Gamestop to launch own gaming tablet
Gamestop is working on a tablet device specially designed for gaming. In what appears to be an unconnected move, it's also now accepting Apple portable devices as a trade-in.
The tablet won't be a brand new creation but rather an existing device that will become "a GameStop certified gaming platform." It will be repackaged, sold with the branding, and with several games pre-installed. Games will be playable online and will be downloaded via a wireless connection or streamed, depending on their size. The system is already in a closed beta testing program.
The suggestion is that the system will run the type of games currently on full-blown consoles rather than just those specifically designed for portable gadgets. The company is currently designing a special controller rather than relying on a touchscreen, but hasn't said if this will be built in to the casing of the device or will be a plug-in peripheral.
One question that's already been raised is whether the device will have access to the Android Market (without having to be modified). It's something you'd expect as a buyer, but from Gamestop's perspective it might not want to effectively encourage users to buy cheaper games from which it gets no revenue.
The store has also announced it is now taking iPhones, iPods and iPads as trade-ins, both for cash and for store credit. Any model of the devices can be traded in but they'll have to be in working order with no visible damage. Personally engraved devices aren't eligible for the deal.
There's no official word yet on the prices customers will receive for trading in devices, or indeed how much the stores will eventually sell them on for after refurbishment. One site is reporting prices including $150 for a 16GB iPhone 4. That compares to a price of $649 for a new, unlocked model with no service contract requirement.
There's also no confirmation that this is a step towards Gamestop stocking new Apple devices as well as used ones.
(Picture credit: Dwight Burdette via WikiMedia)
September 13, 2011 JLister Apple, Games, General 5 Comments
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5 Responses to Gamestop to launch own gaming tablet
notsalg says:
i would never trade ANYTHING into gamestop, just my thoughts on it though
Nicole Kiser says:
Huh. Is there an actual market for tablet gaming? I mean, isn't that what laptops are for?
Would it essentially be an oversized Nintendo controller? You know, the new Wii with the screen on it? Something like that only bigger and maybe thinner?
Hm.. *scratches head* Wonder who they'll be marketing it to?
The default wallpaper will be the image of a disinterested teen with a neck beard and a superiority complex, and every time you buy something from the app store, you'll be prompted to purchase a magazine subscription along with it. They want you to have the full GameStop experience from the comfort of your home.
AHDB says:
This is actually brilliant. It might be ahead of its time, but with the future of gaming geared toward downloading games and being forced to play them online, it makes sense to bundle everything into one dedicated machine with built in 3G. The question is; can you play current PC games on it? Flash games are a great, but only as a feature of something bigger. So, if they don't seriously beef up the graphics card, processor and RAM, and instead limit their selves to trivial BS, it's a mistake.
But that's how businesses test out the waters and see where the market's at.
Dumbass says:
Will it run battletoads?