Jump to content
IGNORED

Intellivision Entertainment launching a NEW Intellivision console


Rev

Recommended Posts

I disagree. This seems less of a project for Intellivision enthusiasts and more like an attempt to come up with a recurring (rent) business model.

 

So.. If this is a project built out of love for a business model, then it is not likely to satisfy enthusiasts or casual gamers. Building for a "business model" means it will have all sorts of restrictions and not-quite-there-yets involved. A locked-down expensive online store, alway-on internet required, proprietary expensive controllers prone to breakage.. Things along those lines. I don't want that.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

90% or more of the people buying videogames these days are indeed casuals. So, that's right, they don't want consoles, OR cartridges.

 

Or... If we want to be honest, 90% of the people buying video-games these days wouldn't buy some unknown device with or without cartridges; because 90% of the people buying video-games these days have never heard of the Intellivision.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or... If we want to be honest, 90% of the people buying video-games these days wouldn't buy some unknown device with or without cartridges; because 90% of the people buying video-games these days have never heard of the Intellivision.

Its probably closer to 99% with the millions of games sold on the big 3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

So.. If this is a project built out of love for a business model, then it is not likely to satisfy enthusiasts or casual gamers. Building for a "business model" means it will have all sorts of restrictions and not-quite-there-yets involved. A locked-down expensive online store, alway-on internet required, proprietary expensive controllers prone to breakage.. Things along those lines. I don't want that.

That's kind of my point. I am not suggesting that this comes from greed or malice (although, really, I do not really know any of them). I can imagine how these things go:

 

- "Let's build the ultimate Intellivision!!"

- "But how do we make money to stay alive?"

- "We can't just sell Intellivision games... We won't be able to recoup the investment."

- "I know, what if we made modern games as well?"

- "Cool! Then we can market to the mainstream players too!"

- "OMG! Instead of selling 300 units we can sell thousands or hundreds of thousands!!!"

- "Yeah! But to make it more attractive to that market, we have to make sure to add this and that, and the other, and such, etc."

 

From there on, the Intellivision enthusiast market becomes an afterthought, and the whole idea goes off the rails.

 

dZ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently read an article online about the up and down sides of video game nostalgia and what's been driving it. The author made a good point, that I agreed with, in that we hunt for that Christmas/Birthday morning feeling of being a child again...Saturday morning cartoons... opening that box and feeling the excitement of a new game system you were hoping for. The technology was all new, there really was nothing to compare it to, unlike today. Something like this has that potential to be that or be the opposite where you'll be totally disappointed mainly because we set our expectations too high.

 

Most, if not all of the the "Flashback" models leave us with that exact thought. It's not the same, so it's not good. Well... it's not meant to be the exact same thing, it can't be because it's not the original system or technology, and well.. we're a lot older and maybe don't remember how crappy some of our Tv's we're, or the games, or the problems the unit had..etc. Only a total purist will be content playing an original 1978 Sunnyvale Atari Heavy Sixer on a tiny 13" B/W RCA in a tiny, dim lit, stuffy, wood paneled bedroom decorated with 1970s style nostalgia. Most of us would rather play these things and our originals on 65" 4k LED screens with HDMI quality graphics and sound.

 

For me, I hope it's something I can simply have fun with, turn on and enjoy. Much like the late model retro cars like the Challenger, Camaro and Mustang are to pure collectors... at this point in my life as much as I love the smell of the old beasts, having all the modern amenities and Air Conditioning with the look and feel of an old car is far more enjoyable than spending all my time and money keeping the old one running and looking new.

 

I hope that makes sense... Lol. Let's just be supportive and see where he goes with it. Maybe it will be a retromod and something that can remind us of the past but be enjoyable for the future. If not... plug in one of the several original sets we all have and keep on retro gaming. ??

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently read an article online about the up and down sides of video game nostalgia and what's been driving it. The author made a good point, that I agreed with, in that we hunt for that Christmas/Birthday morning feeling of being a child again...Saturday morning cartoons... opening that box and feeling the excitement of a new game system you were hoping for. The technology was all new, there really was nothing to compare it to, unlike today. Something like this has that potential to be that or be the opposite where you'll be totally disappointed mainly because we set our expectations too high.

 

Most, if not all of the the "Flashback" models leave us with that exact thought. It's not the same, so it's not good. Well... it's not meant to be the exact same thing, it can't be because it's not the original system or technology, and well.. we're a lot older and maybe don't remember how crappy some of our Tv's we're, or the games, or the problems the unit had..etc. Only a total purist will be content playing an original 1978 Sunnyvale Atari Heavy Sixer on a tiny 13" B/W RCA in a tiny, dim lit, stuffy, wood paneled bedroom decorated with 1970s style nostalgia. Most of us would rather play these things and our originals on 65" 4k LED screens with HDMI quality graphics and sound.

 

For me, I hope it's something I can simply have fun with, turn on and enjoy. Much like the late model retro cars like the Challenger, Camaro and Mustang are to pure collectors... at this point in my life as much as I love the smell of the old beasts, having all the modern amenities and Air Conditioning with the look and feel of an old car is far more enjoyable than spending all my time and money keeping the old one running and looking new.

 

I hope that makes sense... Lol. Let's just be supportive and see where he goes with it. Maybe it will be a retromod and something that can remind us of the past but be enjoyable for the future. If not... plug in one of the several original sets we all have and keep on retro gaming.

 

 

Personally, there's a bit of over-thinking there. Nostalgia is a feeling, true, but it is not a specific thing and you can't necessarily quantify it as "we hunt for that Christmas/Birthday morning feeling of being a child again." Nostalgia is manifested in many different ways, and processed differently by different people. In fact, it doesn't always have to tie back to a childhood memory.

 

I think based on the comments in this thread, most people were actually quite satisfied with the "Flashback." I know I was.

 

I do agree with you on one thing, something I call the "Renaissance Faire" effect, which is an analogy I once heard game artist Mark Ferrari use. It goes something like this:

 

When people want to go back in time and relieve, say, medieval times, they are not talking about returning to the Renaissance, not really. No, they actually wish to see the Renaissance Faire.

 

Nobody wants to go back to the Renaissance, with its rotting meats, filthy smells, weird skin diseases and mutilations, walking around ankle-deep in sewage, random killings and assaults, etc. They just want the fancy dress, the chivalry, the elegant speech, the beautiful colours, hand-made items, roasted turkey legs, music and dancing, etc.

People tend to forget the past was an ugly place, and they just remember the good stuff, and that's fine.

 

And I think that's what something like the Flashback provides to most, in spite of its imperfections.

 

However, I don't go to the Renaissance fair to see fighter jet acrobatics, skydiving formation crews, laser shows, Star Trek sets, or any sort of other crap that is not tied to that particular period or memory I wish to evoke. That's why I think that adding all sorts of bells and whistles to the Intellivision which have nothing to do with sanitizing, improving, and evoking the good memories of times past, has any place in it. In fact, it cheapens it.

 

I will wait and see what they produce with this new project. However, I am not optimistic because nothing I've read or seen so far on it has suggested anything more than repeating the same mistakes in the past, or differs from any other attempt to cash in on the "retro" wave. I'm not saying it will necessarily fail, or that I won't buy one. I am saying, though, that skepticism is as of now, my "default mode" -- let's see what they do to move the needle.

 

-dZ.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's why I say one of few paths to relevance for this thing is delivering a sand box for making your own retro games in an approachable way that ties in some social aspect for sharing and building upon. They might even consider tying it in with lego mindstorms, or a competitor, or one of the many STEM robotics or Snap-circuit type setups that came out of MIT. 30 year old tech has the benefit of being a basic platform for learning and forming the basis of exploration leading into more modern applications.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently read an article online about the up and down sides of video game nostalgia and what's been driving it. The author made a good point, that I agreed with, in that we hunt for that Christmas/Birthday morning feeling of being a child again...Saturday morning cartoons... opening that box and feeling the excitement of a new game system you were hoping for. The technology was all new, there really was nothing to compare it to, unlike today. Something like this has that potential to be that or be the opposite where you'll be totally disappointed mainly because we set our expectations too high.

 

After a dry spell of many years, even a decade or two of not being able to play some vintage videogames, I had a blast of nostalgia plying them through hobbyist-created emulators. While not exactly the same as "playing an original 1978 Sunnyvale Atari Heavy Sixer on a tiny 13" B/W RCA in a tiny, dim lit, stuffy, wood paneled bedroom decorated with 1970s style nostalgia," It was good enough. And in some aspect even better because of the nature of having an emulator on a host PC. All the amenities and extras, reliability, versatility, convenience.

 

And it was exciting to see emulation "grow-up" and start with the likes of Pac-Man or Galaga and then expand to cover all systems, all home games, and all arcade games!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's why I say one of few paths to relevance for this thing is delivering a sand box for making your own retro games in an approachable way that ties in some social aspect for sharing and building upon. They might even consider tying it in with lego mindstorms, or a competitor, or one of the many STEM robotics or Snap-circuit type setups that came out of MIT. 30 year old tech has the benefit of being a basic platform for learning and forming the basis of exploration leading into more modern applications.

 

STEM and individual circuit stuffage like op-amps, capacitors, transistors, and resistors are a "thing" nowadays?

 

I thought the tech industry was hyper-busy on making everyone into cellphone zombies that know only how to click on social media apps? Did they suddenly learn not to cannibalize and sour young minds - because them zombies don't know how to advance tech? Heh..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, I hope it's something I can simply have fun with, turn on and enjoy. Much like the late model retro cars like the Challenger, Camaro and Mustang are to pure collectors... at this point in my life as much as I love the smell of the old beasts, having all the modern amenities and Air Conditioning with the look and feel of an old car is far more enjoyable than spending all my time and money keeping the old one running and looking new.

I hope that makes sense... Lol. Let's just be supportive and see where he goes with it. Maybe it will be a retromod and something that can remind us of the past but be enjoyable for the future. If not... plug in one of the several original sets we all have and keep on retro gaming.

 

Absolutely 100% correct. Every 6 months, or twice a year, take your pick, we have a "tech bash" party where you can bring your old stuff and have a chance to win new stuff! And it's a real bash alright. The more creatively you destroy your old tech, the better chance of you getting a free replacement. Determined by popular vote of course.

 

And as door prizes and such, we give away things like this. In the past it's been all kinds of Flashbacks, or Raspberry Pi Canakits, or likewise.

 

Flashbacks, R-Pi's, STB NUCs, are all very popular ways of playing the classic games. They are more compact, more reliable, and some methods are very accurate. The one thing in common is it's all new hardware and in almost all cases, emulation based. Reliable. And it insulates you from wonky connectors, and overheating consoles with bad RAM, and all the little "fuss-ments" that come with trying to maintain and operate a vintage console.

 

Despite emulation's incredible market penetration people love to hate it, curse it, downplay it, and just outright preach what stinkers such products are. But.. No one makes new "old original chipsets" anymore. The cost is prohibitive.

 

FPGA isn't an answer here either. It has its own baggage. Though most techies would have you believe otherwise. Note that every FPGA console/implementation I have seen to date is either:

 

1- limited production, especially those one-off proof-of-concept projects.

2- highly niche and updatable by only 1 developer.

3- comes in strange formfactors that don't accept all cartridge styles.

4- is highly technical, like, or almost like, a development board kit.

5- is commonly mistaken for exact chip replacement or recreation.

6- rather expensive for solutions that ARE currently available.

7- still limited in functionality.

 

And don't forget is possible to migrate emulators across many platforms, and even developers - often in the process creating a development team. Many emulators are now 20+ years old!

 

So if this new Intellivision product is based on emulation don't get upset about it.

Edited by Keatah
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's kind of my point. I am not suggesting that this comes from greed or malice (although, really, I do not really know any of them). I can imagine how these things go:

 

Certainly not malice, that'd be rather disheartening. I don't think that's the case here. Greed? That's a grey area - a lot of people are indeed trying to cash in on retro games and older IP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You may be right, all we can do know is let our voices be heard.

Really besides us older folks most of the younger generation have not even heard of the Brand Intellivision.

 

And who really wants to repurchase their classic intellivision games to play on a modern console. 80 games at 10 dollars a game adds up.. If that's their price point.. Not to mention that you cant play 45 or so of the licenced ones on it..

 

Please hear our voice.. ;) Shout Shout let it all out...

According to the facebook q&a, this thing will include at least 60 legacy Intellivision games at no extra charge. It's the new games that will cost between $4 and $7. And some will be included with the system. It's possible they might charge for licensed games but I'd be surprised if they bother getting those licenses.

 

I don't see any reason why they can't allow end users to add their own legacy Intellivision rom files and have a closed system for everything else. Our voices only number a few hundred. It would be nice if they listen but they don't have to.

 

 

Perhaps you are the only one. I prefer the cartridge port so that I can play the games in the same way I used to when I was a child.

 

This is the same reason why I released my first game with a gate-fold box, glossy overlays, and large format, full-colour, high-quality manual: to relive the experience of opening a new game and playing it with the real console, with a real hand-controller, like when I was a kid in the 80s.

 

(I also put the overlays on the hand-controller, even if I don't need them. :))

 

That, to me, is the Intellivision experience. Your mileage may vary, of course. ;)

 

The Intellivision Flashback comes close to this by recreating the experience with hand-controllers that feel like the real thing, and emulating most of the games correctly. (I still put the overlays on it, too!) However, it does not include all titles, and it won't even let me play my very own home-brew game.

 

...

Nostalgia is different for different people. For me it's about the games. Especially experiencing the games I wanted as a kid but didn't have. Boxes were just a convenient place to store cartridges. If I could have had an LtoFlash in 1982 I would have.

 

I do like overlays and we use to also insert them for games that didn't need them. However, for some games that use the keypad, e.g. Basketball, Baseball, Sea Battle, Deadly Discs, AD&D, you're better off with the direct feel of the bubbled membrane.

 

I do hope this new Intellivision controller has some sort of tactile button feel over the touchscreen display. I hope the disc is modernised so it's fully analog but still feels like the Intellivision disc. And I hope this wireless controller can be used with other computers as a standard game controller.

Edited by mr_me
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The flashbacks leave me with the feeling of where are all the games I played As a kid. The flash backs have a lot of the games I had as a kid but a lot are missing. If they can't get all the games because of licensing reasons just add a sd card slot so we can download the games off the internet. I just want to be able to play all the games I like and not just the ones that other people think we're good. I also want a console that feels like it was made from the same quality materials as the current gen consoles.

Edited by jim1174
Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to the facebook q&a, this thing will include at least 60 legacy Intellivision games at no extra charge. It's the new games that will cost between $4 and $7. And some will be included with the system. It's possible they might charge for licensed games but I'd be surprised if they bother getting those licenses.

 

I don't see any reason why they can't allow end users to add their own legacy Intellivision rom files and have a closed system for everything else. Our voices only number a few hundred. It would be nice if they listen but they don't have to.

 

Nostalgia is different for different people. For me it's about the games. Especially experiencing the games I wanted as a kid but didn't have. Boxes were just a convenient place to store cartridges. If I could have had an LtoFlash in 1982 I would have.

 

I do like overlays and we use to also insert them for games that didn't need them. However, for some games that use the keypad, e.g. Basketball, Baseball, Sea Battle, Deadly Discs, AD&D, you're better off with the direct feel of the bubbled membrane.

 

I do hope this new Intellivision controller has some sort of tactile button feel over the touchscreen display. I hope the disc is modernised so it's fully analog but still feels like the Intellivision disc. And I hope this wireless controller can be used with other computers as a standard game controller.

 

And yet... I didn't see anywhere in your post were you were clamoring for "Gen2" games or modern, 2D titles constrained to meet a vague "simple, family, fun" criteria, in order to get your nostalgia kick; which is my main point. ;)

 

 

The flashbacks leave me with the feeling of where are all the games I played As a kid. The flash backs have a lot of the games I had as a kid but a lot are missing. If they can't get all the games because of licensing reasons just add a sd card slot so we can download the games off the internet. I just want to be able to play all the games I like and not just the ones that other people think we're good. I also want a console that feels like it was made from the same quality materials as the current gen consoles.

 

Agreed. That's why I think this product is not addressing any real audience: it's not directed at the Intellivision enthusiast (because a just a "better" Flashback would do so that they could play the old games, their old ROMs, and future home-brewed titles); nor the casual player (those will play on their mobile or iPad, and don't need nor wish for yet another box to hook up at home); nor the regular gamer (those will play on their Xbox or PS4 or whatever Nintendo is making now).

 

Let me see, if this device will have the same 60 classic titles that the Flashback had (because those are the ones to which they can get licenses in any practical way), and the hand-controllers are modern re-imagining of the originals and at least as good as the one from the Flashback; then... why would I pay more to play those 60 classic titles again when my Flashback does that already? Or if I didn't get a chance to buy a Flashback, why would I pay more than twice as much for the same thing?

 

Because it'll look cooler in my overcrowded entertainment center or stuck in a drawer until ready for use?

Because it'll have Wi-Fi which I probably won't use?

Because it'll play modern games which do not tickle my nostalgia glands?

 

To each his own, but I am really at a loss trying to figure out the target audience for this thing.

 

-dZ.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know how or if this thing will be succesfull; but it will have nothing to do with nostalgia. The people they will be marketing to, as it is now, likely would never had heard of Intellivision. To them, gen2 Shark Shark and Night Stalker won't be remakes of old games, they will just be games. I don't expect the focus on the new games to be remakes anyway. I expect the target audience to include seniors, looking for something simple, and parents to keep their young children occupied.

 

A couple of years ago, the cable repair guy was over at the house. He looked to be about my age. He saw my Intellivision and said "that's some remote control you have there". He had no idea what it was. There's only a very narrow demographic that might have any chance of remembering Intellivision. That may be enough to make a quick buck with a cheeply made unit. But these guys are shooting for something more. I don't need a cheap emulation box, I can play all the Intellivision games on my computer with an original Intellivision controller. It's nice to see that they are at least trying to do something different, even if it doesn't succeed.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know how or if this thing will be succesfull; but it will have nothing to do with nostalgia. The people they will be marketing to, as it is now, likely would never had heard of Intellivision. To them, gen2 Shark Shark and Night Stalker won't be remakes of old games, they will just be games.

 

Yeah, but that didn't work out that well the last time around.

 

I expect the target audience to include seniors, looking for something simple, and parents to keep their young children occupied.

 

That market is overcrowded, along with mobile phone and iPad games, not to mention AppleTV (which incidentally is also not doing all that great as a casual gaming platform due to some of the same reasons). I can't see any of those you mentioned spending money in some unknown device (you did say that they've never heard of the Intellivision brand and that they have no nostalgic attachment to it) to play games they've never heard of, when their existing devices already have plenty of casual games.

 

It's like the Ouya (on hardware) and the Gen2 Kickstarter (on software) all over again.

 

What is different this time around? What I hear is "brand recognition" and "new market" in the same breath; yet one is a niche of a niche market, and the other is an overcrowded market. To access the latter, it will take one helluva marketing campaign; it is not impossible, but I just don't see it being happening -- at least the way they seem to be going.

 

Good luck to them, but it seems overly ambitious.

 

-dZ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's different?

We'll have to wait and see. What were the Ouya or Apple TV launch titles? Intellivision Entertainment better come up with some impressive launch titles. Myself, I'm looking forward to seeing the new controller. Gamers hate new controllers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's different?

We'll have to wait and see. What were the Ouya or Apple TV launch titles? Intellivision Entertainment better come up with some impressive launch titles. Myself, I'm looking forward to seeing the new controller. Gamers hate new controllers.

 

I guess if they can get "name-brand" launch titles they may have a chance. However, I have a hard time imagining a scenario where Triple-A game developers make games with specific restrictions to fit a particular vision not controlled by them -- especially when they already have plenty of channels in which to deploy their existing and growing libraries.

 

I also can't see Intellivision Entertainment paying for big name-brand licenses, or otherwise we would see more than 60 of the old classic titles.

 

Sure, we'll wait and see. I am just not optimistic. Like I said in a previous post, my skeptic-meter is set right now to high; they will have to work hard to bring it down -- actions, not words and promises -- and we're still two years out.

 

Based on what we know now, and given past experiences, too many stars need to align just right for this to work. I have better things to think about and to focus my excitement over for the next two years.

 

Your mileage may vary. :)

 

-dZ.

 

 

P.S. Am I the only one who cringes at the idea of a bunch of talented people potentially wasting two years with hype and dreams, for the possibility of salvaging some good hand-controllers from a failed project? This is why I don't get personally excited about that particular aspect. The thought of "well, if it fails, I still hope we get some good controllers out of this..." is alien to me. It seems too high a cost for such little gain.

Edited by DZ-Jay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Intellivision Entertainment did pay attention to Ouya and specifically called it out multiple times in the Live Q&A, mainly around its lack of a great game title at launch time. Maybe there are other lessons to be learned from the Ouya but these were not shared in the Live Q&A. AppleTV wasn't mentioned but it has no recognition as a gaming platform. I've heard of AppleTV as a general product, but had to google to find out if it was a success or failure (currently it is between).

 

At this point, we really only know what Intellivision Entertainment's goals are and only tidbits of hardware info. We won't know further details until October when more hardware information is available. Some of the goals may change between now and then, but most will likely stay the same. Until then, I'm going to remain optimistic and wait before passing judgement on the console.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems to me as this space crowds up, new entrants are having to differentiate themselves more and more with more] and more effort. New entrants are having to come up with reasons to even be in the market. And those reasons don't always make sense or are short-circuited from the getgo by bad implementation.

 

It's likely to be a couple of years before there is a real product I can buy. And it is at that time I'll evaluate what it has to offer and make a decision as to whether I want one or not. Right now it's just meh. And I'm following along to watch how SoCs continue to gain importance in classic gaming.

Edited by Keatah
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems this product could be the Original Intellivision III

 

With better graphics, sound, remote controllers and built in Intellivioce. Also, I believe it had a planned modem for remote play (now via wifi) Plus backward compatible to the Intellivision.

 

They most likely have the enhanced exec code and chip designs.

 

If this is the case, I would be happy to see this happen. Even if it is via emulation.

 

My fear is this project could end up like the Intellivision III. Falling victim to kitchen sink syndrome. Trying to do to much and be to many different things.

 

Just be an enhanced Intellivision! The KEY word is INTELLIVISION. My 2 cents... I am certain you cannot even get a piece of penny candy with it!

Edited by 1980gamer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just be an enhanced Intellivision! The KEY word is INTELLIVISION. My 2 cents... I am certain you cannot even get a piece of penny candy with it!

 

You know, they sell penny candy at the local Farmer's Market in Raleigh, NC. It costs 10¢ a piece. :lol:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Intellivision Entertainment did pay attention to Ouya and specifically called it out multiple times in the Live Q&A, mainly around its lack of a great game title at launch time. Maybe there are other lessons to be learned from the Ouya but these were not shared in the Live Q&A.

 

I think Tommy misses the point with Ouya. Because he doesn't seem to know his console history well. Many successful consoles had either weak launch lineups, or their "killer apps" came a year or 2 after launch. And many consoles had very impressive launch titles, only to fizzle out later. Launch titles are important, but they're far from the biggest factor in determining a console's success. Sonic came out like 2 years after the Genesis was launched, and it was the main reason that console went from "meh" to almost beating Nintendo. And yet that's the example given about how to have a successful launch lineup.

 

Coolness, uniqueness, technology fads, marketing - these all play a far bigger role. The Ouya failed because it didn't really serve a point in the larger market. The idea was cool enough, and us enthusiasts waited with anticipation - but really, what did it do that one of the big players couldn't? It was really just an underpowered Playstation. A niche Xbox. And the Intellivision name isn't anywhere close enough to generate the kind of hype needed here. Hell, look at Atari - one of the most recognizable names in video game history, even today, and people are blowing their load because they've raised $3m in a kickstarter. $3m isn't a lot of startup capital for anything other than a really niche product these days.

 

I really struggle to imagine any $4-7 game that will be so much of a killer app that people buy this thing by the tens of thousands. It's always possible they'll find the next Flappy Bird, or Minecraft - but it's extremely unlikely. Any game that will run on this thing will be able to be placed into the Playstation or Xbox stores. With far, FAR greater market visibility. Hobbyists may be willing to target this thing exclusively, but that just means you're even less likely to get "the best" games. Super-successful Indie games, the kind that can launch a console, are lightning in a bottle. We see one maybe every 3-5 years or so.

 

I think the entire premise that modern consoles somehow intimidate the average person is kinda stuck in the 90s. Something like half of all households have one or more game consoles these days. Yes, my 70-something father is intimidated: he'd never buy a console anyway. Everyone under 50 has grown up with video games, and that's the demographic where most of the money is. It was the 1980s and early 90s, the era they seem to be specifically nostalgic for, where hardly anyone other than "gamers" owned a video game console. I think the entire raison d'etre of this console has things entirely backwards. But that could just be Tommy's enthusiasm, and not their actual business plan. I'm really basing this on that first interview Tommy did.

 

Regardless - I'm looking forward to this. I'd love to see alternatives to the big 3 on store shelves. And even if they hardly sell any - I love collecting obscure stuff anyway. It's win-win for me :D

 

But I do think people - marketing types and enthusiasts alike - have entirely missed the point as to why the (S)NES Classic was such a massive success.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...