UK GameStick launch to be a GAME exclusive

UK highstreet gaming retailer GAME has secured another exclusive Android gaming hardware launch for its stores in June. Late last week we reported that GAME would be launching the OUYA in the UK in June, with pre-orders available at £99.99. Now it has been revealed that GAME will launch the GameStick console in June, it is available for pre-order on the GAME website for £79.99.

As a reminder of the GameStick specs I have reproduced the specs and features table below.

Processor - Amlogic 8726-MXS (dual-core Cortex A9 chip at 1.5GHz, along with a dual-core Mali 400 GPU at 400MHz)
Memory - 1GB DDR3 / 8GB FLASH (+microSD card slot for up to 32GB)
Content Download Manager w/ cloud storage for games.
HDMI interface, MHL support to take power directly from the HDMI slot (Power options are also available for older TVs)
WiFi - 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth - LE 4.0
O/S - Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
Controller – Bluetooth 3 mode controller: gamepad, mouse and keyboard with support for up to 4 controllers
Full 1080p HD video decoding
Support for iOS and Android mobile devices to be used as controllers
Support for XBMC & DLNA from September via optional firmware update.

Jasper Smith, CEO for PlayJam said “We are delighted to be partnering with GAME to bring GameStick to the UK market. It’s an affordable gaming console and we expect demand to be strong in the lead up to the in-store launch later this year. This is the first of many such partnerships that we will be securing over the coming weeks and we are thrilled that GAME is the first.” On the other end of the deal a GAME spokesperson said they were “really excited to be the only UK retailer to offer this product to the gaming community”.

Just like the OUYA console the dollar price seems to have been switched directly to pounds without any one bothering to whip out a calculator and mess around with exchange rates.

Last week we learned about several games which will come pre-installed on a new GameStick, including a third person shooter called Shadowgun. Also several more titles are lined up for the GameStick’s proprietary app store. GameInformer had a hands-on with a GameStick console at the GDC last week and I have embedded the official UI demo video below for your convenience. The interface looks like it works pretty slickly and the Riptide game in the video runs smoothly.

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I don't get these android so-called consoles, what's the point of playing phone games on your tv when you can just play it on your phone, why not use a proper console instead?

I wouldn't be pleased if my product was only available to buy at Game, a struggling over-priced high street chain…

Better a bricks and mortar store than just a facelees website though eh?

if £80 gives you all you need then i suppose for that money, getting a media streamer that can also play games and do other stuff isn't a bad deal. if it runs the latest xbmc well then they may be onto a winner

MustardCutter
I don't get these android so-called consoles, what's the point of playing phone games on your tv when you can just play it on your phone, why not use a proper console instead?

In that case you've completely missed the point. You've already paid for those games on your phone, so there's surely advantages in being able to play those self-same games without having to pay for them again in a console-type environment. (I'm assuming that there's a shared app store between phone and console - e.g. Google Play).

And in some cases - e.g. DeadTrigger and I'm sure that there'll be others - those games are approaching the levels seen in “proper” console games for gameplay, graphics, etc.

Plus, don't forget that this is really a US product, and from reports this kind of “big screen gaming” is all the rage. Don't forget the level of interest in the Ouya.

MustardCutter
I wouldn't be pleased if my product was only available to buy at Game, a struggling over-priced high street chain…

Last time I looked they seemed to be doing okay - especially now that the current management FINALLY got around to the idea that they'd got too many stores (and probably still have - although to a lesser extent). If you're not selling @Game, then where - Asda/Tesco/Sainsbury's (piled up with all the clothes, groceries, etc) or wholly online? The latter being a mistake of almost biblical proportions when you're talking about something that probably needs to be seen.

And based on what I've seen with the DS/DSi/DSi XL/3DS/etc they're probably right to launch in Game - that way the “great unwashed masses” get a chance for a hands on, plus (assuming the price is low enough) perhaps even the odd impulse buy or two. Heck, if a Nexus 7 at ~£160 is a valid “impulse buy” then surely a console at half that price is a definite?

Oh, and I have NO intention of either buying this or an Ouya - preferring to play Android games on the phone/tablets I already have. Then again, I don't feel the need to play tablet games on a large screen at the moment.

Also, if they were priced slightly cheaper I could imagine these selling well, if the games are of a good enough quality. Take a look at the website, just plug the console part into the TV USB port, and they are saying that later this year you'll be able to run XMBC and other stuff. Now that would be excellent with a dual-core ARM and 1gb ram, with 8gb flash and micro-sd card capability

UK GameStick launch to be a GAME exclusive

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