively playing claw machines for a year now and recently just got her own.

Pisuy 沉迷於玩夾娃娃機已經一年了，最近才擁有了自己的機台。

(Speaking Mandarin) The rent for the claw machine is not a problem for me.

(中文) 這一台的話，基本上租金是沒有問題。

(Speaking Mandarin) I'll make a little bit of money, about 5000 or 3000 (NTD).

(中文) 賺一點點而已，可能有時候賺個 5000、3000 這樣。

(Speaking Mandarin) When I'm playing the claw machine, I'll set a goal for myself.

(中文) 夾娃娃機我會給自己設定一個目標。

(Speaking Mandarin) For example, that sock, my spending limit is 50 NTD.

(中文) 比如說，我夾這個襪子，我只想花 50 塊，所以我最多 50 塊一定要夾到它。

(Speaking Mandarin) If I have to spend over that, I'll stop playing.

(中文) 如果花超過 50 塊，我就不夾了。

(Speaking Mandarin) 50 NTD, two pairs!

(中文) 50 塊。兩雙。

But experts say that the claw machine craze is a bubble waiting to burst.

但專家指出夾娃娃機風潮終將消失。

(Speaking Mandarin) Taiwan has a lot of claw machines because the media keeps on reporting that it's a moneymaker.

(中文) 台灣為什摩會有越來越多的娃娃機台，主要的原因是因為媒體一直說娃娃機非常賺錢。

(Speaking Mandarin) That's why everyone is getting into it.

(中文) 才會一窩蜂地大家一起開。

(Speaking Mandarin) But these stores are popping up so quickly, so not every machine is making money.

(中文) 其實因為展店的速度很快，所以不一定每個機台都那麼賺錢。

And the market seems to have reached overcapacity.

夾娃娃機市場已經過剩。

But for Pisuy, it's more than just an investment strategy.

但對 Pisuy 來說，這不只是投資策略而已。

(Speaking Mandarin) My day job is pretty tiring.

(中文) 因為工作都很累了。

(Speaking Mandarin) Whenever I win something from a claw machine, it brings me a bit of happiness.

(中文) 如果能過透過這個機台，夾到東西，其實就是你生活中一個部分的小確幸。

(Speaking Mandarin) So I believe they are useful this way.

(中文) 所以我覺得它是有必要性的存在。

So cute!

(中文) 好可愛。