New video game console aims to get kids moving

The Nex Playground, a motion-controlled console that uses AI and a built-in camera to track body movements, will launch in the UK and Ireland on 22 June priced at £269 [1]. The cube-shaped device from US firm Nex aims to get children active by ditching traditional handheld controllers [1]. Access to most of the console's 60-plus games requires a subscription, costing £90 annually or £45 quarterly [1]. Nick, a parent from Louisiana, said the recurring fee was his "biggest hesitancy" but noted that "when you consider the fact that a single Switch game costs about $70 or $80, it's really not too egregious" [1]. Brian, a parent from Philadelphia, added, "I do think there's plenty of value here, especially when you consider the dollars per hour of this activity versus many others" [1]. The system uses a wide-angle camera to track 18 points on a player's body, creating an on-screen avatar [1]. David Lee, Nex's chief executive, said player privacy was the "number one priority" and that "the camera is only for tracking motion; we don't save the video anywhere; it is processed in real time, locally on the device, rather than in the cloud" [1]. The console has received a kidSAFE+ COPPA certification, indicating compliance with the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act [1]. The device was first released in December 2023 in the US and Canada and has since surpassed one million lifetime units sold [1][3]. The concept of motion-controlled gaming has historical precedent; Nintendo developed the Wii with motion-sensing controls in the mid-2000s, which helped draw in non-traditional players and resecure the company's industry position [2]. The Nex Playground's specific "Health & Fitness" category includes daily Zumba workouts with an on-screen instructor [1]. Corey, a parent from North Carolina, said "the initial set-up was extremely smooth, and the interface is simple and easy" and that "the subscription lets me not worry about any of that and just dive into whatever my family wants to explore" [1]. The console surprised the industry when research firm Circana reported it was the third best-selling console in the US over Black Friday 2025, outselling the Xbox Series S and X [1]. Chris Scullion, deputy editor of Video Games Chronicle, said the device would probably never "realistically challenge" the Nintendo Switch 2, which sold over 17 million units by the end of 2025, but its "clear family focus" could make it a "more compelling offer" for parents seeking a modern replacement for Wii Sports or Wii Fit [1].