Nex Playground Price Hike Hits Popular Console
▼ Summary
– The Nex Playground, a budget-friendly, Kinect-like console for families, will have its price increased to $299 on April 1st.
– This new price represents a $50 increase from its previous cost.
– The device previously gained attention by outselling the Xbox over a recent holiday period.
– The company’s CEO cited rising costs for key components like memory and storage as the reason for the hike.
– The component price increases are partly driven by the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.
The cost of gaming continues its upward trend, with a notable budget console now joining the list of more expensive hardware. Starting April 1st, the popular Nex Playground will see its price increase by $50, bringing the total to $299. This family-oriented, motion-sensing device, which gained significant attention for outselling the Xbox during the previous holiday season, is the latest product affected by broader industry pressures.
In an official statement, Nex Playground co-founder and CEO David Lee explained the rationale behind the price hike. He pointed to a sharp rise in the cost of essential components over the last half-year as the primary driver. Specifically, he noted significant increases for memory (DDR) and storage (eMMC). Lee attributed these rising costs partly to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, which is creating heightened demand and supply constraints for these core parts across the electronics sector. This move reflects a wider pattern where consumer technology companies are adjusting prices in response to persistent supply chain pressures and increased manufacturing expenses.
(Source: The Verge)
