Gizmondo boss "extremely proud of what we've achieved"
by Ross Miller 
{ Oct 21st 2005 at 4:00PM }
Despite CNN's
bashing of the Gizmondo's US launch, European managing
director Carl Freer believes his company is in a great position. In his words:
"...we have a number of other models in development to complement the current device, the game portfolio is growing week-by-week, and the satellite navigation package is creating huge demand that, frankly, is over and above our original projections."
Freer feels that Gizmondo only needs to represent a "small slice of [of the games industry] to be successful." The NGage, by comparison, is still around, despite its niche audience. Have we been too harsh on this up-and-coming contender in the portable market?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BXJoseff @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
It's ugly and it's called a Gizmondo...uhm...you can stay in Europe thanks...
Not Impressed (Dmitri) @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
So. Instead of 1 person wanting it (their expectation), 2 people want it.
Congratulations!
OMGWTFBBQ @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
hay, at least it isnt the phantom ;)
but this article is useless, of course he's gonna say he's proud of it lol he's trying to sell the damn thing
darko82 @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
No, you haven't been too harsh. It's still a piece of shit nobody wants, marketing spin or no marketing spin. Really, what else did you expect a manager to say?
Sofox @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
I prefer to wait on the GPX2 launch thank you very much.
AbleJames @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
Considering the corruption stories I've seen about this company, and their frankly irrational optimism, they might as well be launching the Phantom console.
You can't BE too harsh on these guys. They're releasing a crappy product that will force you to watch advertisements just to use the system even after you pay exorbitant amounts of money.
Add that to a library of bargain-basement games and backroom dealings involving certain company execs giving big wads of cash to their wives/lovers, and there just isn't a reason in hell to support this system.
Not Impressed (Dmitri) @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
Just to show how crappy this thing is...
I'de buy a PSP before I bought this...
*GASP!*
Just curious @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
Just curious , have any of you that are insulting the Gizmondo actually tried it?
Because I have and it's awesome!!
Kamalot @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
I saw a video of an alternate reality game for this that looked REALLY cool!
http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=6154&type=mov
I've never seen that kind of interaction before in a game and at least makes me want to try the unit.
El Payo @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
"Have we been too harsh on this up-and-coming contender in the portable market?"
Uh, no.
abigsmurf @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
It's easy to knock the Gizmondo but it's a powerfull beast and you try getting a GPS system that can play games for it's price. I've played one and aside from the small screen (similar size to the GBA) it's fairly good.
#5 You don't HAVE to get the advertising, it's just 100 cheaper if you do. It doesn't have to sell lots to be profitable, look at the GP32, everyone loved it, it was popular enough to spawn a sequel yet they only sold 30,000 units and had a very small games sold/units sold ratio.
I wonder if any of the comments above that are knocking it have actually seen the console in action, let alone played it
kojo87 @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
WTF! those are the most retarded button icons i have ever seen! and its pretty fucking ugly. what are the thing's dimmensions and stats anyway?
AbleJames @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
#10-- See story here:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6136164.html
There is no ad-free version now.
abigsmurf @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
#11 thats a very out of date pic the actual production model has Video style buttons.
#12 Meh US. That GPS deal isn't too bad and you can always import from the EU
mike @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
WTF! those are the most retarded button icons i have ever seen!
===
stop bitching and push the wave button..
Yo Momma @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
"It's easy to knock the Gizmondo but it's a powerfull beast and you try getting a GPS system that can play games for it's price."
It's a game system with GPS. Very shitty GPS at that, if you buy just for that reason you're a fool.
funkyflea @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
True. The N-Gage is still around and has some pretty sweet games out this month.
As for the giz, I don't know how long it's going to last.
Well, good luck!
AbleJames @ Dec 18th 2005 10:09PM
#13--It'd have to be pretty frickin' great for me to pay through the nose at dollars-to-pounds exchange rate and deal with overseas shipping, etc just to get freedom from advertisements (What, the $300 isn't enough? Give me a break.). I haven't played it, but that said, the sheer crookedness of the people running the company should cause alarm for anyone looking for a legitimate gaming experience.
So, in sum: I'm not saying a whole lot about the Gizmondo as a system, mainly because there are plenty of deal-breakers before its merits are even considered--though its games are hardly impressive. I won't pay to view ads, I won't pay to support greedy execs. The fact that the games look like cell-phone games with a few N-Gage-era-tech 3D mainstream sports titles thrown in makes this point hardly worth even talking about.
(And to respond to your earlier comment, the GP2X is a true hobbyist's system. It's easy to get behind because it is made for the mod and homebrew communities, not a bunch of execs looking to live a life full of high-priced cars and personal Sting concerts.)