New Console: Zeebo
The brand new video game company, Zeebo, plans to launch a low-powered console in developing world markets. For a price of $200, folks over in Brazil can pick up their Zeebo game console.
The machine will utilize existing cell phone infrastructure to allow for older games to be digitally distributed cheaply, without a need for expensive physical product. The hope is that piracy will decline, which will attract wide developer support to reach new audiences stuck in what amounts to the gaming stone age.
Games for Zeebo will be sold by major publishers such as Activision-Blizzard, THQ, and EA and will cost about $10. Double Dragon, Resident Evil 4, Tekken, Quake, and Sonic Adventure will all be available for the new platform at some point.
Zeebo’s goal is to target the growing middle class in South America, Eastern Europe, China and India, a market potentially as large as the North America, Western Europe, Japan oriented videogame market.
From here on down is the press release from the Zeebo Website
Introducing the Zeebo™ Console.
Zeebo has reinvented the game console for a new wave of global consumers. The Zeebo Console smashes the barriers that have held interactive entertainment back in emerging markets around the world.Breakthrough affordability : Zeebo hardware is based on Qualcomm’s BREW platform and MSM chipset, leveraging high-volume cellphone economics to create the world’s most affordable console. In addition, Zeebo users can buy the top game titles, localized in their language, for a fraction of the traditional retail price. And the Zeebo Console consumes only 1 watt of power–20 to 100 times less than other consoles–saving substantial energy costs (and enabling users to buy 2-3 more titles per year). The result: the first interactive entertainment and education platform matched the current realities of emerging markets and tightening economies.
Radical simplicity : Plug it into a TV and play, right out of the box. The Zeebo Console’s elegant simplicity and unique, self-explanatory user interface make electronic gaming quicker and easier than ever before.
Wireless convenience : The Zeebo Console connects automatically to the ZeeboNet™ Wireless Network, enabling users to buy and download new games in minutes. Users can shop securely and buy localized versions of top content without leaving their couches. There’s no more need to buy risky, no-warranty grey-market titles. And content providers can deliver their products without the threat of piracy.
Great experience : Zeebo brings 3D graphics and great gameplay to hundreds of millions of consumers hungry for affordable interactive entertainment and education. While harnessing the many benefits of BREW wireless gaming, it combines these with a true home console experience, including 640 x 480 screen resolution, a full-featured game controller, multiplayer capability and expansion ports for additional options.
Do you guys believe this console will change the Game Industry? Let us know by comments below!
This post was originally written by the author for TSSZ News.
no comment… xD
Change the industry? THAT Playstation 2 wannabe?
“Do you guys believe this console will change the Game Industry? Let us know by comments below!”
Is this a joke? A $10 console only available in specific countries and will only play games that came out years ago?
OF COURSE IT WILL, DUH!
I dunno, but I think it’s GOOD of the publishes to develop a console for the middle class in those countries, as I’m sure many couldn’t afford consoles of today or the games.
As for changing the gaming industry… *shrug* if it’s only being sold in selected countries, only a platform for games already released and doesn’t cost much (for us I mean) then I don’t see how it can affect the gaming market too much. But then, I don’t know very much about economics in general so =/ problably wrong and factors mentioned above irrelevant. lol
Ummmm…… Really I just want a Wii 2
Lame name, but then again, that’s what they said about the Wii. The console itself looks really cool. This is great news, there’s no need for people to be shafted out of playing great games due to not having enough money…you see all of those shifty lookin’ generic bootleg titles, your 20-in-ones, your “Pokemon Jades”, all of those things released for a cheap buck…people deserve a quality product and THIS is it. They’re exploiting an untapped market and needless to say, to have this kind of product, a high end “budget” product? …it’ll sell. I mean, ten bucks for a game for crying out loud. It feels better to have a box and a manual in your hands, but if this thing gets big…who is to say that it won’t come to the US?
Seriously, ten bucks for a quality game through a 3G network? ily, technology<3 (They even have Crazy Taxi for crying out loooud!)
@PhunkyPhazon
The console itself is $200. Games are ten dollars. And I don’t know about you, but FIFA 09 and Resident Evil 4 don’t really count as titles that came out “years ago”. And just because they’re old doesn’t meant they aren’t good. 😛
Modern video games are way to expensive for the majority of the countries listed (tariffs, taxes, and the like), Mega Drives are still being sold in Brazil.
That’s why they made this, which is kind of in between. I’m hoping for any leaks that may result (common SA1 source!)
Old news is old.
TimmiT is right. And besides, who gives a crap about this when OnLive was just announced at GDC? ( http://pc.ign.com/articles/965/965535p1.html )
i’m not sure about it. it seems cool. if it realeses updated versions of old games that would be cool. but why not sell it in america and japan?
So this is like a giant Wii Shop channel/PSNShop/XBLA all in one?
Eh, this won’t effect the “hardcore gamers” whatsoever, I guarentee it.
w-what the hell??? LOL
OH AND OF COURSE SEGA IS INVESTING IN IT, ya know being the “genusies” they are and all 🙂 >
This is basically like the i-Que in China: affordable gaming for countries that badly need it. Nintendo consoles especially, but others as well are way too expensive in the countries listed above. This is just meant to bridge the gap of sorts to try and make things cheaper and stop piracy. A friend I’ve talked to in Thailand says it’s much cheaper buying a pirated game for the PS2 than a new one: and these companies making the pirated games even have refund policies o.O
This isn’t really meant to take the top stage among the console giants in US/Europe/Japan triad really.
“a true home console experience, including 640 x 480 screen ”
ha ha ha,
This will proably do will in it’s intended markets, Onlive is going to be a trainwreck.
hahaha shit! XD lol
Eh, OnLive looks alot better. Still, it’s good that they’re developing a console for other countries.
Meh. I don’t think this console will get new cool games like the other three: PS3, Wii and 360. It’s better to buy a Wii instead. I don’t know what the price for Wii is in america but here in europe it’s like 200 $. And Wii get new game, this won’t get so many new I think. But it dosen’t mean that those older games like: Resident Evil 4 and Sonic Adventure for exampel is bad but someday you may want a new game.
@PhunkyPhazon
Uh, It is 200 dollars.
In South America, The Wii is $500, plus due to the Stronger dollar, the console is reaching a price where only rich people can get the console.
And I say that being an Argentinian.