The Nex Playground is an active play video game console developed by American company Nex that was released in December 2023. It was developed to encourage indoor active play through motion capture.
Hardware
The Nex Playground is a video game console with a built-in ultra wide-angle camera, being described by Nex CEO David Lee as a successor to the Microsoft Kinect.[3][4] It is designed for family audiences as opposed to more traditional gaming demographics that modern consoles are aimed at; analyst Martin Scott of Analysys Mason compared the target audience to that of the Nintendo Wii.[3][5]
The console is a cube approximately 3″ (76 mm) on all sides. It has an 8-core ARM chip and 64GB of built-in storage. A remote control connects to the console via Bluetooth and is used for navigating menus. The console connects to a display with an HDMI cable. A disc to cover the camera is included and magnetically snaps onto the console body.[4][6]
Software
Gameplay happens with use of an AI-powered motion tracking engine.[3] It comes with 5 built-in games, including Fruit Ninja and Starri. Additional 50+ games are available through the Play Pass subscription, which costs $89 annually. New games are developed and released onto Play Pass throughout the year.[7][8] Games are downloaded over Wi-Fi; after download, they can be played offline.
The Nex Playground has adjustable difficulty options and accessibility features dedicated for people with limited mobility.[9]
Spring of Fun 2025 update
In March 2025, Nex announced the Spring of Fun 2025 release that added several new titles to the Nex Playground library, including DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon, a Care Bears inspired endless runner, and BoxFlow Fitness designed for a full body workout gaming experience.[10]
Reception
Simon Hill of Wired gave the console a rating of 6/10, praising the device’s design and motion tracking capabilities, but criticizing the limited library of games and pricing scheme.[4] It was described as a “Box That Looks Like the OUYA and Kinect Had a Kid” by gaming industry analyst Mat Piscatella.[11] It was positively reviewed by Haley Perry of Wirecutter, who remarked the accessibility of the experience and game selection, but criticised occasional issues with the motion control.[9]
Sales
The Nex Playground became a sought after gift during the Black Friday shopping season in 2024 and 2025. Retail partners including Target, Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy sold out of consoles and customers waited for small restocks to be able to purchase the game.[12]
At certain points, it has had greater weekly sales than traditional consoles such as Xbox Series or certain PlayStation 5 SKUs.[5][13] During the week ending November 22, 2025, the Nex Playground was the second best-selling hardware SKU in the United States based on units sold.[11]
References
- ^ “Nex Playground Price Increasing to $299”. Nex Playground. March 25, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ^ “Safety & Privacy”. Nex Playground.
- ^ a b c Roettgers, Janko (March 7, 2024). “How Nex Playground designed a gaming console for kids that won’t make them couch potatoes”. Fast Company. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- ^ a b c Hill, Simon (January 21, 2024). “This Game Console Gets the Whole Family Off the Couch”. WIRED. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
- ^ a b Fahey, Rob (December 5, 2025). “Nex Playground is a smart play for an industry blind spot | Opinion”. GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
- ^ Dean, Ian (June 10, 2025). “This Apple-like games console is the closest yet to a ‘Netflix for games’ – why Nex Playground impresses”. Creative Bloq. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- ^ “The Nex Playground Is the Video Game Console That Brings My Entire Family Together”. Parents. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
- ^ Notopoulos, Katie. “Nex Playground fits with a trend of products for parents who want to limit screen time”. Business Insider. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
- ^ a b “My New Favorite Way to Play Video Games Is Something You’ve Never Heard Of”. The New York Times. November 13, 2025. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ “Nex Playground Unveils Spring of Fun Lineup Featuring Dreamworks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon, and More”. Business Wire. March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Valentine, Rebekah (December 4, 2025). “A ‘Box That Looks Like the OUYA and Kinect Had a Kid’ Outsold the PS5 in the US the Week Before Thanksgiving”. IGN. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ “Nex Playground sold out on Black Friday – now it’s cheaper than ever for Prime Day”. Creative Bloq. July 8, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
- ^ Robinson, Andy (December 7, 2025). “Xbox was outsold by a little-known Kinect-style console during Black Friday”. VGC. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
