While the duel of the giants between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo seemed frozen, a console almost unknown to the general public has just taken everyone by surprise. There Nex Playgrounda gesture-controlled device designed for children and families, rose to second place in weekly sales in the United States during the week of November 22. An unexpected feat revealed by Mat Piscatella, analyst at Circana, who commented soberly: “It’s pretty cool”.
A console designed for families… but boosted by AI
Launched in 2023, the Nex Playground has not made much noise in the specialized media. And for good reason: it mainly targets a family audience, far from hardcore gamers. Its concept? A console without a controller, entirely based on body movements, thanks to a wide-angle camera coupled with artificial intelligence which analyzes gestures in real time.
Introduced by David Lee, CEO of Nex, as the spiritual heir of Microsoft Kinectthe console focuses everything on physical and intuitive interactivity. With a sleek design and a simplified interface, it transforms the living room into a playground.
A catalog of games designed for immediate fun
Sold at $249 (after a $199 launch), the Nex Playground includes five games right out of the box: Fruit Ninja, Starry, Whac-a-Mole, Go Keeper And Party Fowl. Accessible, colorful titles based on simple gestures, perfect for children and family evenings.
To expand the experience, Nex offers a subscription Play Passat $49 for 3 months or $89 per year, giving access to a larger catalog. An economic model close to Game Pass, but adapted to young audiences.
A peak in sales linked to the holidays… but not only
This sudden success is partly explained by the period: the week of Black Friday is strategic for console sales. There Switch2 continues to dominate with its family packs, but the Nex has benefited from a absence of direct competition in the “gestures + children” segment.
Word of mouth and the surprise effect were in full swing. On the networks, many discovered its existence: “The Nex what?”, wonders an Internet user. Even specialist journalists, like Jordan Gerblick of GamesRadar, admit to having discovered it recently.
A new video game niche could well emerge
If the PS5 and Xbox Series X remain the benchmarks for demanding gamers, the Nex Playground proves that there is a strong demand for fun, simple and physical experiencesadapted to young audiences.
By rising ahead of the PS5, even if only for a week, the Nex sends a clear signal to the industry: alternative consoles have their place, as long as they offer a unique, well-thought-out and affordable experience. One thing is certain: we haven’t heard the last of this machine that came out of nowhere.