A new console inspired by the Nintendo Wii aims to challenge the PS5 and Xbox Series X, seeking to achieve what the Mario creator could not: We are building on the legacy of giants.

Nex Playground’s CEO has shared insights on how the company plans to steer clear of the pitfalls that plagued the Nintendo Wii, where many users ended up with just a handful of games.

As someone who keeps a close eye on the gaming landscape, I was caught off guard by the emergence of Nex Playground. My first encounter with it was just last month when it surprisingly became the second-best-selling console for the week ending November 22, outpacing both the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and only trailing the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US. This compact console, which some might call a game cube, certainly made waves by breaking the usual dominance of Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo in the sales charts.

This buzz led to an interview where Nex CEO David Lee discussed the company’s strategy for maintaining a casual gaming audience, especially in light of past failures like the Wii and Xbox Kinect, which struggled with game attachment rates.

“Nintendo broadened the gaming audience with the Wii. However, when you expand the audience, they often seek different experiences and may only purchase titles like Wii Fit and Wii Sports, which can be problematic,” Lee noted. He emphasized, “While Nintendo has a solid strategy for engaging their audience, our goal is to create something sustainable. If we launch a platform and users only buy a couple of games, it jeopardizes the system’s longevity.”

For Nex, Lee stated, “One of our key priorities is to learn from past mistakes and avoid repeating them, which is why we’re implementing a subscription model.” He elaborated, “It’s crucial for us to continuously provide our customers with new innovations; that’s how we ensure the system remains viable,” adding, “But it all began with the Wii. We’re building on the foundation laid by giants.”

This unexpected contender to the PS5 and Xbox Series X comes in at just $250 because, as Lee puts it, “we are not going to compete with high-end graphics.”