How the Nex Playground game system became the holiday's hottest toy

"The Nex Playground is an Android-powered console that utilizes a motion camera, meaning you control the onscreen action with movements, rather than a controller. The system uses AI to detect player movements, with a focus on keeping things simple. That's a strategy Nintendo embraced several years ago with the Wii, offering a gaming console for the masses rather than one that was focused on the core gaming customer (though one that didn't eschew those financial whales either)."

"The Playground doesn't look like any gaming system you've seen before. It's a three-inch multicolor cube with a camera lens staring at you. Instead of sitting on the couch, slumped back and passively enjoying a game, Playground players jump around and burn calories as they play their favorite titles. And they can play communally, rather than being isolated or playing with strangers online."

Nex Playground is an Android-powered, controller-free console that uses a motion camera and AI to detect player movements for gesture-based play. The three-inch multicolor cube encourages active, communal gaming where players jump and burn calories rather than sit passively. The system targets ages five and up and avoids shooters and mature titles. Sales climbed from 5,000 units in 2023 to 150,000 in 2024 and an expected 600,000 in 2025, making it the third best-selling console behind PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. The design prioritizes simplicity and mass-market appeal similar to the Wii.

Read at Fast Company