Surprising $250 Console Rivals PS5 and Xbox Series X by Emphasizing Affordability Over High-End Graphics, Achieving Best-Seller Status with PS3-Level Performance

Nex CEO David Lee has shared insights into why the unassuming console he refers to as an unofficial “spiritual successor” to the Kinect has maintained a low price point and outsold both the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S this year. The compact three-by-three-inch cube known as the Nex Playground emerged as the second-best-selling console in the US this year, just behind the newly launched Switch 2.

In a recent interview, Lee highlighted how the console’s straightforward design contributed to its affordability and success. “We are not going to compete with high-end graphics,” he stated. “Our graphic capabilities on Nex Playground are roughly on par with the PS3. But we can create great games on PS3. The graphics are not bad. It’s 10x the Wii. It’s not that it hasn’t improved [over Wii]; it’s definitely improved. And it allows us to create immersive games.”

Lee explained that the team “made a set of choices” to keep the console budget-friendly, which included opting for lower-quality graphics by today’s standards and eliminating traditional controllers in favor of camera and movement-based gameplay.

“And there are no controllers,” Lee noted. “Controllers can be expensive these days. We have a simple remote to navigate games, and that’s it. Everything uses the camera, which can track four players simultaneously. We made a set of choices that keep the price affordable.”

Initially priced at $199, the Nex Playground saw a price increase to $249 this year, mirroring the trend among its competitors. Its family-friendly design, attractive pricing, charming aesthetics, and social gameplay have all contributed to its popularity.

A machine you’ve almost certainly never heard of just spent a week beating the PS5 as the second-best-selling games console in the US behind the Switch 2.