Here’s an Android powered Chinese game machine that copies both the PS4 (in console design) and the Xbox One (in controller design). That isn’t all. I can’t help but feel I’ve seen its user interface before.
The machine was shown at a press event today in Beijing attended by a Kotaku tipster. The console itself looks similar to a PS4, but is smaller, with pricing starting at 899RMB (US$138) and an expected summer release.
According to our tipster, Fuze CEO Wang Feng even said he hopes his company outlives his competitors.
You know, these folks.
The controller really looks like an Xbox One controller. At the hands on, the tipster described the controller as feeling “super light” and “super cheap” with “a weird plastic ally matte finish.”
Here’s the UI, which reminds me of Sony’s interface.
But before you write this off as another shoddy rip off know that the Fuze has name developers on board, like Keiji Inafune.
Bet Capcom would be thrilled to see Mega-Man used like this.
Last year, Fuze bankrolled Inafune’s Red Ash Kickstarter after it failed to reach its goal.
The company is also working with Koei Tecmo and Arc System Works to bring titles to the Fuze F1, among other developers.
Here are the specs:
But via user God Kitty on WeChat, here is what the complementary console he got at the event looks like up close:
And under the hood.
I just wish the design elements didn’t seem so darn familiar.
Read more about the Fuze F1 on ZhugeEX Blog.
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DISCUSSION
No no, familiarity is fine. For the consumer, at least. Perhaps not for the people who are being ripped off. But still... if someone rips them off but does it better, that might incentivise them to do better as well.
I mean, you’ve got a console that looks like a PS4... but maybe the online store actually runs at a decent pace and doesn’t keep breaking. And you’ve got a controller that looks like an Xbox One... but this entire console including controller costs about the same as an actual Xbox One controller.
If these Fuze folks actually manage to pull this off, the originators of their design just have to stop and go “hey, what are we doing?”