Razer is developing an Android gaming console

By Will Fulton June 25, 2014

razer android gaming console news — Image used with permission by copyright holder

This story is part of our complete Google I/O coverage

Among the torrent of announcements today at Google’s I/O keynote presentation was the revelation that Razer, a company best known for making PC gaming peripherals, is developing a game-focused “micro-console” for Google’s Android TV platform. The set top box will be able to stream movies, music, and other entertainment apps to your television, with a particular emphasis on “hardcore” gaming. It is being developed by the same design team that has worked on the modular PC prototype Project Christine and the Edge gaming tablet.

The limited details make it sound very similar to the Amazon Fire TV, but with a stronger focus on gaming. While we were for the most part pleasantly surprised by how well Amazon’s box translated Android gaming to the big screen, we took issue with its cheap gaming controller. Razer has not yet shared any details about an input device, but presumably the company’s gaming background will give them a leg up in designing a more substantial controller.

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Interface navigation will work through the Android TV app, also announced today, which utilizes your Android phone or tablet for touch and voice controls. Details like processing power, storage, connectivity and pricing are still TBA. This is Razer’s first experiment both in Android and with standalone consoles, but the company’s strong track record with gaming hardware has us tentatively excited. The mini-console is scheduled for release at an “affordable” price this coming fall.

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Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…

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