# The GameStick



## Veho (Jan 8, 2013)

Prototype.​

Basically it's one of those Android sticks that plugs into the HDMI port and runs Android on your TV, and a wireless gamepad. The stick fits into the gamepad for easy transport, and also because that's neat. It's powered from the HDMI port (for TVs with MHL support) or via USB. Developed by PlayJam, a games developer/publisher/distribution network with an already established library of games for SmartTVs and mobile platforms. The platform is supposed to be "open" to (or one hack away from) other Android software as well. 



> Processor - Amlogic 8726-MX
> Memory - 1GB DDR3 / 8GB FLASH
> Content Download Manager w/ cloud storage for games.
> WiFi - 802.11 b/g/n
> ...



It will be $79. Not bad. 


Official page. 

Kickstarter page. The goal has already been reached (twice over).


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## Gahars (Jan 8, 2013)

I'd call it an Ouya killer, but I'm sure the Ouya will be dead on arrival anyway.

That being said, this looks interesting, but I'm kind of doubtful it will be able to make any real dent in the market. It's going to face a tough uphill battle, and I'm not sure if it will be able to gather enough support (either from console/pc gamers or fans of smartphone games) to take it over the top.


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## Rydian (Jan 8, 2013)

You know... I agree, this isn't that bad.


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## finkmac (Jan 8, 2013)

P L A Y… Hahaha… 

I guess the Shoulder buttons are labeled "E" and "R"…


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## Veho (Jan 9, 2013)

Gahars said:


> That being said, this looks interesting, but I'm kind of doubtful it will be able to make any real dent in the market.


Probably not. There's tons of Android sticks out there. This one might get better backing and marketing than a generic Android stick. And it has a dual analog controller (and those things are expensive). And it's pretty competitively priced. Also, emulation    (it seems the ultimate goal/wet dream for a ot of console owners is to have every device they own emulate every other device ever). It won't cause a revolution in gaming but it might have moderate success.


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## Its_just_Lou (Jan 12, 2013)

Gahars said:


> I'd call it an Ouya killer, but I'm sure the Ouya will be dead on arrival anyway.
> 
> That being said, this looks interesting, but I'm kind of doubtful it will be able to make any real dent in the market. It's going to face a tough uphill battle, and I'm not sure if it will be able to gather enough support (either from console/pc gamers or fans of smartphone games) to take it over the top.


 
I watched a couple vids on the 'Ouya'...was mildly excited, then saw it wasn't a hand-held.


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## mrtofu (Jan 12, 2013)

deleted


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## Veho (Jan 13, 2013)

WatchGintama said:


> *video*



"This video has been removed by the user."


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## Veho (Feb 12, 2013)

Updates! 

Here's the final controller design: 









Reached, probably, via the time-honored streamlining tradition of carving the previous design out of soap and then washing your hands a few times. Whatever's left is the streamlined redesign. 


The Stick will also have a microSD card reader. I didn't know it didn't have one. I had assumed it had one from the start. But anyway. It has one now. 

The Kickstarter campaign also raised enough moneyz for the "Dock" stretch goal, so the GameStick will have the dock peripheral available at launch. The dock is a docking bay with 3 USB ports, 2 HDMI ports, 1 Ethernet port for wired interwebz, SD card reader, and a wireless charger pad for the controller. The GameStick+dock bundle was $109 on Kickstarter, but that ship has sailed, and there's no word on the retail price yet. Probably $120. 

(Prototype images.)









The GameStick will probably be available in retail stores, and PlayJam's CMO hints at hardware "updates" at some point, probably by simply buying a new stick. 

Launches in April.


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## Flame (Feb 12, 2013)

doesnt look too bad.


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## Bladexdsl (Feb 12, 2013)

so how do you get the games with this?


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## gamefan5 (Feb 12, 2013)

Not bad at all. XD


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## Nah3DS (Feb 12, 2013)

the A button goes to the right 

(don't post a pic of a xbox/neo-geo cd controller)
you will be using this mostly for emulators, and about 70% of them emulate Nintendo consoles


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## Foxi4 (Feb 12, 2013)

Right, my two cents:

Very poor specs. I understand that you can't build a jet out of matches and spit, but a $78 budget should still amount to more than a dual-core Amlogic CPU - the OUYA will retail for only a little bit more and it offers a much, much better CPU, not to mention that in a fight the built-in Mali400 loses againts the Tegra 3's GPU so much that it's not even funny, and the GPU is what we should be interested in in a gaming device.
Form factor? Really cool idea. It's a home console that you can take anywhere you want and I'm loving it. Execution? Poor. I like the white stylistic and the buttons as well as the sticks look high-quality but the controller itself just doesn't look very comfortable. Where are the curves, where are the grooves?
That docking station is fantastic - I'm loving the idea of connecting every non-essential perhaptial like USB ports and external memory slots into a convenient station that'll also charge the device proper - good thinking.
No touchpad is a bad thing. We all know how often typically "mobile" games feature some extra functionality with on-screen buttons or swipes - the OUYA tries to _"fix"_ the lack of a physical touchscreen with a touchpad which, when used correctly, could be a substitute _(not an accurate one so don't count on using it for precise shooting, but a substitute nonetheless - you could still perform basic gestures and assign buttons in the corners or something)_. No touchpad here - no points.
Overall? It's a good idea... but needs some improvements, really. I think I'll be leaning towards the OUYA on this one.


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## Bladexdsl (Feb 12, 2013)

but how does it play games there's no console it actually connects into? it connets to your tv but than what how do you get them games from your tv?


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## Foxi4 (Feb 12, 2013)

Bladexdsl said:


> but how does it play games there's no console it actually connects into? it connets to your tv but than what how do you get them games from your tv?


There's an HDMI connector on one end - you jam that thing into the HDMI slot of your TV and bam - you've got yourself a console. If you need games or you need to update, you just go online via WiFi.


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## Bladexdsl (Feb 12, 2013)

so let me get this straight you need to plug it into a hdmi slot and than hold it with the cord connected from the slot? that means you'll either need a very long hdmi cable or sit really close to the tv...


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## spinal_cord (Feb 12, 2013)

Bladexdsl said:


> so let me get this straight you need to plug it into a hdmi slot and than hold it with the cord connected from the slot? that means you'll either need a very long hdmi cable or sit really close to the tv...


 
What are you talking about? There are TWO parts to this, first part is an Android based computer that is completely powered by the HDMI connector, it looks similar to a USB thumb stick. The second part is a WIRELESS gamepad... Notice the word WIRELESS. There is no cord.


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## Psionic Roshambo (Feb 12, 2013)

I probably would just buy one of these guys....

http://dx.com/p/j21-dual-core-android-4-1-google-tv-player-w-wi-fi-1gb-ram-4gb-rom-purple-173098

You would need to spend a bit more to get everything going but the results would probably be a bit better.


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## xwatchmanx (Feb 12, 2013)

NahuelDS said:


> the A button goes to the right
> 
> (don't post a pic of a xbox/neo-geo cd controller)
> you will be using this mostly for emulators, and about 70% of them emulate Nintendo consoles


I'm still waiting for a console that puts the A button to the bottom, the B button to the left, the X button to the right, and the Y button up top. The most logical formation, in my opinion (id iest, instead of holding 'Y' to run and pressing 'B' to jump, you'll hold 'B' to run, and press 'A' to jump, which is dozens of times more intuitive, IMO).


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## Veho (Feb 12, 2013)

Bladexdsl said:


> so let me get this straight you need to plug it into a hdmi slot and than hold it with the cord connected from the slot? that means you'll either need a very long hdmi cable or sit really close to the tv...


The controller is wireless. Look at the second picture in the first post. You see the console (the USB-stick-looking thing), and the controller. They are separate. The controller is wireless. The stick plugs into the TV. The controller connects via Bluetooth. 



Psionic Roshambo said:


> I probably would just buy one of these guys....
> http://dx.com/p/j21-dual-core-android-4-1-google-tv-player-w-wi-fi-1gb-ram-4gb-rom-purple-173098
> You would need to spend a bit more to get everything going but the results would probably be a bit better.


It's the same hardware, how would it be better? Do you dislike GameStick's controller?


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## Bladexdsl (Feb 12, 2013)

whats all this shit plugged into it than? theres a power cable and hdmi cable doesnt look wireless at all


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## Foxi4 (Feb 12, 2013)

Bladexdsl said:


> whats all this shit plugged into it than?


A microphone, an SD card, a wireless keyboard, a wireless mouse, a charger, an Ethernet cable, an HDMI extension cable _(I think?)_ and a webcam. 

_What? That's what those are._


Bladexdsl said:


> Theres a power cable and hdmi cable doesnt look wireless at all


You have to _charge_ it somehow, hence the charger - the set is entirely wireless, this photo just shows what kinds of stuff it's compatible with. Also that's the additional expansion station, not the actual controller.


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## Veho (Feb 12, 2013)

Bladexdsl said:


> whats all this shit plugged into it than? theres a power cable and hdmi cable doesnt look wireless at all


But the mouse and keyboard are wireless   

EDIT: That's the expansion dock, not the gamepad. Instead of plugging the stick into the TV, you can plug it into the dock and then connect the dock to the TV via HDMI, and it gives you extra USB ports and an SD card reader.


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## Rydian (Feb 12, 2013)

Hey look, Blade stopped reading after the first sentence.

"Yes Rydian, we know the sky is blue."


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## Veho (Feb 12, 2013)

Rydian said:


> Hey look, Blade stopped reading after the first sentence.


So did Foxi but we're not riding his ass about it.


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## Foxi4 (Feb 12, 2013)

Veho said:


> So did Foxi but we're not riding his ass about it.


Huh? I missed something?


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## Rydian (Feb 12, 2013)

Veho said:


> So did Foxi but we're not riding his ass about it.


Foxi told me "never again". T_T


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## Foxi4 (Feb 12, 2013)

Rydian said:


> Foxi told me "never again". T_T


I told you to wax - there's a world of difference! 

Don't you pull out our dirty laundry in the middle of a thread, alright? Jeez, handle a rejection like a man... fox... person!


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## Veho (Feb 12, 2013)

Foxi4 said:


> Huh? I missed something?


Yes, the company behind the console, and the target market.


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## Foxi4 (Feb 12, 2013)

Veho said:


> Yes, the company behind the console, and the target market.


I've read about the GameStick much, much earlier and I realize what they're trying to do here - it's another Kickstarter project and they're aiming to bring gaming to the masses with an inexpensive gaming device.

There's a problem with this logic though - if you can afford an HDTV, because _those_ are equipped with HDMI inputs, you can probably spend a little more than $78 for a game console - those few dollars could make a world of difference and extend the life of this product quite substantially. If they wanted to go _full-on cheapo_, they should've used RCA_ (Cinch)_.


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## Veho (Feb 12, 2013)

Foxi4 said:


> I've read about the GameStick much, much earlier and I realize what they're trying to do here - it's another Kickstarter project and they're aiming to bring gaming to the masses with an inexpensive gaming device.


Well they've been bringing gaming to the masses with set-top boxes and via internet-enabled TVs, so the GameStick is an expensive powerhouse in comparison.


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## Foxi4 (Feb 12, 2013)

Veho said:


> Well they've been bringing gaming to the masses with set-top boxes and via internet-enabled TVs, so the GameStick is an expensive powerhouse in comparison.


I guess it could be a fun thing for mess halls and that kind of places, as long as they offer extra controllers for it. I mean, the users could be 3 or 300, they won't break a console that's in the HDMI slot at the back of the TV at all times and I don't think the controller bit would be all that expensive...


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## Rizsparky (Feb 12, 2013)

The AmLogic Quad Core chips are being released, surely means that this will receive an hardware revision pretty soon


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## Rydian (Feb 12, 2013)

Rizsparky said:


> The AmLogic Quad Core chips are being released, surely means that this will receive an hardware revision pretty soon


Well power drain and heat dissipation are concerns.


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## Bladexdsl (Feb 12, 2013)

too bad this thing will still suck this is why

the games they're either

a. casual crap.
b. pay to play/keep playing SCAM games.


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## Nah3DS (Feb 12, 2013)

xwatchmanx said:


> I'm still waiting for a console that puts the A button to the bottom, the B button to the left, the X button to the right, and the Y button up top. The most logical formation, in my opinion (id iest, instead of holding 'Y' to run and pressing 'B' to jump, you'll hold 'B' to run, and press 'A' to jump, which is dozens of times more intuitive, IMO).


say hi to the n64 controller


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## duffmmann (Feb 12, 2013)

Bladexdsl said:


> whats all this shit plugged into it than? theres a power cable and hdmi cable doesnt look wireless at all


 
If I'm understanding correctly, the white box is a little hub area that connects wireless with both the HDMI connector and the remote.  This hub area seems to be of use for games that require more than just the controller.  (Mic for the likes of karaoke, ethernet if you don't receive wireless, mouse and keyboard for various internet based things, even word processing if you feel so inclined.  Etc. Etc.

It seems that this part of the system, doesn't even necessarily have to be plugged in, you only use it for when you want to do more than play your straight up emulators and gamepad only games.


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## xwatchmanx (Feb 13, 2013)

NahuelDS said:


> say hi to the n64 controller


I don't see how. There's no X or Y button. The A and B button fit the arrangement, though. Shame future Nintendo consoles didn't follow suit (though I'm personally a fan of the GameCube button layout, it's my favorite).


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## Veho (Feb 13, 2013)

Foxi4 said:


> I guess it could be a fun thing for mess halls and that kind of places, as long as they offer extra controllers for it.


It supports up to 4 gamepads, and also lets you use your iOS or Android devices as controllers.


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## KingVamp (Feb 13, 2013)

Gahars said:


> I'd call it an Ouya killer, but I'm sure the Ouya will be dead on arrival anyway.


Why would this have a better chance than the Ouya?
It's like a different form and even a cheaper Ouya. 


Idk, if I'm moving to these type of consoles , I think I'm leaning towards the Ouya.


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## Veho (Dec 20, 2013)

Veho said:


> It will be $79. Not bad.



I was wrong. 

(Sorry about the necrobump but this is the only relevant thread.) 

Seriously, $150? Are they joking?


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## KingVamp (Dec 25, 2013)

Veho said:


> I was wrong.
> 
> Seriously, $150? Are they joking?


The Ouya was/is a more better choice than I thought


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## Devin (Dec 25, 2013)

Veho said:


> I was wrong.
> 
> (Sorry about the necrobump but this is the only relevant thread.)
> 
> Seriously, $150? Are they joking?


 

Third party seller by the looks of it, selling a KickStarter version. GameStop has it listed as $79.99 as does the Canadian Amazon.


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## I_AM_BIB (Dec 25, 2013)

Meh, kinda disappointed with the diagonally placed joysticks. I'd much prefer it to be both at the bottom or top, just like PS or Wii U, just can't get my head around playing games like this...


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## Veho (Dec 25, 2013)

Devin said:


> Third party seller by the looks of it, selling a KickStarter version. GameStop has it listed as $79.99 as does the Canadian Amazon.


But that's the only one available at Amazon.com. 

This is from their official store. 
(http://store.gamestick.tv/collections/allproducts ) 
That's the UK price though. The US price is supposed to be $79.99 according to their promo materials but I can't see that part of the store because I live in the wrong neighbourhood   

Still, $80. The Ouya is $90 at the moment. I don't know what the software support and infrastructure is like for the GameStick but an extra $10 can get you a lot of extra specs, it would make me reconsider the purchase.


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