A fourth contender seeks to enter the battle for console dominance, but only in China for now, where the big three have no presence.
Chinese technology firm Lenovo has announced its intentions to release a controller-free videogame console called the Ebox. Lenovo developed a spin-off firm called Beijing eedoo Technology to work on the product, which is only planned for release in China, an area where the government has previously banned the import of videogame consoles.
Jack Luo, new president of Beijing eedoo, compares the Ebox to Microsoft's Kinect. It will reportedly be able to read players' movements with a camera, just like the upcoming Xbox 360 peripheral. "We are the world's second company to produce a controller-free game console, behind only Microsoft," Luo says.
However, don't expect the two to go head-to-head anytime soon. Luo predicts more than 1 million Ebox sales per year after two or three years, but the console is only planned for launch in China (possibly in early 2011). Its release in other areas seems unlikely, but hasn't been totally ruled out. The Ebox will launch with 30 free games as a method of dealing with China's rampant piracy issues.
And as for the Chinese government's problem with videogame consoles, considering them to be a form of entertainment unhealthy to youth, Beijing eedoo plans to market the Ebox as a healthy, patriotic activity. "Our product is designed for family entertainment," Luo says. "Ebox may not have exquisite game graphics, or extensive violence, but it can inspire family members to get off the couch and get some exercise." Luo also hopes to produce games with a Chinese cultural element to "win customers' hearts."
Microsoft wants to make its way into the Chinese market and is hoping for approval of Xbox 360 sales there, but faces an uphill battle. Beijng eedoo believes it holds the region advantage regardless because it's a Chinese company that better understands Chinese consumers. Personally, I can't wait to take a gander at some of the games the 16 separate game development companies are reportedly creating for the Ebox. I'm sure they'll be spectacular, in one way or another.
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Oh god, the Chintendo Vii... *sigh*... Anyways, I don't really see how this is competing with the other consoles... It's catering to a completely different market. Can't imagine Microsoft losing money over this...
"And as for the Chinese government's problem with videogame consoles, considering them to be a form of entertainment unhealthy to youth, Beijing eedoo plans to market the Ebox as a healthy, patriotic activity."
and so does that! china is more predictable than japan now i guess.
Meh, its china; more than likely the games will be more brainwashing. I admit my view of china may be grimmer than the reality but...nothing has changed since the bad old days, you know? the same ideas, sometimes even the same people are still running things. They just smile more.
don't we have enough stuff from china and plus won't it need some real heavy localization I mean it says patriotic activity I don't think America would like china trying to fill their children's heads with communism I think it might be more trouble then it's worth for them to expand
"We are the world's second company to produce a controller-free game console, behind only Microsoft," Luo says.
Third actually, Sony dd it first with the eye toy. While technically not entirely controller free. It was basically the same thing, and promptly crashed and burned.
I hope it gets released in Canada. I would like to play these "patriotic" games and see what they're like. As for console wars, you there hasn't been a war if no one's even going against each other yet. Now I wish there would be a Canadian console; just not the F-box or the Y-box.
Tom Goldman: Ebox may not have exquisite game graphics, or extensive violence
When I read this I laughed. It also reminded of a cheap Wii knockoff I saw a few weeks back here in Australia. It came with 16 games built in (mostly driving and puzzle palette swaps) and they all looked like 16bit generic titles from the early 90's.
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Lenovo's Ebox Enters the Console War
A fourth contender seeks to enter the battle for console dominance, but only in China for now, where the big three have no presence.
Chinese technology firm Lenovo has announced its intentions to release a controller-free videogame console called the Ebox. Lenovo developed a spin-off firm called Beijing eedoo Technology to work on the product, which is only planned for release in China, an area where the government has previously banned the import of videogame consoles.
Jack Luo, new president of Beijing eedoo, compares the Ebox to Microsoft's Kinect. It will reportedly be able to read players' movements with a camera, just like the upcoming Xbox 360 peripheral. "We are the world's second company to produce a controller-free game console, behind only Microsoft," Luo says.
However, don't expect the two to go head-to-head anytime soon. Luo predicts more than 1 million Ebox sales per year after two or three years, but the console is only planned for launch in China (possibly in early 2011). Its release in other areas seems unlikely, but hasn't been totally ruled out. The Ebox will launch with 30 free games as a method of dealing with China's rampant piracy issues.
And as for the Chinese government's problem with videogame consoles, considering them to be a form of entertainment unhealthy to youth, Beijing eedoo plans to market the Ebox as a healthy, patriotic activity. "Our product is designed for family entertainment," Luo says. "Ebox may not have exquisite game graphics, or extensive violence, but it can inspire family members to get off the couch and get some exercise." Luo also hopes to produce games with a Chinese cultural element to "win customers' hearts."
Microsoft wants to make its way into the Chinese market and is hoping for approval of Xbox 360 sales there, but faces an uphill battle. Beijng eedoo believes it holds the region advantage regardless because it's a Chinese company that better understands Chinese consumers. Personally, I can't wait to take a gander at some of the games the 16 separate game development companies are reportedly creating for the Ebox. I'm sure they'll be spectacular, in one way or another.
Source: China Daily
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