Gem Box Revealed: Meet the micro-console that wants to be Netflix for gamers
Developed by French company Emtec, the Gem Box is a micro-console with some ambitious plans for casual players.
Set to launch in the US, UK and France on August 18, the Gem Box will have access to a selection of impressive titles via the Google Play store.
In addition, the console will be able to power advanced emulators and perform HD game-streaming through the Gamefly service.
It’s an impressive looking device, and even comes with its very own controller.
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At first glance, the Gem Box appears to be incredibly similar to devices such as the Ouya, Apple TV and Amazon Fire Stick. However, the Gem Box aims to combine something like this with HD streaming akin to Playstation Now.
“Gem Box is a reaction to what’s going on in the market,” said Nathalie Lamri, Emtec’s marketing and comms director. “With Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or Google’s Chromecast, set-top boxes have become a booming sector in the past four to five years.
“But they have made their sales based on the video content, mainly Netflix. Nobody so far has really focused on games because they have no clue about gaming.”
Having a small console that allows you to utilise retro emulators, impressive mobile titles and on-demand streaming certainly sounds appealing, so long as Emtec can make it work.
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Emtec has made it clear that it hopes to target families and casual players with Gem Box, citing those who purchased a Nintendo Wii back in 2007 as a core example.
“It’s for the people who bought a Wii, who were not necessarily gamers. These people have probably moved on to playing on mobile devices. It’s still gaming but there’s not really an entry level price device to use with their TV. We’re providing that with the Gem Box – something competitive on price that provides a good solution for the family.”
Would you be interested in a console like this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
