New Console Developer? Ian Bell Announces 'Mad Box'

[Paul Jeffrey]

Slightly Mad Studios Ian Bell has confirmed on Twitter that the developers behind Project CARS are working on a new and super powerful console.

Intending to pitch right into the fight for console supremacy with the likes of Microsoft and Sony, Bell has confirmed that SMS are working on the provisionally titled 'Mad Box' device, with plans to significantly move the console marketplace forward with what has been described as "the most powerful console ever built...".

Although plans are in the infancy at this moment in time, Bell has stated that the new Mad Box console should be VR compatible from the off, with a proposed 90fps per eye, 180 FPS internally expected at the point of the consoles release - expected to be two or three years away at this stage.

Although much of the internal spec is still under consideration by Slightly Mad Studios, the overall design of the console has surfaced earlier today, as can be evidenced by the screenshots in this article, and Bell has been in very bullish mood during much of initial reveal discussions on social media - coming straight out of the blocks with some very impressive statements about the consoles capabilities once launched - easily putting the new Mad Box in the frame as a potential Xbox and PlayStation 4 beating piece of hardware.

Of course it is still early days in the development of the new Mad Box, but if the initial plans for the console do come to fruition this will be a very impressive piece of kit indeed. One of the key features mentioned briefly by Ian is the desire to open up the game engine to developers, presumably allowing game developers to access the engine platform in which to develop new games. Furthermore, Bell has stated that this will be a free facility for developers, which should be a powerful incentive for game studios to create content that works well with the new console.

All in all this is certainly a surprise move from SMS, and one very interesting topic to keep an eye on in the coming months..

 

 

[Glen Orpheus]

What i would like to know is, will it have native true triple screen support ?

 

[Jach]

just saying
VR @60fps will make you vomit

 

[R1Joel]

This has about the same chance of success as "Soulja Boys" consoles.

 

[Patrik Marek]

Well all the jokes aside, he got balls

I'm sure when Microsoft wanted to challenge Sony with Xbox, people laughed as well

But I won't argue that they had lots of money to back it up

 

[2stains]

Popcorn anyone!

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

Will it have sim physics?

Why start now?

 

[oorjit07]

Well, I guess we aren't getting a PCars 3, because SMS will be dead in the water by then.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Is it a Kickstarter by any chance?

 

[wombat999]

Why are we even wasting space on such a non event?
If Bell is doing anything he is provoking discussion to deflect the criticism SMS has generated about PC1-PC2 and the possible PC3. Smoke and mirrors.

 

[aka2k]

Already waiting for the meltdowns.

 

[mr Sw1tchblade]

apparently the game and vr headset used won't matter then? he's guaranteeing 90 fps simply because of this "console"? this guys a retard

i also tweeted him asking what operating system it'll use as game compatibility will be nearly non existent without sony/xbox or windows operating systems, he didn't reply

MadOs ofc .

 

[Serj]

Bell=Musk

 

[CobraCat]

Seems like a P.R. campaign to raise interest with potential suckers, errrrr I mean investors

 

[aphidgod]

There's no way this could possibly go wrong. Nope. None at all.

 

[CC]

I think, I know what's the matter here...

Money. With the incomming "crash" for the videogameindustry they hope to sneak/step in and claim some licenses, if Sony, MS or Nintendo stop supporting consoles due to heavy losses due to bankrupt gamestudios.

We all know why games on the console are more expensive then for our beloved masterrace...
The consoles themselfes are a non-profit or at least even a loss, they generate the money through companys, which constantly pay for licences to bring the game on their console and sell it there. The other profit would be payed online-services like PS Plus. The console itself is mostly a little bit underpriced to make it a "good" alternative for casual gamers, who cannot effort a proper gaming-PC. Or, in other words:
For the 11-14 year old Fortnite-Fanboy. Easy to decept, and in general backed by any annoyed parent, who is willing to pay anything to keep their hyperactive brood as far away from the calm livingroom as possible. (No real offense intended, but proof me wrong in this point...)

And, if the likes of EA, Activision, Bethesda and so on keep making games & content for stockprices and not for gamers, this is a possibility not so far away from really happening.

I mean: Bankrupt gamestudios = no more licenses payed to sony, MS, etc. = losses for Sony, MS, etc. = probably abandoning their console-programs and / or focusing on the fast growing mobile-game-market.

I know, that would not be the only reason, but that may be the way they made their decision.

Going back a few years now,
but I believe when the Xbox 360 1st came out, I know because I got one the 1st week of release,
Microsoft was actually producing them at a loss of around 80$ per unit globally,
I mean even until the Xbox One came out I am sure they never made no money from it,
Valve never succeeded from what I gather with there plans either,

not even taking into consideration of who is making that hideous monstrosity in the OP,
because that is what the "M" stands for, monstrosity,

who is going to be repairing this hardware globally ? when you create such things as consoles, the form factor is everything, as to be able to play non stop at high tempts with 0 failures,
looking again in the OP its leading me to believe it will be water cooled,

but just looking at the form factor of what they are wanting to make, support from failures,
who is going to be paying for returns ?

because just the breakages alone and returns will bankrupt the guy,

for example imagine that breaking in the US, with no tech support there who will be paying for it shipping back to the UK or the nearest tech point to get it fixed,

back in 2005 I bought a $3000 laptop samsung from PC World, after 8-9 days it broken wouldnt load discs, I went back to PC world and they told me they could not fix it or replace it,
I had to send it back to china for repair, took almost 9 weeks to get it back,
I have never bought another samsung product since,

taking into consideration all what we know about this market, its just another bad idea, but lets see how it ends im stocked up on popcorn.....

 

[Sharpy Bonfire]

One local game media titled news about this "Makers of ultra-realist car game Project Cars..."
Needless to say, I will never read that media again....

 

[WallyTP]

SMS releases the MadBox 1, complete with crashes, bugs and hardware failures. Then announces the MadBox 2 within 12 months rather than fixing the MadBox 1

Fellow time traveler I saw the same thing on my last trip.

 

[2stains]

Bell=Musk

WTF! How can you put them anywhere near the same? More like Bell=Trump

 

[Diogo Goetz Brand]

SMS releases the MadBox 1, complete with crashes, bugs and hardware failures. Then announces the MadBox 2 within 12 months rather than fixing the MadBox 1

Not to mention it will claim to be a hardcore console that competes with Sony and Microsoft, but ends up being closer to a Nintendo Wii.

 

[OzzyNeil]

One local game media titled news about this "Makers of ultra-realist car game Project Cars..."
Needless to say, I will never read that media again....

Even Gran Turismo says . A physics simulation that is ‘easy to drive because it is realistic’ has been achieved.

I think the word simulation needs redifining