GASP: Phantom console fails to materialize
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Aug 15th 2006 at 10:25PM }
As tempting as it was to conjure up a "Phantom console CANCELLED" headline, the realization quickly set in that such a sensational piece of text simply wouldn't make any sense. How do you cancel something that never even existed to begin with? Zing, etc. It would appear that Phantom Entertainment has revamped their
Said service is described as "the first end-to-end, on-demand game service delivering online games directly to your living room or any comfortable setting in your home or workplace." Fascinating, but since "the Company intends to modify the Phantom Game Service software to run as client software on personal computers operating Windows XP and Windows XP Media center operating systems," games will only be going to your living room should that be the location of your computer. First indeed.
Further comedic value can be found in the "Who We Are" section, which duly describes the company as "an industry-leading, global entertainment and interactive game company." To be fair, it's probably the most truthful statement to be found on the entire website, as Phantom Entertainment is undoubtedly the leader of at least one industry and is frequently a provider of entertainment. Well, that and $129.95 Lapboards which, with the original console canned, barely have a reason to exist.
[Thanks, delerious.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The ZeroCorpse @ Aug 15th 2006 10:37PM
It was always an investment scam.
It still is.
Anybody who gives these guys money needs to be slapped.
Efren @ Aug 15th 2006 10:39PM
Dang, and I was really looking forward to this.
Fish @ Aug 15th 2006 10:43PM
Oh god! Noooooooo, I invested all my money in that company. I even sold all my stock on the Mohler SkyCar and the Seguewaaaaaay. I'm ruined!
reebo @ Aug 15th 2006 10:56PM
Woo, that lapboard looks like one of the most expensive pieces of redundancy I've ever seen.
MMurdock @ Aug 15th 2006 10:59PM
Curses, scientology scheme foiled by that damn Xenu.
Oh well, one more thing that has happened that took less time than Duke Nukem Forver to be released.
Number 150237: Phantom announced and scrapped
Tig @ Aug 15th 2006 11:01PM
Isn't this already called GameTap? Even if they do try to secure games for a similar service, they're so far behind with a name that is so negatively well known...well...good luck.
Sponge @ Aug 15th 2006 11:02PM
I sent them an e-mail asking (and I quote myself) "What the F#@K happened to that game console you were making?"
I wonder if they will ever reply?
Covarr @ Aug 15th 2006 11:17PM
List of products that Phantom is already too late to be.
1. RealArcade (crap though it is, it was here first)
2. GameTap
3. XBLA
4. Nintendo Virtual Console
I'm pretty sure that all they can afford on their current budget is freeware anyway, what with the money they've wasted.
"For a small fee, we will give you games that you can already get for free, such as Minesweeper and a trial version of Bejeweled II!"
AcceptableRisk @ Aug 15th 2006 11:22PM
Let's also not forget Direct2Drive. They've been doing it for a while now and they're not too bad at it from what I understand.
Jubba @ Aug 15th 2006 11:30PM
If you look at the big picture this makes alot of sense. Why try and make a console when most people already have a PC which is what a console is.
My PC which I already own, the keyboard which is reasonably priced considering you get a wireless mouse and keyboard. Hook my PC to HI-DEF TV and get thier service and you got what the Phantom was supposed to be anyway.
Yes the Phantom console is a joke in itself. But thier redirection of focus into using what we already own makes sense. No costly Hardware to purchase. Just an subscription fee and cost of that Keyboard and Mouse.
delldude420 @ Aug 15th 2006 11:58PM
• Powerful digital rights management (DRM) solution that ensures seamless delivery of digital content to consumers while protecting against piracy
*********************************************
just a feature everyone loves.. ask people who buy sony products about the greatnes of powerful drm :) yay joystiq i got to make a stab and sony :) anyways i'm getting a nintendo WII FTW!!
delldude420 @ Aug 15th 2006 11:58PM
• Powerful digital rights management (DRM) solution that ensures seamless delivery of digital content to consumers while protecting against piracy
just a feature everyone loves.. ask people who buy sony products about the greatnes of powerful drm :) yay joystiq i got to make a stab and sony :) anyways i'm getting a nintendo WII FTW!!
Noga @ Aug 16th 2006 12:04AM
I regret my investment in this as much as my investment in Skynet.
Timby @ Aug 16th 2006 12:12AM
I'm still wondering what the hell Kevin Bachus had been smoking when he bailed from Microsoft for these clowns.
Aaron @ Aug 16th 2006 12:25AM
The Phantom Lapboard has 'Woot's 2 for Tuesday 14.99 special' all over it...
Rare Hare @ Aug 16th 2006 12:26AM
Have any of you considered that perhaps the Phantom is a real product, and is really intended to be released?
While I think the product would be useless and flop miserably, I think it's quite possible that Phantom Entertainment (formerly known as Infinium Labs) has every intention of actually launching it.
404error @ Aug 16th 2006 12:55AM
Well considering they have removed all mention of it from their website I doubt they still plan to launch it.
Fman @ Aug 16th 2006 9:49AM
I think this company is trying to legitimately release a viable product. With the bad press it has gotten in the past couple years they tried to offset that with the name change. I hope they make it. Why should Game tap and Direct2Drive cornet this market. There should always be options when gaming with a service and they will, potentially be another service to choose from. I thought the console was a bad idea to begin with, and they should have done this sooner. I also think the keyboard is SWEET and have already ordered one to try out. We will see if it ships though.
Kirkburn @ Aug 16th 2006 10:35AM
Don't forget Steam was also there 2 years ago ...
Corvillus @ Aug 16th 2006 1:50PM
Actually, this kind of game delivery service existed as far back as 1994, anyone remember this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Channel
All things accounted for though, there are plenty of these types of services in the market now, and they all have a head start over this one in some way or another. I think it's probably safe to say that we can forget about this company now.