I'm making this console up as if I was an actual hardware company. (as Nintendo, and the like)
I give you all:
"The Servant"
The disc drive and game disc:
First, I'd have the game discs be a proprietary optical format. The disc would spin in the opposite direction. It would contain a 8192-bit encrypted filesystem. Basically, no computer or duplicator will be able to read the disc contents. The discs would be quad-layered Blu-ray for not only close to 100GB of storage, but also as an added anti-piracy measure. It would also be out of ISO standard specifications on purpose. There would be corrupted and scrambled sectors on the disc containing bootable and crucial game data, and all files would be individually signed and encrypted themselves. The discs would also be recorded using CAV technology (Constant Angular Velocity) to maintain even read speeds, as well as utilize four individual independent lasers to cache data quicker than any competitor's disc-based system. It would have 2 or 3 read speeds, similar to the Gamecube and Wii. Needless to say, disc dumps won't be possible, and *IF* anyone DID manage to dump an encrypted and scrambled ISO, the data would be useless to them with so many protections in place. But physical imperfections on the lead-in track should stop any traditional reader form even getting a TOC from the disc.
The console OS: "Venom"
The Venom OS would most-likely be a heavily-modified BSD variant for rock-solid security and stability, with a custom from-scratch modular kernel, several signature and encryption checks from a Hypervisor or two, and would remain the overseer of any and all tasks happening in the system. It wouldn't boot anything else, but maybe a safemode to rebuild the OS, rebuild databases, filesystem check, default OS settings, etc. The OS would support modular automatic updates, and all update installs would be performed silently at boot. If the OS gets switched off mid-update, it can boot into the special safemode, and try again until it completes successfully, otherwise restricting you to safemode until the OS is bootable. Venom's Hypervisors will be able to check any and all software "potentially" loaded into RAM, in case hackers try to exploit the system. The bootloader will be completely transparent to hackers. Any hardware modding attempts detected by Venom or it's hypervisors will cause the system to brick itself indefinitely by software-controlled overvolting.
Homebrew Greenlighting and game patches:
The Online SuperCenter of Venom OS would have a section for user-submitted and green-lit homebrew. Any ROM loaders, emulators (restrictions apply), USB loaders, etc would be denied, and not be allowed. Unlike Nintendo, I'd allow and enforce game patch updates, not block you from updating your games with the latest patches, but said patches would still need the latest Venom OS update, so a reboot may be needed. A small Sony-style prompt in the corner of the screen would tell you when a reboot is needed. Emulator exceptions would be things like calculators, CAD machines, 3D printing apps, etc. Nothing that will run pirated software or roms.
Networking hardware and software:
The hardware would be two 10/100/1000/10000 (10Gb) Ethernet jacks on the back (One for online, and another for direct private multiplayer), along with an upgradable Wi-Fi pak, similar to the N64's jumper pak ==> expansion pak upgrade. The console will come with a Wireless 802.11ac card, and be upgradable to wireless 802.11ax after a few months after console release. Venom OS updates and game updates would halt when the player is online in-game, and would still download in the background during single player games, for obvious bandwith and lag reasons. Venom OS would not prompt the user to reboot/install until exiting the game to the Venom OS homescreen.
The system specs:
CPUs: Dual Octo-core 128-bit PowerPC "Cell 3" processors (working in parallel, all cores can vary their clock speeds individually as needed to save power, or unleash a fuck-storm of processing fury) clocking between just 800MHz all the way up to 7GHz under a full load.
RAM: 64GB of DDR4 quad-channeled RAM
GPUs: 8-way Nvidia SLI Volta GPUs, with 32GB of dedicated, 8-channel GDDR6 video RAM
Storage: 4GB of on-disk RAM, to cache a steady fast stream of data to 4 RAIDed memristor-based PCI-e 32x (4.0) connected SSDs, able to read at over 18,000MB/s, and write at or around 16,000MB/s, with a shared capacity totalling 16TB.
3D DisplayPort out supporting 4K 3D at launch, and 8K 3D support when TVs are available.
HDMI 1.4 port for older HDTVs, supporting just 720p @240Hz and 1080p @120Hz. (Pretty generous, I say.)
SoundBlaster Audigy X-Fi 3D 12.4 channel Reality-Surround chips by Creative, with an in-line 6000 watt amp and vaccuum tubes, for the richest, warmest sound possible out of a filthy console peasant box.
Optical digital audio output, for existing and future stereo systems.
Four USB 4.0 "type D" ports in the back, four more in the front under a stealth-hinged panel.
The controller: "The CamPad"
Typical A, B, C, X, Y, Z layout on the surface like the Sega Genesis. (Two extra buttons rock)
A very large octagonal D-pad, like the Xbox One Elite controller (Because fuck your thumb-killing child-sized 4-way D-pads, Nintendo!)
Analog L-Trigger and R-Trigger, with an additional click button once all the way pressed in, like the Gamecube had.
Dimly-lit buttons, lighting is optional though to save battery. (Button brightness and color adjustable in CamPad settings.)
Shape and feel is like a 360 controller for the most part, but with a full qwerty touchscreen and background-cancelling microphone, and a smooth silicon grip finish.
Touch-sensitive shoulderpads, instead of shoulder "buttons", being customizable and remappable in-game.
Two analog sticks, placed in the style of the Xbox One and 360, with concave tops, and textured for maximum grip, even with sweaty thumbs.
Standard USB 4.0 and Bluetooth 4.3 interfaces, with open-source drivers for easy PC use.
Open-source CamPad hardware like the Kinect, so anyone can use the CamPad in their projects.
Wirelessly chargeable removable battery, comes with proprietary charge pad and stand.
20 Megapixel 3D cameras facing the player, and slightly adjustable for game streaming to Twitch, YouTube, and whatever else comes next.
a volume pad on the back of the controller, to adjust the game volume on-the-fly without being distracting in-game.
A "Live Stream" button, to stream whatever is on your screen, and the cameras record your face, putting your face in the corner of the in-game action. Camera placement can be done during OS setup in "CamPad Settings".
24 hour battery life. Because come on, some of us
really know how to play.
Up to 8 CamPads per Servant can be used at once for party-style games, 4 CamPads (Per Servant) for online and co-op.
The usual tilt sensors and junk, for enhanced precision controls, not gimmicky ones. (Flying a plane with a tiltable pitch and yaw for example, would be amazing.)
Various random tidbits about the system:
There would be no way to trick the machine into booting anything from USB, optical drive, or anything else before safemode and Venom OS.
Every chip would be a BGA, and the motherboard would have as few traces as possible on the surfaces. (I've built circuit boards from scratch, and most traces are inside the boards anyway)
The system would be like having an 18x18x18 inch Gamecube.
The disc drive is slot-loading near the bottom, and has an emergency eject mechanism in the right side of the slot in case of stuck disc, forced/accidental double disc, etc.
Game saves, profiles, achievement data, and avatar creations can be moved to a USB 4.0 harddrive/SSD/flashdrive.
Free online play for everybody.
The console stands on four adjustable rubber feet.
No bullshit subscription service will be enforced, unless you WANT premium services.
All ports and buttons on the machine are hidden and/or touch sensitive, to give it a "stealthy" cube look and feel. It's made of brushed titanium alloy, so it's as light as possible, yet sturdy and of great build quality.
An optional first-party 17" 4K clamshell screen with speakers can be added to the system, for portability.
