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The company behind the UK’s newest video game console is not concerned with the latest state-of-the-art graphics or hardware. Instead, David Lee, chief executive of US technology firm Nex, says its cube-shaped machine, the Nex Playground, is designed to get children moving. Set to launch in the UK and Ireland on June 22, the Playground is ditching traditional controllers for body movements, using AI and a built-in camera to track players’ motions. This relatively little-known device has already surprised the gaming industry, as research firm Circana revealed it was the third best-selling console in the US during Black Friday 2025, even outselling the popular Xbox Series S and X.

While motion-controlled gaming isn’t a new concept—remember Nintendo’s Wii from 2006?—the ongoing concerns about children’s passive screen time have many parents and politicians worried. Ahead of the UK launch, I reached out to parents who already own the console in the US and tried out the machine myself to see how it works and if it can truly get families feeling fitter.

So, when the Playground hits the UK and Ireland, it will be priced at £269 (€319). Users will get five starter games to try for free, but a subscription is needed to access the majority of the Playground’s 60-plus games, which feature beloved characters like Peppa Pig. The yearly subscription costs £90, while a quarterly one sets you back £45. Nick from Louisiana, who has had the Playground for six months for his kids aged three and five, admitted that the subscription was his “biggest hesitancy” when he first started looking into the device. “But when you think about it, a single Switch game is around $70 or $80, so this isn’t too bad,” he stated.

Another parent, Brian from Philadelphia, who bought the device a month ago for his six-year-old son, echoed Nick’s sentiments. “I really think there’s a lot of value here, especially when you compare the cost per hour of this activity to many others,” he said. Corey, a North Carolina dad who purchased the device for his kids aged seven and four, found the setup to be very user-friendly. “The initial set-up was extremely smooth, and the interface is simple and easy,” he noted.

The system employs AI and a wide-angle camera to track 18 points on the player’s body, creating a matching avatar on the screen. However, Brian pointed out that the camera tracking technology sometimes felt “a little lacking,” especially when compared to older motion-gaming systems like the Nintendo Wii or Xbox Kinect. The camera quickly adapted to my not-so-spacious living room, allowing me to slice through flying fruits in Fruit Ninja and hit (most of) the notes in the rhythm game Starri, with A-ha’s “Take On Me” playing in the background.

While Corey mentioned that some games felt “like tech demos,” others were more engaging. “The subscription lets me not worry about any of that and just dive into whatever my family wants to explore,” he remarked. Given that the console effectively places a camera in people’s living rooms, Lee emphasized that player privacy is the “number one priority” for his company. “The camera is only for tracking motion; we don’t save the video anywhere; it is processed in real time, locally on the device, rather than in the cloud,” he assured.

The Playground boasts a kidSAFE+ COPPA certification, which means it complies with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a US law that regulates how companies collect and use personal data from kids under 13. Plus, the camera has a lens cover, and parents can hide games or music they think their children aren’t ready for yet. The Playground presents itself as “an alternative to passive or open-ended digital entertainment” amidst a growing national conversation around children’s screen time habits.

Despite the fact that anyone using the device will still be staring at a television screen, Nick mentioned that the benefits for children might be more of a “compromise to get them up and moving” alongside it. The parents I spoke to said their kids often played on the console for about half an hour to an hour in a single session, using the games as a way to transition into another activity or to allow some structured play. Brian said that while getting a Playground meant they “compromised on increased screen time,” the games still encouraged active play “in a way typical cartoons or movies couldn’t.”

Now, did I break a sweat while playing any of the games? In the initial starter pack, three of the games involved only minimal arm movements. However, the last two—one being a rhythm game and the other a set of mini-games—did require more full-body actions. The full Play Pass has a specific “Health & Fitness” category that includes sessions like daily Zumba workouts, complete with an on-screen instructor guiding you through movements in sync with the music. I couldn’t tell if I was nailing every move, but at least it got me moving more than I would have at a gym class.

While the Nex Playground may not directly compete with major consoles, given its target audience, its performance during Black Friday indicates it can stand its ground in sales. According to Nex, the cube has now sold over a million units since its launch in December 2023 in the US and Canada. Chris Scullion, deputy editor of Video Games Chronicle, bought the cube seven months ago for his daughter. He believes the device will likely never “realistically challenge” something like the Nintendo Switch 2, which is also aimed at families and children and sold over 17 million units by the end of 2025. Still, he acknowledges the system’s “clear family focus” could make it a “more compelling offer” for parents looking for a modern alternative to Wii Sports or Wii Fit.

On top of its UK and Ireland launch, Nex has also announced a multi-year partnership with Wrexham AFC, which will bring Nex branding to the club’s kit sleeves, fan activations at the Racecourse Ground, and community programming. If that strategy pays off, the Nex Playground might find its biggest success not as a competitor to other consoles, but as part of a broader initiative on how families play, connect, and spend time together.

Kaynak: Orijinal Haber