Amazon console to be launched this year, priced 300$

VideoGamer Portugal: It's no secret that Amazon is producing game console based on the Android operating system, similar to what competitors like Nvidia or Ouya Shield had done over the past few days.

[Iltapalanyymi]

Why?

[kneon]

To make money perhaps?

[clmstr]

I don't think that a $300 Android-based console is a good way to make money.

[levian]

I just don't see the need. If people want android gaming, which is essentially smartphone games, they could just hook up their phone to the TV and use a controller.

The Ouya definitely didn't succeed and personally I don't think there's demand for an android console.

[erathaol]

What a strange console generation this is SteamOS, Nintendo faltering, Oculus Rift, Playstation Now, Microsoft pushing Cloud, etc...

[zippycup]

maybe they think that since $800 smart phones sell so good then a $300 would be cheap by comparison

[nukeitall]

In the end, it is the content and features that will win consumers over. How many $500 iPads does Apple sell every year?

[ikkokucrisis]

So, I gotta pay $300 touch my tv screen to play angry birds now? Bad move Amazon

[dedicatedtogamers]

Too many consoles...

We're going to have a repeat of the early 90s where a ton of companies jumped into console gaming and therefore a ton of companies went nearly bankrupt. With the console market likely to shrink slightly, I think we're going to have yet another "market leader" generation where one console vastly outsells the other. Let's face it: when there are too many choices on the market, people tend to simply pick the most popular one.

[SilentNegotiator]

I would agree *IF* this weren't just another Android console. But the android consoles are ultimately not getting much love and the PS4/Xbone are setting records - At this rate, PS4 will take the lead, but it won't be a complete lone market leader situation.

The 7th generation was a very evenly distributed generations in sales: ~80m, ~80m, ~100m. And if I'm not mistaken, 260 million pieces of hardware is better than any generation before it; they were pronouncing consoles in danger of the mobile market since 2007, so I'm not worried about the console market shrinking.

[nukeitall]

I think the "market leader" is likely to be Amazon. Amazon succeeded in pushing out Nook in a crowded Android tablet market.

Remember, Amazon actually has an ecosystem that "matters". They successfully convinced me to get a Kindle Fire by giving free apps, cheap ebooks with convenient access on all devices and music with their mp3 cloud.

In short, being able to access Amazon Prime movies, music, games and even books on a fixed hardware from Amazon is very appealing especially if they allow Netflix and other content providers. In a years or two, that $300 console will be $100!

Neither MS nor Sony will be able to compete on price, so they will have to compete on AAA games.

I think indies will flock to the Amazon console the same way the hype for Ouya happen. What is killing Ouya is not having the resource muscle of Amazon and the actual quality of the hardware.

[schlanz]

$300 seems too high for an android console. The Ouya was $100 and bombed. Obviously Amazon can market their system much more effectively. But the Wii U is also $300 and I think you would be hard pressed to find a gamer out there that would rather drop $300 on an android console opposed to a Nintendo console. Also the kindle fires starts at $140, I would have to imagine not including a display on a device cuts down on mfg costs considerably. I would expect an Amazon console to end up in the $150-180 range and not much higher.

[MadMen]

Im all about competition only helps us and our wallets.

[muffinbutton]

please explain.

[SlavisH2]

lol if you need him to explain you need to go to school not to n4g.

[muffinbutton]

I was confused because their wasn't a comma and i wanted to know exactly what he meant, thats all.

[famoussasjohn]

Mobile games aren't competing with games we are getting on the Xbox One and PS4. Keep the mobile games on the mobile devices, not on a console, especially at that price.

[bigfish]

After the success of the PS4,, no other company should even contemplate launching a console

[starchild]

What success? You act like it's the end of the generation, when in fact we're really just barely beginning.
I could easily see Apple or Google or Samsung entering the market and beating Sony if they really decided to.

[IcicleTrepan]

I think between the PS4 and the Xbox One, The Wii U and the incoming Steam machines, the console gaming space is pretty much all locked down.

[iplay1up2]

Some smart TV's already can play android games, like our Samsung. Not only that but I prefer my tablet for android games.

Oh well, another fail. The market is saturated as it is.

[JohnnyTower]

You would think google of all people would have done some research and found out that this is a bad idea. Markets flooded. Nobody would actively pursue a google console. The only thing they will have going for them is that it will pop up first in the search engine every time.

[Imonaboat1]

Stopped reading once it said Android ...

[WeAreLegion]

No way. Too much. Amazon wouldn't do it.

[iplay1up2]

What are you talking about? Amazon IS doing it.
http://www.gamespot.com/art...

[Blues Cowboy]

@GotHDGame: The operative word there is "REPORT."

That's games journalist for "rumour."

[WeAreLegion]

From your article:

"Retail behemoth Amazon will launch its rumored Android-powered games and entertainment device in 2014 at a price point below $300."

Exactly. Below $300.

[Blues Cowboy]

Sorry, but Android just isn't a strong enough gaming ecosystem to support a console. Look, I love Android gaming, but there's too much piracy and too many devices to optimise for to make it worthwhile for most developers. There's a reason why devs bring games to iOS or consoles, then wait for months until finally bringing out an Android port (usually with some graphical downgrades or extra freemium elements).

TL;DR, Android is an amazing fit for a multifuntional phone or tablet, but horrible for a dedicated games console.

[pandehz]

Android games are nowhere near the quality of current pc and console games.

[Soldierone]

You lost me at Android based console.

Sorry won't even buy the Ouya for 99 dollars, let alone a 300 dollar one. I love Amazon, love my Kindle Fire, but not paying 300 dollars to play crappy phone titles.

[curtis92]

There's something in the air lately that has companies making some boneheaded decisions about how to invest in new products. Except for Sony, really.

[MilkMan]

Please let this be a some weird misprint. Ill even take a troll post.

[CerealKiller]

I can see this as a possible low end competitor to steam machines with linux based PC games. This will be great for Amazon's expanding digital push. Also they can pick up the Wii's "casual" crowd. They could even do a game subscription service with amazon prime and run games on their powerful servers and stream them like Playstation Now and OnLive. This is a no-brainer for Amazon.