baphomet
Member
Not even close. This will sell a fraction, of a fraction, of the ouya sales.
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New cartridge based non-emulated "Retro" console being kickstarted!
- Thread starter ultrazilla
- Start date
Not even close. This will sell a fraction, of a fraction, of the ouya sales.
soxinthebox
Member
$50 and I'll be there for the train wreck
baphomet
Member
Clone hardware actually sell quite a bit. Average Joe is far more likely to buy a system that plays 3 different consoles for the same price as an original nes. The game store I hang out in tends to sell a few daily.
Not when they cost $600!
NoFaceNico
Member
I've heard this guy on at least two retrogaming podcasts and he's estimating sales of between 5,000 and 50,000. He's hoping that when sales are around 50k, it'll attract the attention of big developers and will get exclusives on this thing.
My estimate: less than 500... on the high end.
He estimates $150-180 for a console. I think that's still too low for what they're trying to do.
With the resurghant interest in Retro, and if they can get new content onto the system then F-yeah it will sell.
I think there is a market out there for a no fuss console that you can give to kids and forget about.
Modern gaming can be a pain int he ass sometimes.
Or a console that you can have some simple fun with young kids with. There is something very satisfying about cartridge based system.
I think price and features will make or break it. There will have to be a HDMI port on this thing, unless they are going for a a really niche market.
I think there is a market out there for a no fuss console that you can give to kids and forget about.
Modern gaming can be a pain int he ass sometimes.
Or a console that you can have some simple fun with young kids with. There is something very satisfying about cartridge based system.
I think price and features will make or break it. There will have to be a HDMI port on this thing, unless they are going for a a really niche market.
Just reading the quotes in the opening post is really doing a disservice to this console. It makes it look really bad. Read the entire article and it really comes across a lot better.
I like the passion and the 'we can do this' state of mind of the guy. Would be great if this can come off the ground. Looking forward to hearing more details when their Kickstarter is launched.
By the way, on which podcasts did he talk about this project?
I like the passion and the 'we can do this' state of mind of the guy. Would be great if this can come off the ground. Looking forward to hearing more details when their Kickstarter is launched.
By the way, on which podcasts did he talk about this project?
NoFaceNico
Member
AllGenGamers which includes Gamester81, who's developing a game for it
RetroNick podcast
His "can do" attitude makes you want to believe in him, but there's plenty of failed Kickstarters that started with the best of intentions as well. I've seen (not backed, thank god) many projects fail and I don't think any can lay the blame on the lack of a can-do attitude.
panda-zebra
Banned
There's already one of those, it's called a NES.
You see this as a no-fuss console aimed at kids and families? I see it as a closed market designed to simulate retro sensibilities and fill shelves with boxes as it relieves collector types of their disposable income.
As the months roll by, their intentions and what they are actually hoping to deliver vs what they initially hinted at move further and further apart.
It's an offline system, so that seems unlikely. But it's not like the carts are going to have burned eproms inside as typical homebrews might, it could very well just be an SD card in there containing the game and configuration data. But you'd have to unpeel the label and remove the screws beneath to access it, and then you'd need to obtain the binaries to replace the existing ones or maybe an IPS patch or something. That's not really in line with the plug-and-play sensibilities of cartridge gaming or the pristine preservation aspects of box collecting.
CaviarMeths
Member
I'm sure developers will jump all over the opportunity to distribute games on expensive cartridges to 100,000 people instead of digitally to 100,000,000 people.
DeuceGamer
Member
Yea, I'd definitely like to get more physical releases of previous digital only games. Not sure why devs would release physical versions on here instead of an existing console but, if there are physical releases for games like Shovel Knight then I'd definitely pick some up for my collection.
funkystudent
Member
So its like the Ouya but with the added costs of carts?
This seems like a terrible idea but buying old Atari Jaguar shells and reusing them is hilarious.
This seems like a terrible idea but buying old Atari Jaguar shells and reusing them is hilarious.
Please guys developing this: stop before it's too late.
You're not Nintendo, you can't rely on third parties to make games for your dead on arrival console.
It would be a nice idea if you had at least a handful of internal software developers and the system launched with a bunch of good, exclusive games.
So please, stop.
You're not Nintendo, you can't rely on third parties to make games for your dead on arrival console.
It would be a nice idea if you had at least a handful of internal software developers and the system launched with a bunch of good, exclusive games.
So please, stop.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
Why don't they just make an SNES hardware clone and make blank cartridges to put new games on?
It would seem like a better idea, not only could you play SNES games (and maybe others depending on what they can fit in a Jaguar shell) but also new games built around the 16bit mindset.
It would seem like a better idea, not only could you play SNES games (and maybe others depending on what they can fit in a Jaguar shell) but also new games built around the 16bit mindset.
Noisepurge
Member
What a silly idea 
less games made for this in it's lifetime than VirtuaBoy confirmed?
less games made for this in it's lifetime than VirtuaBoy confirmed?Kojirospath
Member
I love the idea of it and would get it and games released for it but this is just a pipedream. Cost for carts would inflate prices and with so many going digital this has no real future. Niche of the niche material.
Sorcerer
Member
Even Mike Kennedy does seem not 100 percent positive about this.
I have heard him on a few podcasts talking about the system and he comes across as sincere.
He is not hyping it as the end all be all.
Basically the kickstarter is there to gauge interest and if it fails it fails nothing gained, nothing lost.
I think the fact that he was able to get the shell manufacturing rights for a steal was his impetus.
I heard he sold out of a limited run of clear shells for current Jaguar owners.
Listening to him on the Retrogaming Roundup podcast, he is someone with a passion for retro games. So it seems his heart is in the right place.
I have heard him on a few podcasts talking about the system and he comes across as sincere.
He is not hyping it as the end all be all.
Basically the kickstarter is there to gauge interest and if it fails it fails nothing gained, nothing lost.
I think the fact that he was able to get the shell manufacturing rights for a steal was his impetus.
I heard he sold out of a limited run of clear shells for current Jaguar owners.
Listening to him on the Retrogaming Roundup podcast, he is someone with a passion for retro games. So it seems his heart is in the right place.
Azure Phoenix
Member
In theory I like the idea of this, a cart based system designed to only run indie titles and old classics. You could say it is the same as every android based system out there, but the cartridges and target market makes it more focused that those things are.
The problem is that it won't work in todays market. Big publishers like Sega who have the back catalogues of old games aren't going to give a toss about selling a couple of thousand carts with a Sonic 2 ROM on them for £10. Indie developers aren't going to have the time and money to sink into retooling their games for such a small market. Retailers aren't going to dedicate any shelf space to games they'll sell 2-3 copies of. It needs big financial support from the word go to bribe indie developers and the big publishers to get on board, which won't happen.
The problem is that it won't work in todays market. Big publishers like Sega who have the back catalogues of old games aren't going to give a toss about selling a couple of thousand carts with a Sonic 2 ROM on them for £10. Indie developers aren't going to have the time and money to sink into retooling their games for such a small market. Retailers aren't going to dedicate any shelf space to games they'll sell 2-3 copies of. It needs big financial support from the word go to bribe indie developers and the big publishers to get on board, which won't happen.
Again I'm fine with the idea of buying "new" retro style hardware. I don't like VC or mobile. I'd rather have the original hardware. So this I intrigues me. The problem for me comes in the execution. I think the chosen hardware is butt ugly. And they should have went with disc. I'm sure they wanted carts but you could see the benefits of disc versus carts from a business perspective any day of the week. It would just be the better way to go for now. Maybe use some hardware that supports both disc and carts. Maybe even custom PC hardware aimed to run low end software which would help keep costs down and allow updates and patches a la the HDD. Just design it's casing to resemble a 90s console. But that's a whole nother costs I'm sure they are trying to avoid.
I unno.
I unno.
baphomet
Member
Well it should because its from 1993.
stan423321
Member
Deconfirm'd I think.
Anyway, here's what I'd do if the primary target is modern indie game on a cartridge for collectors. I'd simply make a budget PC (mid-tier Intel CPU or semi-high-tier AMD one, integrated graphics) in that Jaguar shell, obviously with those Jaguar shaped cartridges. These would contain a game and Linux, specifically patched to boot fast on that specific hardware. Or maybe Linux would be in the system. Whatever. Also, once-recordable cartridges as an option, to offset the cost if not sure that software sells.
Advantages
- Relatively cheap system design.
- Relatively cheap cartridges.
- Porting to the system would be attractive.
- It's insanely easy to reuse the thing if it fails.
- Not "authentic". (Though FPGAs on cartridge are already not authentic IMHO.)
- Probably the asking price for the system.
People who are passionate about what they like. They aren't aiming to compete with PS4 and Xbox One.
You mean people who are opposed to the idea of making money. Makes sense. I wonder if there are many quality 16-bit developers who fit this profile.
As a retro gaming enthusuiast, i guess I understand why this is being made but I really dont think it will ever capture the feel of games from 20+ years ago.
If someone wants to invest in a new retro focused game system, it should be something akin to the Retron 5 but with multiplayer support, trophies, and profiles. Im not a fan of emulation, butbeing able to fire up a copy of TMNT or Bomberman and finding another player online to play with wouldbe AMAZING! I know it can be done because this sirt of thing has been done in the emulation scene for years. Also, you could release different modules to turn the system into the console of your choice. You could have an adapter for TG-16, Gameboy, Master System, etc. Could you imagine having an N64 adapter and playing Goldeneye multiplayer?!
Maybe I should kickstart this....
If someone wants to invest in a new retro focused game system, it should be something akin to the Retron 5 but with multiplayer support, trophies, and profiles. Im not a fan of emulation, butbeing able to fire up a copy of TMNT or Bomberman and finding another player online to play with wouldbe AMAZING! I know it can be done because this sirt of thing has been done in the emulation scene for years. Also, you could release different modules to turn the system into the console of your choice. You could have an adapter for TG-16, Gameboy, Master System, etc. Could you imagine having an N64 adapter and playing Goldeneye multiplayer?!
Maybe I should kickstart this....
LyleLanley
Banned
A Retron 5 only costs $159.99
If the economics work as a very niche product (because brick and mortar will never carry the consoles or the games) this could be kind of neat. I don't really see the practicality or point, and unfortunately I'm about as close to the target demographic as you can get, but I wish good luck to them.
Eh. Don't necessarily agree. If this is done well it should see some mild success. The Ouya isn't exactly a hard target to beat though. Did it get to 100,000?
Purple Cheeto
Member
Have they said anything about what the SDK for this thing will be like or who is developing it? Without good developer tools this is going to fail.
Bubba_Sparks
Member
My thoughts exactly! Just reading the OP and the guy was people thought we were crazy with this idea, and I am just thinking, nope you still are!
LyleLanley
Banned
lol, a new 16 bit cartridge based console with no exclusives definitely makes too much sense.
Oh, whoops. My mistake.
Back on topic, I hope they make the SDK free for anyone to use.
Projectjustice
Banned
I love the idea but I think they are making a mistake by not adding any network support. If this comes out, Ill be there!
Dude, AAA developers don't like making money. At least not entirely in the gaming space. Companies have been burying themselves for years with dumb business decisions.
stump sock
Member
Sounds more like he just bought the molds/tools that were used in production, which is smarter and more sustainable.
EVEN STILL
I can't imagine how much it'll cost to do a print run of cartridges. Probably more than the target developer audience for this thing is willing to pay to sell whatever (probably) paltry number of units.
in 2015.