With smartphones and tablets becoming so popular, and more apps available than you can shake a stick at, mobile gaming is becoming an increasingly lucrative market. However, the problem is that most of the games being played on tablets and smartphones are of the casual variety. The mobile industry might have advanced to the point where we have quad-core phones and tablets, but hardcore PC gamers don't want to play Cut the Rope or Angry Birds.
At CES this week, peripheral maker Razer unveiled a concept that aims to change the minds of gamers unwilling to game on the go. Powered by Intel's Core i7 CPU, the tablet is dubbed 'Project Fiona' and is designed to play the most popular PC games of today with "an intuitive control setup for a phenomenal on-the-go gaming experience." Razer says that as a result of a partnership with Intel, Project Fiona is more akin to a fully functioning PC.
"Project Fiona’s combination of high performance Intel-based gaming hardware and innovative tablet design is specifically focused for PC gamers. It will unleash the PC gamer to play their existing and future high-end games in one of the most exciting new form factors – a tablet," said Brad Graff, Director of Partner Marketing at Intel's Netbook & Tablet Group.
So, the machine is capable of running PC games, but how exactly do you play them on a tablet? Apparently we're not the only ones that think touchscreens just aren't right for serious gaming, which is why Razer has given this thing two physical controllers with analog sticks, as well as a multitouch display.
"While multi-touch screens have become the de facto user interface for tablets, they are not the right interface for serious PC gaming," said Min-Liang Tan, CEO, Razer. "The user interface we have designed for Project Fiona allows all existing PC games to be played right out of the box and also provides game developers new opportunities as they develop next-gen games on a highly-intuitive platform. Both developers and gamers are going to love the new user interface that combines the best of a gamepad, multi-touch screen and accelerometers for an all-new gaming experience on-the-go."
Razer didn't mention anything about a price or availability (considering Project Fiona is technically still just a concept, that's not surprising). However, the company did say that developer units will be made available soon, so this one may actually make it into production. Fingers crossed it does, and when that happens, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
The CPU is the next gen Ivy Bridge for mobile computers, at 22nm process. The GPU is classified.
Also it's not a concept, it's a prototype: a reporter from Engadget actually got to play with one a little bit of Space Marine. The plan is to release the final version at the end of this year at less than $1000.
