New "Phantom" Console to premier

[The NZA]

Gameforms.com...

 

Phantom game console to be shown at Ultimate Games Expo

» Maybe we'll finally get to see what it can do.

News | Thursday, July 17, 2003 | Jeff Brown [staff Writer]

 

As this year’s Ultimate Games Expo kicks off August 15, videogame fanatics will find there is much more to see than just next-generation titles and mobile technology. Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the UGE will give gamers of all ages a chance to check out some of this year’s hottest games as well as some new hardware.

 

In an announcement by global entertainment/gaming developer Infinium Labs, the "Phantom" home console will be one of the new pieces of gaming hardware shown at UGE. A cross between a PC, videogame console and rental store, the "Phantom" will be the latest foray into the console market by a company other than Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft.

 

Veiled in secrecy, with only a few vague features and no specs to be announced, the "Phantom" has been something of a mystery since its announcement last January. With the supposed ability to download new games, demo upcoming games, and rent existing titles, the Phantom is looking to be an interesting prospect for the console industry.

 

However, with the failure of consoles such as the 3D0 and Jaguar, as well as the untimely death of Sega's Dreamcast, it's easy to see why Infinium Labs console has yet to garner much attention. But with its array of supposed features and a truckload of style, the "Phantom" may just turn some heads at this years UGE. For ticket information and directions, check out the Ultimate Games Convention website, and be sure to check out Infinium Labs website as well.

 

[The NZA]

For those interested, this piece of vaporware didnt show at UGE, or E3...its becoming a funny story, tho. From Penny Arcade...

 

It really comes down to this: is it a hoax, or are the forces involved in making this system absolutely inept? I'd call that six of one or a half dozen of the other.

 

Anybody tried to actually submit ther information on the pre-registration screen? It's not a button, it's just a sort vestigial nub with no function.

 

An interesting mail from Josh Parker, Private Eye:

 

In my amazing boredom, I researched the status of these trademarks on , but could find no record of either being trademarked. I tried various search methods, never did I see the slogan or the name Phantom trademarked by Infium Labs.

 

Uh, yeah. Might want to get one of them trademark things.

 

Steve from HardOCP dropped the following science on me yesterday:

 

We had a reader go by Infinium Labs and take pictures of their "facility" ( that's when we found out it was a strip mall in the Florida Keys ) only to find out it was a single desk in a 100 x 100ft room with two phones and no furniture. That was about 4 months ago.

 

I talked to the Tim Roberts guy on the phone when he returned my call ( 22 days after I left a message ) and when I asked him about all this...he HUNG UP ON ME. I asked him if he was looking for investors, he said "We are actively recruiting investors". I asked him if they had any consoles on hand, he said "We have several hundred prototype models here in the office". So then I asked him where the prototypes were made, he said "right here in our facility". Then I told him I had seen his 100ft x 100ft office space conveinently located next to Missing Link Art Gallery in the strip mall ( located at 5380 Gulf of Mexico Dr. Longboat Key, Fl 34228 ) and he went NUTS!!! "WHO THE FUCK IS THIS!?!?! BLAH BLAH I'LL SUE YOU".

 

Then you have articles like this one on Newsforge that make the whole thing seem sensible! Goddammit, I'm trying to dismiss something here! Stupid journalists.