MadCatz's Mojo: firm to release its Android mini-console around the holidays

News by Stephany Nunneley-Jackson Former News Editor

Published on July 24, 2013

Mojo, MadCatz's Andorid console, is on slate to be released by the end of the year, according to the company.

Speaking with CVG, the company said the mini-console with USB and HDMI connections will come with a controller, and contains access to the Google Play, Amazon and Nvidia TegraZone stores.

The system is also standard Android, which means if you have purchased apps from the aforementioned stores already, all you have to do is log in and re-download them on the system.

"Because Mojo runs stock Android, you have day-one access to literally hundreds of thousands of games and applications," said the firm's global PR director Alex Verrey. "We're going down a very different road to the competition and believe in being open, honest and fair with the consumer.

"We're not offering a walled garden with a small selection of a hundred or so games. We're not forcing gamers to use our controllers if they don't wish to, we're not trying to sell services or software, nor are we forcing the gamers into a walled garden. Our commitment to the gamer is simple: We're going to deliver the most powerful Android based Micro Console on the market when we launch later this year.

"We are totally open. No small selection of games, no subscription fees. We bring the hardware, gamers bring the games. Buy games from where you want, when you want and how you want".

While not all touchscreen games will work on it at present, the Verrey said MadCatz is working on a solution.

The gamepad is similar to Xbox 360 and features Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Smart 4.0 and is usable on Android phones. It also contains three modes for whatever game you are playing: GameSmart, Mouse mode, and PC mode.

Mojo can also "stream 1080p perfectly", meaning it should be compatible with apps like Netflix. It will also come with "no less than 16GB internal storage", with microSD expansion supported.

Mojo will launch around the holidays and final specs and a price are yet to be confirmed.