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Infinium

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Just thought id post this here, some may have heard about it before, but i think its an interesting piece of console. [:D]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php'section_name=new&aid=3452

could be a potential gateway to a brighter future for gamers, game devlopers, but not publishers [;)]

Submitted by Daemin on Sun, 16/05/04 - 1:51 AMPermalink

So what do you know, the phantom might actually be real. However I don't see this as a real big benefit, as it will ultimately reduce freedom for the rest of us. Game developers might like the idea, publishers would also - depening on the pricing scheme - but as a game player I don't really like the idea. Although I bet that it will only take a few months before the thing is hacked and modded and then I wonder what they will do.

Submitted by tbag on Sun, 16/05/04 - 1:51 AMPermalink

I dont think it is that interesting, its just another typical PC chucked in a fancy case with controllers with another fancy name for it and marked as a console [;)].

Consoles dont do anything for me anymore, i rarely play my GameCube, the poor thing. I suppose it has a chance but only time will tell...

Submitted by Kalescent on Sun, 16/05/04 - 2:23 AMPermalink

well, now i have [:P] interesting, but who knows, although history does indeed repeat itself, he may have broken the cycle with infinium time will tell.

Submitted by MoonUnit on Sun, 16/05/04 - 2:54 AMPermalink

yeah, hardocp got sued by infinium for that article, i reserve my judgement until i see the thing released

Submitted by inglis on Sun, 16/05/04 - 3:52 AMPermalink

have to admit...it does have a bad smell to it already.

Submitted by Daemin on Tue, 18/05/04 - 12:24 AMPermalink

Rahnem: I have read it, but since they've actually released some sort of concrete specifications it is much harder to doubt them. Plus you never know, the guy in charge might actually be wanting to do something good and proper business like...

However there's no way in hell that I'm going to be buying one of those things... Not even if its totally free... (well then I might get one, and just crack it open using the contents for something else).

Submitted by MoonUnit on Tue, 18/05/04 - 1:09 AMPermalink

heh anyone in need of a file server :P

Submitted by Rahnem on Tue, 18/05/04 - 2:23 AMPermalink

Daemin: The guy probably wanted to do good business in his last ventures. Problem is I don't think he has much business sense.

At best I think it will have limited success in America, at worst be a complete failure.

I don't think the idea is that bad, but such a huge market shift needs a big fish to peddle it and I don't think Infinium have the resources to do it.

However, I could be completely wrong and off base. [;)]

Submitted by smeg on Tue, 18/05/04 - 5:56 AMPermalink

I just wonder if it offers anything that RealArcade and that XBOX arcade service won't.

(and as far as i know, they haven't release a list of hooked up developers ... ?)
meh.
cheers

Submitted by Blitz on Tue, 18/05/04 - 10:23 AMPermalink

Dunno what real arcade and xbox arcade offer... i thought real arcade was mainly small web-based and other small games, not AAA etc. titles. In which case Phantom is completely in a different sector.
They don't really need to release a list of hooked up developers, since basically any PC game that has been released will run on their console, they don't need to get developers to develop for their system, they just have to get rights for distribution (which i believe they have for most publishers). I recall BF1942 was one of the earlier games that they said would be available.
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by DaMunkee on Wed, 19/05/04 - 12:51 AMPermalink

Ahh the Infinium Phantom. I went by their booth and checked out the goods. Looks like a pipe dream to me. Having talked with people who have delt with these guys, I'm not confident this thing will be successful. Although their T-Shrits they gave out were interesting. On the front was a picture of their Phantom Logo, on the back it said "It does exists." At least they have some humor about the whole thing. Anyway, I have a lot of friends in the biz and so far none of them have mentioned they are supporting this thing.

On a related note, under each phantom was a big grey box about 3x the size of the phantom itself. I'm not sure what it was for, but I wouldn't put it past the guy to have rigged some smoke an mirrors to help his publicity (HardOCP just being 1 of many negative things to happen to the phantom)

Anyway, I guess only time will tell if it's A) real and B) successful.

Submitted by Daemin on Wed, 19/05/04 - 3:34 AMPermalink

I guess it would be really hard to be a worker within the company, having all this bad press put up about you.

However I will believe it exists when I see it being sold and used. Until then anything is still possible.

Submitted by Fluffy CatFood on Wed, 19/05/04 - 11:56 AMPermalink

I bet it will be dead 6 months after its release, lets hear everyone elses predictions on the phantoms failure. I cant wait to see how it copes as games get bigger and bigger and users have to wait longer and longer to get their games

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 21/05/04 - 9:00 AMPermalink

I believe that the console (Phantom) will have a limited success, not as much as a regular console because its just a PC, and most gamers have PC's as well as consoles. Some families might get that because the content controls will be stricter and parents would have more control.

However a certain issue hasn't been raised yet, if it's a PC, and it will be running a product of Windows (presumably), then what about viruses? I'm guessing that it'll automatically update to the latest patches, but there is still that issue of virii.

Submitted by Blitz on Sun, 23/05/04 - 10:58 AMPermalink

Virii shouldn't be a major problem. They will be running a highly stripped windows kernel (can't remember which but i beleive it has been stated. Probably a stripped win2000 kernel), that won't support anything that isn't required for games. This automatically rules out most of the security issues in windows related to network connectivity (no RPC or file sharing). The only ports they will have open will be the ones to actually play games, and the ones required to download games/patches. In both cases, fairly tight controls are maintained over which ports are open, and how those ports are used (ie. secure connections? or at least some sort of athentication of ip addresses of other phantoms etc.) this basically rules out the rest of the non-user interaction related virii attacks. Finally, (as long as it is a games-only machine), there is no case of user-interaction related virii exploits, as there is no email, web browsing etc. that can cause the virii to be downloaded and run. Perhaps the worst case scenario is causing virii to be run by hacking the games and modifying the packets to cause nasty code to be executed, but really that can happen on any platform, PC or console.
Lastly, a bad person could hack the infinium software distribution systems so instead of transmitting the latest battelfield game you end up downloading a virus :P
But yeah, i don't think it's such a big issue...if they do things correctly.
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by Maitrek on Mon, 24/05/04 - 11:33 PMPermalink

If it's a games only system no one will care, especially if it's just going to play games that a PC can play. That pretty much sums it up for me :)

It's certainly an interesting idea, but consoles have to play to their strengths. Usually those strengths are good, high quality developers, understanding of the market/audience for the console and well researched marketing.

This thing is barely on the radar as far as every average joe PC, PS2, X-Box etc owner is concerned.

Submitted by Daemin on Tue, 25/05/04 - 3:44 AMPermalink

We shall see how it goes when it is finally released. (If it is, but it should be).

Submitted by souri on Thu, 25/11/04 - 3:44 PMPermalink

Just thought I'd dig out this old thread, now that November 18th has come and gone.. And what's the news we get from Infinum, apart from an actual release?

quote:Official filing reveals that Infinium's coffers are nearly empty

A new regulatory filing from Florida-based firm Infinium Labs has revealed that the company needs to find fresh funding of around $11.5 million if it is to launch its Phantom game service next year as planned.

[url="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=5643"]Oh dear[/url]...

Submitted by MoonUnit on Thu, 25/11/04 - 10:33 PMPermalink

i am so shocked and suprised by this news!...really

Submitted by Kalescent on Thu, 25/11/04 - 11:25 PMPermalink

Damn I even tried to put an illusion up and believe that this time he would produce the goods,... what a bum lol [:D]

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 26/11/04 - 12:24 AMPermalink

Infidium missed the launch date - did anybody care?
Valve missed the launch date - I think a lot of people cared...

Submitted by LiveWire on Fri, 26/11/04 - 10:18 AMPermalink

what that thing still exists? i read a short paragraph long artical on it last year and that was the last i heared about it.

Submitted by souri on Sat, 21/05/05 - 10:30 PMPermalink

Ok, we might be getting some closure with the Phantom console...

quote:"The company believes, based on past performance, that there is a high likelihood that sufficient capital will not be available ... and many or all of these milestones will be missed and the launch date will again shift and/or the company will go out of business..."

([url="http://games.slashdot.org/games/05/05/20/1835255.shtml?tid=235"]From Slashdot[/url]). I wonder if Kevin Bachus (one of the creators of Xbox) is kicking himself for joining Infinum Labs/Phantom.

Submitted by LiveWire on Tue, 24/05/05 - 5:09 AMPermalink

no surprises there. considering there has been next to no talk, promotion or support about it, nobody would know - or care - what it was.

Submitted by Daemin on Tue, 24/05/05 - 8:42 PMPermalink

I think they started promoting it too early... That was then a factor to running out of cash too quickly, and hence they went bust.

Submitted by souri on Wed, 25/05/05 - 5:25 PMPermalink

quote:But in an interview with US website tradersnation.com last week, Infinium president Kevin Bachus stated that the Phantom will indeed launch in the US "later this year."

He went on to say the company was confident of the machine's money-spinning potential, identifying "three streams of revenue" - the hardware, the content and the subscription fee.

"Between those three revenue streams, we feel very confident that we're going to be able to not only deliver value to the consumer but to our shareholders as well," Bachus said.

[url="http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=9139"]Refusing to hand in the towel just yet [:0][/url]

Submitted by palantir on Wed, 25/05/05 - 8:12 PMPermalink

I for one would love to see it released, and not only released, but give Sony and Microsoft a run for their money. It would have to be good for the industry. The last thing we want is someone to have a monopoly on console games.

Posted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Just thought id post this here, some may have heard about it before, but i think its an interesting piece of console. [:D]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php'section_name=new&aid=3452

could be a potential gateway to a brighter future for gamers, game devlopers, but not publishers [;)]


Submitted by Daemin on Sun, 16/05/04 - 1:51 AMPermalink

So what do you know, the phantom might actually be real. However I don't see this as a real big benefit, as it will ultimately reduce freedom for the rest of us. Game developers might like the idea, publishers would also - depening on the pricing scheme - but as a game player I don't really like the idea. Although I bet that it will only take a few months before the thing is hacked and modded and then I wonder what they will do.

Submitted by tbag on Sun, 16/05/04 - 1:51 AMPermalink

I dont think it is that interesting, its just another typical PC chucked in a fancy case with controllers with another fancy name for it and marked as a console [;)].

Consoles dont do anything for me anymore, i rarely play my GameCube, the poor thing. I suppose it has a chance but only time will tell...

Submitted by Kalescent on Sun, 16/05/04 - 2:23 AMPermalink

well, now i have [:P] interesting, but who knows, although history does indeed repeat itself, he may have broken the cycle with infinium time will tell.

Submitted by MoonUnit on Sun, 16/05/04 - 2:54 AMPermalink

yeah, hardocp got sued by infinium for that article, i reserve my judgement until i see the thing released

Submitted by inglis on Sun, 16/05/04 - 3:52 AMPermalink

have to admit...it does have a bad smell to it already.

Submitted by Daemin on Tue, 18/05/04 - 12:24 AMPermalink

Rahnem: I have read it, but since they've actually released some sort of concrete specifications it is much harder to doubt them. Plus you never know, the guy in charge might actually be wanting to do something good and proper business like...

However there's no way in hell that I'm going to be buying one of those things... Not even if its totally free... (well then I might get one, and just crack it open using the contents for something else).

Submitted by MoonUnit on Tue, 18/05/04 - 1:09 AMPermalink

heh anyone in need of a file server :P

Submitted by Rahnem on Tue, 18/05/04 - 2:23 AMPermalink

Daemin: The guy probably wanted to do good business in his last ventures. Problem is I don't think he has much business sense.

At best I think it will have limited success in America, at worst be a complete failure.

I don't think the idea is that bad, but such a huge market shift needs a big fish to peddle it and I don't think Infinium have the resources to do it.

However, I could be completely wrong and off base. [;)]

Submitted by smeg on Tue, 18/05/04 - 5:56 AMPermalink

I just wonder if it offers anything that RealArcade and that XBOX arcade service won't.

(and as far as i know, they haven't release a list of hooked up developers ... ?)
meh.
cheers

Submitted by Blitz on Tue, 18/05/04 - 10:23 AMPermalink

Dunno what real arcade and xbox arcade offer... i thought real arcade was mainly small web-based and other small games, not AAA etc. titles. In which case Phantom is completely in a different sector.
They don't really need to release a list of hooked up developers, since basically any PC game that has been released will run on their console, they don't need to get developers to develop for their system, they just have to get rights for distribution (which i believe they have for most publishers). I recall BF1942 was one of the earlier games that they said would be available.
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by DaMunkee on Wed, 19/05/04 - 12:51 AMPermalink

Ahh the Infinium Phantom. I went by their booth and checked out the goods. Looks like a pipe dream to me. Having talked with people who have delt with these guys, I'm not confident this thing will be successful. Although their T-Shrits they gave out were interesting. On the front was a picture of their Phantom Logo, on the back it said "It does exists." At least they have some humor about the whole thing. Anyway, I have a lot of friends in the biz and so far none of them have mentioned they are supporting this thing.

On a related note, under each phantom was a big grey box about 3x the size of the phantom itself. I'm not sure what it was for, but I wouldn't put it past the guy to have rigged some smoke an mirrors to help his publicity (HardOCP just being 1 of many negative things to happen to the phantom)

Anyway, I guess only time will tell if it's A) real and B) successful.

Submitted by Daemin on Wed, 19/05/04 - 3:34 AMPermalink

I guess it would be really hard to be a worker within the company, having all this bad press put up about you.

However I will believe it exists when I see it being sold and used. Until then anything is still possible.

Submitted by Fluffy CatFood on Wed, 19/05/04 - 11:56 AMPermalink

I bet it will be dead 6 months after its release, lets hear everyone elses predictions on the phantoms failure. I cant wait to see how it copes as games get bigger and bigger and users have to wait longer and longer to get their games

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 21/05/04 - 9:00 AMPermalink

I believe that the console (Phantom) will have a limited success, not as much as a regular console because its just a PC, and most gamers have PC's as well as consoles. Some families might get that because the content controls will be stricter and parents would have more control.

However a certain issue hasn't been raised yet, if it's a PC, and it will be running a product of Windows (presumably), then what about viruses? I'm guessing that it'll automatically update to the latest patches, but there is still that issue of virii.

Submitted by Blitz on Sun, 23/05/04 - 10:58 AMPermalink

Virii shouldn't be a major problem. They will be running a highly stripped windows kernel (can't remember which but i beleive it has been stated. Probably a stripped win2000 kernel), that won't support anything that isn't required for games. This automatically rules out most of the security issues in windows related to network connectivity (no RPC or file sharing). The only ports they will have open will be the ones to actually play games, and the ones required to download games/patches. In both cases, fairly tight controls are maintained over which ports are open, and how those ports are used (ie. secure connections? or at least some sort of athentication of ip addresses of other phantoms etc.) this basically rules out the rest of the non-user interaction related virii attacks. Finally, (as long as it is a games-only machine), there is no case of user-interaction related virii exploits, as there is no email, web browsing etc. that can cause the virii to be downloaded and run. Perhaps the worst case scenario is causing virii to be run by hacking the games and modifying the packets to cause nasty code to be executed, but really that can happen on any platform, PC or console.
Lastly, a bad person could hack the infinium software distribution systems so instead of transmitting the latest battelfield game you end up downloading a virus :P
But yeah, i don't think it's such a big issue...if they do things correctly.
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by Maitrek on Mon, 24/05/04 - 11:33 PMPermalink

If it's a games only system no one will care, especially if it's just going to play games that a PC can play. That pretty much sums it up for me :)

It's certainly an interesting idea, but consoles have to play to their strengths. Usually those strengths are good, high quality developers, understanding of the market/audience for the console and well researched marketing.

This thing is barely on the radar as far as every average joe PC, PS2, X-Box etc owner is concerned.

Submitted by Daemin on Tue, 25/05/04 - 3:44 AMPermalink

We shall see how it goes when it is finally released. (If it is, but it should be).

Submitted by souri on Thu, 25/11/04 - 3:44 PMPermalink

Just thought I'd dig out this old thread, now that November 18th has come and gone.. And what's the news we get from Infinum, apart from an actual release?

quote:Official filing reveals that Infinium's coffers are nearly empty

A new regulatory filing from Florida-based firm Infinium Labs has revealed that the company needs to find fresh funding of around $11.5 million if it is to launch its Phantom game service next year as planned.

[url="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=5643"]Oh dear[/url]...

Submitted by MoonUnit on Thu, 25/11/04 - 10:33 PMPermalink

i am so shocked and suprised by this news!...really

Submitted by Kalescent on Thu, 25/11/04 - 11:25 PMPermalink

Damn I even tried to put an illusion up and believe that this time he would produce the goods,... what a bum lol [:D]

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 26/11/04 - 12:24 AMPermalink

Infidium missed the launch date - did anybody care?
Valve missed the launch date - I think a lot of people cared...

Submitted by LiveWire on Fri, 26/11/04 - 10:18 AMPermalink

what that thing still exists? i read a short paragraph long artical on it last year and that was the last i heared about it.

Submitted by souri on Sat, 21/05/05 - 10:30 PMPermalink

Ok, we might be getting some closure with the Phantom console...

quote:"The company believes, based on past performance, that there is a high likelihood that sufficient capital will not be available ... and many or all of these milestones will be missed and the launch date will again shift and/or the company will go out of business..."

([url="http://games.slashdot.org/games/05/05/20/1835255.shtml?tid=235"]From Slashdot[/url]). I wonder if Kevin Bachus (one of the creators of Xbox) is kicking himself for joining Infinum Labs/Phantom.

Submitted by LiveWire on Tue, 24/05/05 - 5:09 AMPermalink

no surprises there. considering there has been next to no talk, promotion or support about it, nobody would know - or care - what it was.

Submitted by Daemin on Tue, 24/05/05 - 8:42 PMPermalink

I think they started promoting it too early... That was then a factor to running out of cash too quickly, and hence they went bust.

Submitted by souri on Wed, 25/05/05 - 5:25 PMPermalink

quote:But in an interview with US website tradersnation.com last week, Infinium president Kevin Bachus stated that the Phantom will indeed launch in the US "later this year."

He went on to say the company was confident of the machine's money-spinning potential, identifying "three streams of revenue" - the hardware, the content and the subscription fee.

"Between those three revenue streams, we feel very confident that we're going to be able to not only deliver value to the consumer but to our shareholders as well," Bachus said.

[url="http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=9139"]Refusing to hand in the towel just yet [:0][/url]

Submitted by palantir on Wed, 25/05/05 - 8:12 PMPermalink

I for one would love to see it released, and not only released, but give Sony and Microsoft a run for their money. It would have to be good for the industry. The last thing we want is someone to have a monopoly on console games.