So it looks like Coleco is coming out with a new system. Oh wait, looks like its just the retro VGS branded with coleco's name.

http://www.retrovgs.com/...

What do you guys think?
Too soon after the failed campaign to try to rebrand?

Rebrading like ... a chameleon.

See what I did there?

While I'll grant that it's a MUCH catchier and more marketable name than "Retro VGS", seems like throwing good money after bad to get the rights to use Coleco's name at this point.

Yeah, I don't think a simple brand name change is going to save this. I really think the only way they could make this compete is if it is a simple, low cost device for which titles must be developed from the ground up. If they stick with their hyper ambitious goals of hardware-emulating multiple systems and a price point of 400$ or whatever it was, then they're nuts. Completely nuts. The brand name seems to hint that they are not in fact going to simplify their goals. (chameleon changing to match environment etc.). I don't really want to see a repeat of the retrovgs campaign, it was kinda ugly, and kinda sad. Because the germinal idea of it all (a new retro system) IS appealing, that's why it has my attention. It's just the team won't listen to the very people who might buy it. I hope they prove me wrong, though, I suspect the end result will be a hobbyist system with a niche market. Which wouldn't be bad...it'd just be..what is actually possible in the real world with an idea like this.

*edit* on the flipside, I suppose if their goal is to make one system that is hardware compatible with most major retro systems and all the games for them...then homebrew would simply be an option, not a requirement, for the success of the system. Make it compete with the retron 5, the avs, etc. but support all systems perfectly on hardware instead of being an emulator with a database of official games. I could see the appeal of that too.

They just gotta DEFINE it. It must either be:

-a simple system for which titles must be deveoped from the ground up. a truly new "retro" system, with its own library and own personality

OR

-a mega hardware platform emulator which would play NES, SNES, genesis, n64, etc on and on and on, with true hardware emulation. That'd be worth 400$ because you'd get something like bunnyboy's avs, but for every system (up to, say, snes, max. n64 is probably a stretch). And it'd still be open and you could build homebrews for any of those systems.

But it MUST NOT

-also include modern hardware for running unity based games (or whatever modern framework). That'd be worthless and stupid because most everyone already has the ability to play these sorts of games on their PC, phone or steam box. It'd also conflict with their desire to have no online connectivity in most cases.

 

From what I read, it seems that they're interested in making new games based on existing Caleco titles, right? I'm more interested in this device now, for sure, even if my expectations are low. I think it's a good opportunity to tap an expanding collector market, with new, simple titles; that's all we need. Crossed fingers.

Did they pay the owners of the Coleco name or did they get an investment/cash infusion from those same people?

It will be interesting to see what 'Coleco's' involvement actually is. I've noticed someone has already updated wikipedia to reflect this.
"In December of 2015, Coleco announced the development of the Coleco Chameleon, a new cartridge-based video game system. In the press release, it was established that the system would be able to play new and classic games in the 8, 16, and 32-bit styles. The release for the system has been announced to be sometime in early 2016, as well as a demonstration at Toy Fair New York in February." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col...

This one has a red LED, the other one had a blue LED IIRC.

 

Fixed that for you
 

After what happened the first time I've lost all interest in this

They're going to have a working anything by Feb? that doesn't seem likely.

Touche'!

Just like their previous attempt, pretty renderings and no substance...

So did they use the Jaguar design just because they bought the Jaguar molds from that dental equipment manufacturer?

Coleco was sold off in 1988. The original creators of the Colecovision have no hand in this what so ever. This is just a stunt to gain media attention and it's working.

Yeah, but how many times has the Atari name changed hands? Heck, Sammy may as well have just bought Sega's name.

Coleco is owned by a brand holding company, not someone with tech knowledge like most of the Atari splits. Mike would have approached them and made an offer to license the Coleco name for $x or $/unit. Or it could be like the RVGS where developers would commit but only AFTER he sold 10k units. The last people who tried to use the name did even worse... https://www.kickstarter.com/proje...

As others have noticed, Coleco name on an Atari case with a Nintendo controller. True Chameleon!

is this going to turn out like a retron 5 a stolen emulator which in the long run performs poorly in the long or short run hell which just performs poorly

but when websites like "TheVerge" make articles with the title "The creators of the colecovision are back with a brand new console" that really pisses me off

Just when you thought the Retro VGS was dead, they go and change the name on its tombstone.

Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleeoooonnnnn. You come and goooooo... you come and gooooooooo!!

I think the new name is just stupid and retarded. Retro VGS sounded much better than coco co-meel-lon. I mean I can't even say the name 3 times fast. I do like however that the got rid of the 2 9-pin connections on the front. If you really want to use a 9-pin controller they have usb adapters for it. I have a sega genesis usb to 9 pin adapter I can just use that. USB is the way to go in the present.

Best post in this thread.

 

I don't quite get why it is so hard to just be original these days. Build a system, set some specs, don't simply recycle the failed projects of others (Atari, Coleco, Retron, whatever). The appeal of a cartridge-based system, at least part of it, is that it is limited. There are constraints to work within, otherwise just develop for the newest next gen console and chose an artificial (or artistic) framework to work within. Also, why bother with the support of older systems at all? Be original; options to play others people's work already exist, and are far cheaper.

I'll never understand the appeal of buying someone else's name either, particularly when a project has no real connection to it. The range of systems/specs/eras that they are trying to evoke doesn't match up with the name. To most people who grew up with the NES and beyond, the general response is likely to be "Coleco who?" Didn't they make jeans at one point? Seems to lack focus already.

Hey, some positive things could happen from this. Like maybe Coleco will take a hit on the price per unit and make it actually be affordable. Maybe it will play Colecovision carts. Surprised they went with renders for their big partnership reveal, though. That backfired badly last time, and I can't blame people for wanting to see more physical evidence this time around. They need to earn back the trust of potential customers, and more renders is not the way to do it.