GameGadget is a revolutionary Open Source handheld gaming device that will change the way that games are played, developed and sold.
Andy Pearson from GameGadget sent LGN this email :
Hi
You may or may not have heard about GameGadget (if you haven’t, the initial press
release can be found here http://www.gamegadget.net/press-release.html).
We have created a brand new retro gaming and open source gaming console which runs on a Linux based OS.
We have also have created an ‘iTunes style’ digital download platform (which is the main reason we are contacting you). Through this store, developers can upload their content for sale at a price of their choice and will receive a pre-agree royalty on every sale.
Press Release : London, UK – 21/11/11
GameGadget announced today the launch of their first “Go Anywhere – Play Everything” games console, The GameGadget 1.0. Built alongside a revolutionary software service (GameGadgetGames), GameGadget offers Gamers, Game Developers and Game Publishers, unrivalled choice and flexibility in how they play, create and sell games.
GameGadget will make its worldwide debut at the end of 2011. Jason Cooper, the creator of the GameGadget said:
“GameGadget has been designed with the ultimate goal of playing every game on a single device, just as the “iPod” was for music. Hundreds of thousands of games are currently “archived” and no longer being enjoyed by Gamers, with no value being generated for the Developers and Publishers. The launch of GameGadget creates a market for gamers to play the games they want to play. The GameGadgetGames service, just like “Apple’s App Store”, allows the owners of these games, to re-market their back catalogue, in their original format, set the appropriate pricing and gain incremental revenue, BUT with no additional investment”.
The GameGadget 1.0 will be available exclusively from www.gamegadget.net SRP £99.99. GameGadgetGames is scheduled to launch January 2012.
GameGadget for Gamers
GameGadget has been created to allow Gamers to purchase legal and secure downloads of their favourite games through an iTunes style application onto a single portable device.
GameGadget for Game Developers and Publishers
Through a simple and secure platform, programmers, publishers, developers, rights and license holders can monetize existing games instantly. GameGadget ensure the rights of the original owners of the content are protected. All games played on any GameGadget that are delivered via “GameGadgetGames” are encoded using a unique DRM (Digitial Rights Management) system.
Publishers can establish a brand new and unique digital revenue stream without any further investment by simply uploading games in their original format to GamesGadgetGames. Operating on a revenue share model, publishers are able to set and manage pricing in line with their commercial goals.
Anyone interested in licensing their games for download on GameGadgetGames should register their interest at www.gamegadget.net
Interested in a Career in video games? GameGadget is also an Open Source development Platform.
GameGadget provides all the tools to help users to create their own games – even if they have no experience in video game development! GameGadget hardware has also been developed to be freely programmable, to encourage individuals and small developers to create exciting new content, just as Sony Computer Entertainment did for the PlayStation One with Net Yaroze and with the Linux Platform for PlayStation 2,
GameGadget 1.0 uses a Linux based Operating System which has been highly optimized for handheld consoles. This allows programmers to develop content just like they would do for any other Linux based system.
Popular game development libraries such as SDL and DirectFB are fully compatible, creating a cross compiling environment. GameGadget provides all documentation, start-up guides for developers, lists of available libraries and specific platform notes.
Anyone interested in developing games for GameGadget should register their interest at www.gamegadget.net
Jason Cooper further commented:
“We have developed GameGadget to restore the video gaming experience to how it should be, for both gamers and developers. GameGadget is a unique gaming device, a bespoke software application and digital store. Our catalogue is ever expanding; allowing users fast and secure downloads all supported by an online community, giving gamers the total gaming experience.”
Screenshots
but… the iPod is all but dead, replaced by integrated/multipurpose devices running iOS and Android. Why faff around building a hardware device, instead of a multiplatform mobile app? If Nintendo can’t get traction with the 3DS, why try to compete in that market?
Is the DRM required? Will publishers be allowed to provide DRM-free downloads?
From the sound of this thing, it seems to just be a Dingoo that’s only purpose is to sell us old games.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to run a business, or using the idea of open source as marketing, but I’d be wary of this.
>Open Source handheld gaming device
Does this mean that the device has Open Source hardware, or Open Source only related to linux kernel and some userspace libs like SDL?