Apparently Intellivision has, in the past few hours, sent out an email which states that they have "started discussions with potential investors/acquirers outside of the StartEngine universe" and that they "will maintain a quiet period while negotiating".
Has the impossible become possible? Don't dream it's over.
Apparently Intellivision has, in the past few hours, sent out an email which states that they have "started discussions with potential investors/acquirers outside of the StartEngine universe" and that they "will maintain a quiet period while negotiating".
Has the impossible become possible? Don't dream it's over.
Translation:
"We might have found some idiots to give us more money for a product that will never be released"
They should, as soon as possible, get 8,000 of them made and sell them as the Aggarwal Edition, with all the launch software bundled in. Once they've sold, they can lower the price to what it should have been in the first place, and maybe stand a chance.
Breaking - in the last few hours, I have received an e-mail from my girlfriend stating that she has started negotiations with a new partner from outside of that relationship!
She says she will just maintain a quiet period with me whilst she is negotiating!
So, I am now more confident than ever that I'll hear from her ever again!
SmashJT - the guy who runs a YouTube channel and invested $10k in Intellivision - has posted a vid claiming that the Amico has been cancelled.
I don't think this is true (yet). SmashJT is basing this story on someone's Amico console order being cancelled by Amazon. I've seen Amazon cancel orders in this way before and it's often due to Amazon themselves rather than, as their email cancellation text indicates, the product not being available. I suspect that time is a factor and that a computer somewhere has issued an automatic cancellation email.
So, Amico still lives. In terms of Intellivision funding I'd anticipate that this situation can't last much longer unless the proposed buyout quickly materialises, though.
> The console price will be increasing to $339.99 > A version of the console with just one controller will release at $289.99 > Those people who have already paid a deposit will get the console at the old price
Wow! The original pricing level was a big concern for many folk and it feels like this increase could just lose further potential buyers. I struggle to understand the new single controller option as the console's whole remit is around multiplayer action. There are also rumours that the console won't be stocked at some of the main US retail stores although this has yet to be confirmed.
It's sad to say but it feels like these price increases are the last throw of the dice from a company on the edge. I think that the console will arrive in small numbers for those who have pre-ordered but, with such a small customer base, higher prices for others and with seemingly few developers on board... this sure isn't good.
If there really is innovative tech in these controllers, and a bunch of ready made games, then I wonder if there is any scope for a Virtual Console type release e.g. having an Amico channel for (most likely) the Switch. Or indeed on a phone.
I'm guessing most of the games could be played with Switch controllers, or they could still release adapted controllers specifically.
It would at least get them out of a seemingly doomed hardware release, and earning a bit of money through the software. Particularly with the cost of living affecting people's real world budgets probably for the next few years making it the wrong time to try and release something new. Probably wouldn't work - just a thought anyway.
It sure is a tricky situation - it's not clear as to whether the company has received any any new investment and there were rumours that current funding would only last through to June/July. I imagine the increased pricing has become a necessity for the company to survive - although for that to even have a chance of working there has to, of course, be finished consoles available!
In the past I've always tried to look at the positives but I just can't see how Intellivision, in its current state and with financial challenges, can make this work. They've been unlucky with their original manufacturing and launch coinciding with a global pandemic and the impacts arising would seem to have killed off the dream.
With hindsight it's easy to pick out faults but I feel some of the key issues have been:
> Manufacturing and launch delays - not really avoidable; bad luck. > Scope creep - too many console colour variations, too many uncompleted games and these aspects were avoidable. Better to do a great job with a few things rather than a poor job with many. > Sharing too much too soon - Tallarico was too open and honest in chatting with people on media channels. The dreams became unattainable and the funding wasn't there to support them. Engaging with numerous small channels on YouTube resulted in bad publicity. > Cost - the console had to be below £200 and we're now looking at around £300 which is just too much for a niche system. It was a bit pricey when announced and now, a few years later, the tech included would seem to offer weak value
I can't be too harsh, though, as I genuinely believe the company wanted to create a cool, different, family-and-friends multiplayer console. Even now, things like cheaper games, sharing games, cool controllers, no micro transactions... these aspects sound like a good thing.
I really think its price is what killed it from the get go, if they had targeted is a budget machine used a mobile phone style chip in it and had simple games on it then it might have worked , then again it might not have because things like the ouya and game stick fell on there butts as well, and they were kicking around in game for like £50 for a gamestick and £80 for a Ouya for ages.