Slightly Mad Studios, developers of the Project CARS Series, Need For Speed Shift and Shift 2 Unleashed, are making a game console.
This was announced via a tweet by CEO Ian Bell. The console, dubbed the Mad Box, is described to run games at 4K, 60fps and VR support (which will run at 120fps).
What is the Mad Box? It's the most powerful console ever built… It's literally 'Mad'… You want 4k, you want VR at 60FPS? You want a full engine for free to develop your games on it? You have it.
— Ian Bell SMS (@bell_sms) January 2, 2019
Speaking to Variety, Bell has clarified that this is a standalone game console “as is the Xbox or Playstation”. The Mad Box is aimed to ship in three years time, support all major VR headsets and has specs of “a very fast PC 2 years from now”.
In terms of games, Bell said that they will allow free access to its development engine and no plans to have developers work on Mad Box-exclusive titles. The Mad Box is planned to be shipped worldwide, with early images of the console to be revealed in six weeks time.
It’s an odd way and an odd time to announce a new games console. Recently, a certain rapper selling his own “console” before legal threats stopped him doing so. But Slightly Mad Studios are active game developers, so there’s more credibility here.
We’ll see what the Mad Box can really be an Xbox and Playstation (and Switch) competitor soon. At the very least, the Mad Box sounds like what hardcore sim racing enthusiasts are looking for.
Via Variety