Ian Bell, CEO and founder of Slightly Mad Studios just teased an upcoming gaming console called the Mad Box. According to Bell the console will be VR-ready and will be able to deliver 4K graphics in games. The console will be able to deliver 60 FPS per eye which is very smooth indeed.
Bell also mentioned that a free engine will be released and that developers will be able to develop games on the engine. All that is very interesting indeed but it is worth pointing out that the studio has no experience with hardware.
The studio is known for Project Cars and even though the game has a VR version available for those that want to experience the game in virtual reality, the studio has no experience working with hardware strictly. Ian Bell had the following to say about the Mad Box on Twitter:
What is the Mad Box? It’s the most powerful console ever built…It’s literally ‘Mad’… You want 4K, you want VR at 60fps? You want a full engine for free to develop your games on it? You have it.
Bell clarified that the Mad Box will be released after more than 3 years which means that it is still in early development and there is still a lot of time before it is released to the public. Another interesting point to note is that the Mad Box will be competing with the upcoming Sony PS5 and Xbox Scarlett gaming consoles that are expected to release in 2020. That is a year from now.
If the Mad Box is going to take 3 years then that means that it will release after the PS5 and Xbox Scarlett and I wonder who is going to skips consoles from Sony and Microsoft in favor of a console from a studio that has no experience in this space.
Another important thing worth pointing out is that developers will need to optimize games for the Mad Box. Sony and Microsoft already have an ecosystem, Slightly Mad Studios has a lot to figure out at this point.
Let us know what you think about the Mad Box and whether or not you think it can make it in a space where the Xbox, PS and Nintendo Switch already exist. Not to mention power gaming PCs that can deliver VR and 4K gaming experiences.
