Intellivision Amico | Amico Home on mobile | Meet Mico!

This is the problem when companies try to make a product as much about a personality as the product itself - if they're not squeaky clean it'll always detract from the brand. Everyone's now talking about this tommy guy and not the console, just a few months away from launching.

For better or worse, Tallarico definitely doesn't exhibit behaviours you'd normally associate with a company CEO. I feel that he has maybe been too open and honest; he takes time to be interviewed on very small YouTube channels and he talks from the heart. This allows others to criticise and focus upon small off-hand comments rather than the dull, say-nothing press releases you usually hear from companies.

Intellivision is a small company; tiny compared to the other console companies. But, yes, this doesn't mean that they should not be questioned or challenged.

In my opinion, Tallarico's openness has caused some difficulties in that many people are now digging at the Amico even though they have no interest in it. It's not a tough job to find vids or comments on social media in which people are slating Tallarico and the Amico; it's a train which a lot of people are on. It's pretty difficult to see how the general viewpoint can be changed as, right now, there is an almost toxic feeling across the scene.

The one bright spot is that although criticism is rife, it's mainly coming from hardcore gamers who aren't too interested in the console itself - they weren't going to buy one anyway. The casual mass market won't be reading all of the current commentary and, as with any product, they'll see it on the shelf/online and decide for themselves if it appeals or not. Whether Intellivision can get through the current storm around obtaining the required tech parts and distributing the console to retailers is another question.

I hear Tommy Tallarico eats swans eggs.

On a different note, I do like to pop the Amico into an Amazon search every now and again, whilst idly contemplating preordering one.

I don't expect I'd really use it, and it would probably go into the same cupboard as my mini consoles, which I also don't use but am still glad to have hoarded. And flipping heck, some of those are quite valuable now.

Anyhow, I always like to check the other recommendations bit from
other peoplee who have viewed it - there are quite a few retro / nostalgia consoles in there, like the Evercade etc. And also something called the Sega Astrocity (which I misread as the Sega Atrocity). So, from that I'd guess it seems to have at least some interest from gaming retro / quirky products fans. You could see it becoming a collector's item one day, if it doesn't succeed.

Here's a cool thing about Amico that you may not know about:

You can take your Amico controller to a friend's house and both play your games on their Amico for as long as your controller is connected. Pretty neat!

Tommy Tallarico has just posted at the Atari Age forums that Intellivision are hoping to be able to confirm by the end of July whether the target October launch date can be met. The key issue remains obtaining parts; in the current market so many tech components are unavailable or are being provided exclusively to the biggest companies.

So we have to wait and see. Fingers crossed!

Just read that one of the guys I follow on YouTube for Amico news and views has apparently received death threats, vile messages and and racist comments about his wife and kids... all because he makes vids about Amico.

I just don't get why people who aren't interested in the Amico - or any console! - can't just say so and then walk on by. Making threats and horrible comments to people because they enjoy talking about a console? Just crazy.

jawaX wrote:Just read that one of the guys I follow on YouTube for Amico news and views has apparently received death threats, vile messages and and racist comments about his wife and kids... all because he makes vids about Amico.

I just don't get why people who aren't interested in the Amico - or any console! - can't just say so and then walk on by. Making threats and horrible comments to people because they enjoy talking about a console? Just crazy.

That's awful to hear Jawa! There's so much toxicity out there and sadly, the internet gives voices to these types of people too!

Hopefully they're not put off and continue to make content of what they enjoy!

It's not on the same level, but I was very frustrated when I had a few people hop into my stream with my wife, and proceeded to hurl misogynistic comments into chat. The only saving grace is, for all the bad that happens on the internet, it's outweighed by all the good it does, the people and communities it brings together!

Absolutely, Doom, it can be pretty shocking and I recall that horrible incident(s) that you guys faced on stream. The small bits of light in this are exactly as you point out:

The Doom Spoon wrote:...Hopefully they're not put off and continue to make content of what they enjoy!...

Yeah, the guy concerned has posted to say that he tries to ignore the stuff and he will continue talking about the gaming things that he's interested in; and:

The Doom Spoon wrote:...The only saving grace is, for all the bad that happens on the internet, it's outweighed by all the good it does, the people and communities it brings together!

Very much true! There are a number of horrible and/or misguided folk out there, but most people are pretty decent when you get chatting with them - or, they at least don't start issuing death threats or abuse when you talk about a games console!

People are banana splits.

So the (pretty mildly updated) Switch OLED is launching on 8 October... two days prior to the (TBC) Amico launch date.

No way can I get both (maybe neither!) so I'm gonna have to decide. Dang it.

You have a Switch already Jawa, you do not need the OLED model.

OrangeRKN wrote:You have a Switch already Jawa, you do not need the OLED model.

Yeah, dude, but...

Nintendo Life has conducted an extensive interview with Tommy Tallarico. It's worth reading through and contrasting what he says with what others - including Ars Technica - have said... and then making up your own mind!

I have just cancelled my pre-orders for the Amico system and additional controller.

I still believe that there is huge potential for a more accessible, cheaper TV console in the gaming market but I want to manage my personal gaming expenditure and part of that means fewer platforms. In the coming months I plan on buying and playing only one new console and, when that time comes, it'll be one of the bigger formats.

I still have a lot of time for the Amico and especially it's fans and supporters. I hope it becomes a success but, for now, I'll be hitting pause on Amico news both here and over at @totalamico.

Jaws just killed The Amico

There goes the only person who’d have paid for this.

Tommy Tallarico rn:

Christopher wrote:

You guys

.

I think folk may be surprised by the broad, mass-market appeal for the Amico; Intellivision are showing the console at events for popular but not-necessarily-gaming brands; this weekend they're attending the Crayola Experience (art) event in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. They're reaching out to the kinds of brands that families are familiar with and seeking out collaborations. They already have deals in place with big toy brands such as Mattel (Hot Wheels, Care Bears) and Sesame Street. It won't necessarily appeal to gamers on, say, Xbox and PlayStation, but it could be attractive to the wider market. We'll see!

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