Tectoy trabaja en Genie una nueva consola basada en móviles

Tectoy , la compañía brasileña conocida por sus trabajos en Megadrive sacando consolas y juegos licenciados lleva trabajando desde no hace mucho en una nueva consola que usará juegos al estilo de los que aparecen en móviles actuales. Los juegos se podrán comprar y descargar desde la propia consola. Lo mejor es que todos los juegos existentes ya en todas las plataformas de móviles como son: J2ME, DoJa, Brew, EGE, Symbian, Pocket PC, Smartphone etc... se podrán jugar en esta consola. Lo que no se dice es si las aplicaciones tales como emuladores y demás también funcionarán.

Esta es la noticia:

An astute SMS Power forumgoer noted a Brazilian news article linking to a patent filed with the European patent office by Brazil's Sega licensor Tec Toy. The patent covers a "System for using electronic device and the electronic device." This is essentially a game console. So what kind? The closest idea is the Phantom, but the Phantom, if done right, would actually have been pretty ok.

The system described here is a home console that is connected to a television or display, but uses mobile phone technology to run the games, and also to purchase and download games and content (to quote the filing: "Internet navigation, news, virtual communities, movies, music, etc"). The patent goes on to say that while it's using the model of mobile phones, it is not necessarily using the same networks. Naturally, it will include memory for storing these downloaded games and content. There will be a Joypad (good thing), and it actually supports existing mobile development platforms so that existing mobile games can be played on it - platforms such as J2ME, DoJa, Brew, EGE, Symbian, Pocket PC, Smartphone, etc. The patent also mentions the requisite pack-in games. It says there "could be" some games packed in with the hardware, which would be free of charge. Additional games will be available by digital download only, but could also be stored on memory cards or pen drives. It also seems you would be able to download and pay via your phone, if all goes well.

The aforementioned Brazilian article, translated by niloct on the SMS Power forums, sheds more light on the subject. Apparently the system is code-named "Jeanie," and Tec Toy marketing manager André Faure reportedly said that it could turn into several products, and that the project is much larger than the patent. The patent was filed in December 2007, and Faure says parts of the project are "on 2008's horizons." Also, in February, Tec Toy sold 42.5% of its American business to Qualcomm, maker of mobile chips and wireless technology, which would also be the console's tech developer.

I personally wonder what will come of the Sega connection, if anything. Will we just get standard mobile games, or will the Master System library be downloadable? And what of regions? If the system could run the Japanese platforms, could I purchase the Valis games? I'm very curious to see how this will pan out. Thanks to Frank for pointing me to the thread in the first place.

Update: The console is actually called Genie, not Jeanie!

Fuente: http://www.insertcredit.com/archives/002404.html

Nueva Megadrive 3 de Tectoy con Fifa 2008, NFS, Sims 2 etc..

Aunque ya existía una megadrive 3. Tectoy, la compañía brasileña ha bautizado así también a su ultima creación. Una consola megadrive que incluirá titulos como nuevos como Fifa 2008 , Need For Speed Pro Street, Sims 2, Sim City. 86 juegos incluidos en total etc...: Podeis ver aquí el listado completo.

Os copio la noticia:

Tec Toy Brazil is releasing a new Sega console, the Mega Drive 3, with 86 built-in games. It's got a very router-like design, with two Genesis controller ports on the front. Comes with two three-button controllers, which is really odd, considering the Master System 3 comes with six-button controllers, and looks more like an actual Genesis/Mega Drive. It has composite out as well.

But here's the really interesting thing - four of the games are new. Tec Toy has licensed four EA games and ported them to the Mega Drive, which means official big-budget titles well after the death of the console in the West and Asia (sorry Beggar Prince). The games are Fifa 2008, Need for Speed Pro Street, The Sims 2, and Sim City - ports of mobile games, according to the text on the site (it says versão mobile). If you look at the full game list you'll see that a lot of these games are completely mysterious. Games like Aniversário or Aquaduto are likely simple original Brazilian Mega Drive games...we've discussed their original Master System games before, and I'd imagine this is more of the same. In fact, Aniversario and several others are actually on that SMS list as well, so they could just be straight ports. The list of official games is odd as well. Battle Golfer Yui, for instance! Or the horrifying Crystal's Pony Tale. There is unfortunately no price or release date listed, but I'll get more information as it develops. Thanks to Leonardo for the link and Portuguese help.

This actually has some additional implications. The Genie is going to be released in Brazil (more info here) at some point in the near future, and is mobile architecture-based. These ports show that Tec Toy is already building relationships with large publishers on the mobile front, and further that they are building up their infrastructure for ports. Will Genie games be ports, or originals? That's unclear, but the option is open for the Genie to actually have its own versions of games, rather than straight across dumping of mobile titles (this would allow for controls to be customized, since handsets are so different). Very interesting developments at Tec Toy these days.

Notes for the blogs who will run this story and who don't know who Tec Toy is: This console has built-in games only, there is no ability to play carts. Tec Toy is a Brazilian company with long ties to Sega, and has been their official distributer there for years, distributing the Saturn and Dreamcast officially in the region. They are currently working on a new console called the Genie. Please get the information right.

Más info: http://www.insertcredit.com/archives/002514.html