Amazon's gaming and entertainment console coming this year under $300, sources claim

Shawn Knight

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Amazon is expected to launch an Android-powered gaming and entertainment device sometime this year priced under $300. The system will compete directly with offerings from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony according to multiple sources as reported by VG247.

The publication has learned that senior publishing sources have met with Amazon for a hardware briefing and were shown popular Android and iOS games. Current hardware is described as grey in color and about the same size as the redesigned PSone.

It’s oblong in shape and features sharp edges but the prototype could receive a full makeover before an official release, we’re told. The system is being designed by Lab 126, the same team that helps build Kindle devices.

Amazon wants an affordable price point and will position the system below $300. This will allow them to come in on the cheaper side, much like they already do with the Kindle Fire HD against the Apple iPad.

In addition to taking on the big three console makers, Amazon will also compete directly with microconsoles from the likes of Gamestick and Ouya. These companies have yet to capture much market share outside of enthusiasts but with Amazon’s massive customer base and their well-stocked entertainment catalog, they stand a good chance to really shake up the industry.

Much like the long-rumored Amazon smartphone, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumblings of a set-top box. But such a device makes a lot more sense for the company than a smartphone does at this point so we’ll just have to see how this plays out over the coming months.

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Sounds like Amazon Prime Subscription Service Plan $$$ perks will be embedded in this new device like they did with the kindle tablet. WiFi downloads to the Amazon cloud to play games on this console.
 
Well guys, it seems we are in a time warp because we have now jumped back to the 1970's where every company and his dog makes a game console. Now all that's left is when we hit the next video game crash like the one in 1983.
 
I don't see this as a direct competitor to Sony or Microsoft, but the 3DS might be in trouble. The biggest loser in all of this will be the OUYA, which has yet to find its own identity.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but is this simply a neutered smart phone that is now called a console?

The idea of separating games from the smart phone and then calling it a console, puzzles me. I could understand this, if people only wanted a console. People want a phone, not an independent gaming non-phone device. I find this more controversial than SteamOS.
 
Is every bigger company gonna make a console now?

It's a huge market, just like smartphones. Where there is money the companies will try to grab it. It's a win for the consumer... more competition means a race for better games and better prices.
 
It's a huge market, just like smartphones. Where there is money the companies will try to grab it. It's a win for the consumer... more competition means a race for better games and better prices.
Not exactly, as I stated as a joke earlier this is similar to what happened in the 1970's-1980's. Every company and his dog started making consoles and games because at the time the Atari 2600 had made home gaming a hot topic. Recently with Android, iOS, Windows, and more have given developers open season to build on them (some for a fee or part of your app money) and now everyone thinks that making an Android console is going to be a huge success. Even with Amazons following, I do not think something like this will take off even at a cheaper price point because many if not most people who would be interested in this type of device are already carrying something close to, as, or more powerful than the device (Even without seeing the specs I am just guessing because of the price point) and already have Android so they can most likely already play those games. What its doing is over blowing the market with consoles that may or may not be anything special or have a reason to exist because something already out can do that.

Im not going to straight up 'Hate' the device until we see if and see what it can do, but based on the recent string of devices I doubt its going to be anything special. If you really want to game on an Android device, there are always the plug in controllers for phones now-a-days that you can get for cheaper than one of these consoles and you just use the phone you already bring everywhere. But like I said, who knows and we could end up with something special, I just doubt it.
 
To me there's a huge difference between gaming on a console or a PC, let alone this POS android thing to play POS android games like angry birds... As already mentioned/rumored it's going to be less powerful than a top of the line phone, Woopy! and only capable of playing games designed to pass time on a bus. Simply put I'll pass, anyone who even remotely considered themselves a gamer shouldn't even bother batting an eye at something so pathetic. Clearly this is just another attempt at milking money from people who don't understand the difference between a Console and whatever this thing will be classified as.
 
@GhostRyder and @Adhmuz You're both right, but I think you're thinking this Amazon console has to fit into the current gaming structure. Today we have console games (and PC) that are $60 and can use complicated inputs like controllers, mice and keyboards. And we have simple cheap games for $0 to $5 (maybe $10) for mobile that use simple touch inputs. An Android console could open up the possibility for games to cost around $20-$30 and use a controller. They could be much bigger than a simple app download, and also be much better.

Because it's android they could also use all the other extras that are available as apps that MS put in the XB1 like multimedia and video apps etc.

Yes, it could be terrible and it might not take off, but it also might fit a nice niche that currently isn't there. We'll have to see if people buy it. I thought Amazon was making a mistake with the Kindle Fire for all the same reasons, but that has been pretty popular.
 
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