A new console challenger emerges... Acer!?

Couscous

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/03/acer_planning_to_build_open_platform_console-2.html

Acer's Vice President, James Wong has said Acer plans to enter the console market. WTF?

Well, according to our German pals at GameStar, James Wong was said to take issue with the fact that the current state of the console market relies solely upon closed and proprietary systems. He sees this as an opportunity for Acer to get in on some gaming fun, and they plan to do this by creating a console utilizing PC technology, which will be, wait for it, a completely open platform. Such a preposterous claim must be taken with a large, Everest sized mountain of salt, but it is interesting nonetheless. For now, we know nothing more, but watch this space for more information

So this is the console that Duke Nukem Forever will be exclusive to. The best thing I can say about this is that it won't be as much of a disaster as the Phantom.

Fireflash

So this is going to be a computer with a different name?

JonnyBot

If they can keep it the same cost as current consoles while looking as good, I'll buy it. Especially if it plays pc games. Saves me time from building a new pc.

Zxerol

So, a console using off-the-shelf computer equipment that's completely open. We normally call that a PC where I'm from.

And since you probably can't have software subsidizing your costs (being "completely open" and all) I can imagine it would be more expensive than existing competitors, too. What market segment are they potentially trying to court, anyhow?

AbsoluteZero

Huh.

Good luck with that one.

0blique

Hmmm, doesn't seem like something we can take too seriously at the moment. A big reason why systems are proprietary is because it allows the designers to optimize for cost and performance by coming up with new ways to do things. Obviously if you have to follow a certain set of standards, there's going to a need to include some slack in the design to accommodate them. And, of course, by doing so you end up with prebuilt PCs, which is was we already have available.

randombattle

Am I the only one wonder what Acer is?

SirToasty

randombattle wrote: »

Am I the only one wonder what Acer is?

No.

Edgie

I used my Xbox as a media player. I can see it being of use to some people, but seems a little niche.

Tiemler

Needs a cool control scheme. Maybe one with a keypad and mouse you can use in your lap. And a sick name, something like Phantasm.

The investors will be lining up.

TheSonicRetard

yalborap

This will not end well. Not the least of which because it seems we are quite obviously dealing with a man who does not quite understand what a console IS.

Dashui

Edited because I was probably wrong about what "open" meant.

chasm

Phantom II?

Saddler

I don't know what he means by an open platform, but I'm picturing low royalty fees and no quality control. Like the 3DO.

Wienke

You know, I owned an Acer Aspire in like 1995 and it was one of the worst computers I've ever owned.

To tell the truth though, my PCs didn't start being stable until I started building them myself

But yeah, I can't see this happening ever.

Corsair

randombattle wrote: »

Am I the only one wonder what Acer is?

I have had an Acer laptop for 4+ years, the damn thing is solid.

TheSonicRetard

Saddler wrote: »

I don't know what he means by an open platform, but I'm picturing low royalty fees and no quality control. Like the 3DO.

Thats the exact opposite of an open platform.

Barrakketh

Zxerol wrote: »

So, a console using off-the-shelf computer equipment that's completely open. We normally call that a Xbox where I'm from.

Fix'd.

Nitsua

We sell quite a few Acer computers at Wal-Mart and, from what I have seen of them, they are pretty decent and very well priced. I think it's a joke though that they think they can succeed in the console market... no matter what type of system they try to put out. I mean, they should just look at Microsoft, see how much money they have poured into their venture, notice how little money they have compared to what Microsoft has already lost, and just walk away from this obvious PR mistake.

Loathing

So a console that plays PC games? Will it be able to play xbox/PS/Wii ect games on it as well? I don't see this going over too well with the other respective companies - not to mention I would think it would cost more then a PS3. (I'm only saying PS3 because out of the three it costs the most right now, with the 360 in a close second)

A portal console that just plays PC games? Ok, thats a laptop. More powerful then a laptop? Ok, thats a mini-tower with some decent gear in it.

Don't see this taking off anywhere.

SimBen

Remember when Apple launched a console?

Exactly.

TheSonicRetard

SimBen wrote: »

Remember when Apple launched a console?

yup.



more people would remember it if it came to the US as the Apple Pippin instead of the Bandai Pippin, but not by much.

Bartholamue

Apple launched a console?

SimBen

Bartholamue wrote: »

Apple launched a console?

Exactly.

Heroth

Doesn't this belong in the Critical Failures forum?

Zxerol

Heroth wrote: »

Doesn't this belong in the Critical Failures forum?

sik brun

PMAvers

Bartholamue wrote: »

Apple launched a console?

Still had more good games than the PS3.

EDIT: And it *was* the first console with online capability built-in, if memory serves..

Cervetus

Heroth wrote: »

Doesn't this belong in the Critical Failures forum?

I'm pretty sure this has nothing to do with tabletOH I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.

TheSonicRetard

PMAvers wrote: »

I'm going to open a massive can of fucking retarded

And the PCFX had a modem built in and was release nearly a year before the Apple/Bandai Pippin.

DoctorArch

On that Apple console, they were mentioning it on 1up yours, about the possibility for Apple to break into games using the iPhone. They mentioned the DS version of Spore running very well on the phone as an example. Eventually we could see an N-Gage that doesn't suck through the form of an iPhone 2 or 3.

langfor6

I was catching up on some old episodes of 1Up Yours over the weekend, and Dennis Dyack was on one of the podcasts from GDC talking about the inevitability of this type of machine.

I have to admit the timing is interesting.

Monaro

Open. no licensing?

[strike]3D0[/strike]
[strike]Phantom[/strike]
Acer

BTW, some of the most horribly build computers I have seen are Acers. There are a few solid exceptions, but mostly they are poor, flimsy pieces of shit.

TheSonicRetard

Monaro wrote: »

Open. no licensing?

[strike]3D0[/strike]
[strike]Phantom[/strike]
Acer

BTW, some of the most horribly build computers I have seen are Acers. There are a few solid exceptions, but mostly they are poor, flimsy pieces of shit.

you needed to license to develop for the 3DO. The 3DO wasn't open, it was a console built entirely out of licenses.

OremLK

I fully expect this to fail, but at the same time, it'd be cool if it if it was a smashing success.

Impersonator

This will be strange to watch, Acer is known for their low prices so maybe we would see a change if they would make a low-budget console that can still compete with the likes of Sony and Microsoft

LewieP

If it genuinely is completely open, I would actually be quite interested in this.

Look at all the cool homebrew that gets made for the DS, Dreamcast, oxbox, PSP and hopefully soon Wii. Imagine how much more they could achieve with complete documentation and official support.

I imagine it would be like the home console version of the GP32/GP2X.

To be honest, that's the only way I can see another consle having any success right now, trying to out compete Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony at their own game would take so much money it would probably not be worth it.

All depending on price, features, and hardware competence I am mildly interested in this. I'm certainly not going to write it off straight away.

TheSonicRetard

Well, if you want REALLY open, there's always the XGameStation.

But that's a little too open, even for me. I don't have the time to sitdown and build a console.

HallowedFaith

It is very possible that the system will have an open SDK and have various features that allow you to design games on/for the system. They might be trying to launch off that idea.

Maybe they make a deal with Gametap? That could have interesting side effects.

The potential to at least put up a machine that won't crash and burn on launch day is possible, though they would really have to think outside the box and offer some nice features.

*Edit* There is also nothing to say that "someone" won't come out with emulator software so that this machine can suddenly play Xbox, Xbox360, PS/PS2 games. Etc. etc. Though no fault of Acer who could very well be trying to break into the "homebrew" market without announcing it.

fearsomepirate

I don't think the central idea of being "open" is to release the ultimate homebrew console. The number of people who care about homebrew is pretty small relative to the number of people who buy professional software. I mean, it's not like the average PC gamer in 1996 had tons and tons of homebrew games.

Khavall

I got Acer and Asus confused for a second and was wondering why there was bitching.


Then I remembered who Acer was.


So basically it'll be a broken computer.