New console rivals have been revealed that are hoping to take on the market the current market leaders of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.
News in 2018 and moving into 2019 confirmed several shock updates involving two new gaming machines being in the works.
One comes from a company many fans will recognise, while the other comes from a more surprising source.
Slightly Mad Studios – the developers of the Project Cars franchise – want to build a very ambitious new machine that could launch after the PS4 and Xbox One.
Their idea of a new console will involve a sleek new design, virtual reality and competitive specs.
These new ideas have started to be shared online but remain as concepts for the time being.
In a recent update on the ongoing project, Slightly Mad Studios CEO Ian Bell confirmed that they were pushing forward with the project.
“We’re in talks with a company with a ‘HUGE back catalogue’ we might bundle for jollies…. Watch this space,” the Daily Star reports.
It doesn’t look like the new Mad Box console will be hitting shelves anytime soon, but that hasn’t stopped Bell sharing some interesting ideas and features for the new console.
This includes an online system that would remain free but would be supported by adverts.
This would also involve credits that could be turned into real cash, with Bell adding: “I have a cunning plan.
“Paid online? Free online? How about we pay you to be online?
“Every valid hour spent earning credits that translate into real-world money for you… Yes, it will mean advertisements, but YouTube is scraping along… Just a thought…”
And the Mad Box isn’t the only new console being talked about to rival the usual names.
Atari is also looking to re-enter the console market with a new ambitious design, with plans currently in place for a new gaming machine to launch in 2019.
The Atari VCS – originally named the Ataribox – was rebranded during 2018 and has been seeing updates posted on its official Indiegogo page.
The final post for 2018 covered news related to the company’s plans for the future, as well as a warning about those backers hoping to nab a console in 2019.
“There are still some backers that have not completed their BackerKit surveys,” the Atari message reads.
“If you haven’t done so because of a missing Backerkit email, please reach out directly to [email protected] with your Indiegogo order number(s) and other information.
“If you have just ignored the survey, you may end up as your own worst enemy when we start shipping Atari VCS hardware in 2019, and your address or other information is not yet confirmed.”
The official site states that the Atari CVS should be shipping in July 2019, making it the next major rival to the PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
The Atari VCS will ship with 100+ classic Atari games pre-loaded but it’s aiming to be a lot more than just another Classic Mini console.
According to the official gaming blurb, Atari VCS will also support new games, as well as multiplayer and internet store access.
New and exclusive titles will be announced this year which will be available to download or stream, including reimagined classic titles from Atari and other developers.
Atari has also promised that the VCS will have access to the Linux Sandbox, allow for more storage via cloud or USB, run multiple operating systems at once, as well as load Homebrew games.
So console gamers could be getting a widening choice over the usual collection of consoles from PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo.