Mad Catz is Working on an Android Console Too

Ravensword 2 on Tegra 3

During Mad Catz Interactive's financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and full year ended March 31, 2013, company President and CEO Darren Richardson said the company is working on its own Android "micro" console, and plans to reveal the device during E3 2013. Currently it's called Project M.O.J.O., and is being designed to interact seamlessly with the company's GameSmart controllers, mice, keyboards and headsets.

"With our long history in the gaming industry, Mad Catz has the technical capability, product breadth, global distribution, and developer and publisher relationships that uniquely position our company to embark on this ambitious initiative," he said. "We believe the GameSmart initiative fits perfectly with our long-term strategy of designing innovative products for passionate gamers and our strategy of expanding into emerging markets."

The news follows the company's announcement that its GameSmart products will be compatible with Nvidia Tegra-based mobile devices. "Mad Catz expects to implement compatibility for the Tegra mobile processor into a forthcoming range of products, affording users the benefits of fully optimized mobile gaming accessories," the company said.

That said, it's presumed that the upcoming Android micro console will be flavored with Nvidia's Tegra 4 or the older Tegra 3 at the very least, Bluetooth Smart technology, HDMI output, and Android "Jelly Bean". It may even support multiplayer gaming on the same screen – PowerA announced a similar feature with its next-gen MOGA controllers which are also making an appearance at the show.

"Our GameSmart initiative aims to enable core gaming on smart devices, similar to the console living room or PC gaming experience," Richardson said earlier this week. "By adding Tegra compatibility to our GameSmart control products, we can provide an enhanced and optimized gaming experience to TegraZone gamers. We are excited to be working closely with Nvidia and believe it fits perfectly with our long-term strategy of designing innovative products for passionate gamers."

Although the schedule is now full, we've reached out to Mad Catz to schedule some time with these controllers and the Android micro consoleduring E3 2013.

  • John Hadley
    I think its great to see a company that has long been focused on gaming making a game console. Rock on, MadCatz! Hope it works out for you.
    Reply
  • AzureFlash
    They're going to beat Microsoft for sure...
    ... in return rates.
    Reply
  • shikamaru31789
    I once bought a MadCatz controller for my Gamecube. Total piece of crap. Within just a few weeks I had buttons sticking. So I doubt I'd get a MadCatz console unless it gets really good reliability reviews.
    Reply
  • beoza
    I'm seriously starting to have flash backs of 1983-1985 (I was 10 at that time) with all these stupid companies announcing new consoles, and the glut of crapware that passes for games...maybe we do need another video game crash to usher in a new age of gaming. These companies obviously didn't learn anything the first time.
    Reply
  • jcesmi
    beoza, i know what you mean. And yes, maybe there will need to be a gaming console war again (this happened in the 90's too!). Just hope the market follows the best technology rather than the most advertised as we might miss a trick (like Sega Dreamcast).
    But it always seems to come back to PC gaming, as i find most of these handhelds are laggy, or just hard to play on due to neck ache after staring down for 30 mins (im a bit of a old man, other youngsters may be fine with this). But i like bright ideas, and hopefully Mad Catz will make one.
    Reply
  • outlw6669
    More competition is usually a good thing.
    I just hope all these low end Android based gaming consoles can be served by the official Google Play store.
    If not, it will only serve to further segment the mobile gaming market and drive developers away from the platform.

    From the Mad Catz peripherals I have laid hands on so far though, I do not expect their console to really win the market.
    I unfortunately expect very low build quality to detract from the experience.
    Reply
  • somebodyspecial
    Wow, I didn't expect so many gaming devices to be aimed at Tegra. This is looking good for NV stock and also for android gaming. If more stuff is aimed at T4 and above we won't need consoles by the time they ship :) So if you're a dev, aim for T4 now, and by the time your game ships we'll all be on T4 on the low-end and most likely T5 etc high end (it normally takes at least a year to make a game right?). Aimed at T4 today, you'll have a billion unit audience by this time or xmas next year when everyone has a T5 like device out. Or heck, aim for T5 and you'll probably have the same audience not long after as they rev every year and are supposedly doubling to 2.4B by 2017. This means over a billion will be able to play any T5 aimed game by mid2015 if not earlier. No point in aiming at the least common denominator like PC's usually do. The mobile audience improves yearly on 1Billion devices already.
    @jcesmi the difference is the new ones go out to TV to replace your handheld & consoles. No need to look down if you don't want to while in your home. You only look down at it when you leave the house for mobile gaming outside/dr office etc. When inside, HDMI or Miracast out to your TV. Bring on the war. I welcome all comers as long as they are all android based and have HDMI/Miracast and hopefully use T4 or T4i at least. T3 seems shooting low if you ask me and I'd rather see them wait for a T4i with 5x the gpu (if saving cost, it's got to be cheaper at 1/2 size of T3 or T4 full) or full T4.
    Reply
  • TheMadFapper
    You don't build the console first, you build the games. Is everyone going full retard? When I go look at the top Android games I'm still seeing garbage like Angry Birds, Temple Run, etc. No offense, those games are good time wasters for down time, but they're NOT worth buying any sort of device for. I'm fine with my phone for those games. This is STUPID.
    Reply
  • WyomingKnott
    10943469 said:
    my roomate's step-aunt makes $73/hr on the computer. She has been fired for ten months but last month her income was $19415 just working on the computer for a few hours. Here's the site to read more > trash deleted
    Sorry, kid, but none of us could afford the pay cut.
    Reply
  • somebodyspecial
    10944337 said:
    You don't build the console first, you build the games. Is everyone going full retard? When I go look at the top Android games I'm still seeing garbage like Angry Birds, Temple Run, etc. No offense, those games are good time wasters for down time, but they're NOT worth buying any sort of device for. I'm fine with my phone for those games. This is STUPID.

    I wrote this a while back for someone else, not sure if the links will come through, but you can search for the game names on googleplay and watch the movies. Very weird links they have over there, but hopefully they lead directly to the games (preview shows as links). I could add many more to the list now. This is just the beginning. I guess you don't look at googleplay much :) I'm waiting for a T4 tablet and my dad has a nexus 10 so I started looking recently for stuff I'd want myself (you know, a good reason to finally buy one...LOL). I'd say I'll be jumping soon. Now I just need the right T4 tablet (Tegrazone has to be in there as NV is pushing mobile gaming a lot and already work with xbox360 controllers etc), for my purchase. Note consoles don't launch with more than a dozen or so titles, so I don't get your point.

    Head to google play and check out some of these games, the 1st two are unreal engine based check out the movies of the games...this is the first freaking wave (not angry birds now):
    Demon Score (square enix)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.demonsgp&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5zcXVhcmVfZW5peC5kZW1vbnNncCJd

    Wild Blood
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftWBHM&feature=related_apps

    Note the unreal engine 3 is just kicking off on mobile, a lot more in the pipe. Also Real Boxing and Hawken (hawken is coming, NV showed it running on T4 already).

    Modern Combat 1-4:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftM4HM&feature=more_from_developer

    Make sure you up the video to 1080p... It rocks. This is PRE-T4. These are made for current crap T3 etc...OLD, some even T2 games below.

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftM3HM&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmdhbWVsb2Z0LmFuZHJvaWQuQU5NUC5HbG9mdE0zSE0iXQ..

    Eternity Warriors 2 (1-5mil installs in the last 30 days...wow):
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glu.ewarriors2&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmdsdS5ld2FycmlvcnMyIl0.
    WOW, no, there will be no good games on tablets/phones etc. :)

    Iron Man 3 (impressive to say the least)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftIMHM&feature=related_apps

    Frontline Commando
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glu.flcn_new&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmdsdS5mbGNuX25ldyJd

    Nova 3 (nova 1 & 2 aren't bad either)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftN3HM&feature=more_from_developer

    Dark Knight Rises:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftKRHM&feature=more_from_developer

    Gangstar Rio
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftG4HM&feature=related_apps

    Shadowgun (still think tablets are crap?)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.madfingergames.shadowgun_thd&feature=related_apps

    Bard's Tale (hey, isn't this a CONSOLE game...LOL)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inxile.BardTale&feature=related_apps

    ArmA2: Firing Range (not impressive, but this was 2011...LOL)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bistudio.a2fr&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmJpc3R1ZGlvLmEyZnIiXQ..

    Again for Tegra2...
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slitherine.gbm&feature=also_installed#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwNCwiY29tLnNsaXRoZXJpbmUuZ2JtIl0.

    Renaissance Blood
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Bridea.NC.THD.RenaissanceBlood&feature=related_apps

    Zombie Driver THD
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.exor.ZombieDriver&feature=also_installed#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwNCwiY29tLmV4b3IuWm9tYmllRHJpdmVyIl0.

    Chaos Rings 1 & 2:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.chaosrings2gp&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLnNxdWFyZV9lbml4LmNoYW9zcmluZ3MyZ3AiXQ..
    Please realize it's in english when you buy it...LOL

    Blazing Souls Accelate:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hyperdevbox.blazingsouls&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmh5cGVyZGV2Ym94LmJsYXppbmdzb3VscyJd


    Final Fantasy 3 in 3d (2006 game but on current handhelds)
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FFIII_GP&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLnNxdWFyZV9lbml4LmFuZHJvaWRfZ29vZ2xlcGxheS5GRklJSV9HUCJd

    Amazing Spiderman:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftAMHM&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmdhbWVsb2Z0LmFuZHJvaWQuQU5NUC5HbG9mdEFNSE0iXQ..

    Need for Speed Most Wanted:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ea.games.nfs13_row&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmVhLmdhbWVzLm5mczEzX3JvdyJd

    Asphalt 7
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftA7HM&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmdhbWVsb2Z0LmFuZHJvaWQuQU5NUC5HbG9mdEE3SE0iXQ..

    COD Black Ops Zombie game...Who knew?
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atv.blackops&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmF0di5ibGFja29wcyJd
    Reply