How Many Gp2x's Sold? How Much Longer?

[christo930]

First, I was wondering if anyone knows how many gp2x's have been sold as of mid august 2007 through to end users?

Second, there seems to be some information going around about a new system which is creating FUD. I just got my gp2x and I don't want developers to drop it like a hot potato because someone is announcing a new game system that may or may not ever materialize. When the gp2x was announced the gp32 development slowed down nearly to a stop and I don't want the same thing to happen again, especially after only 2 years of being on the market. So does anyone have a guess of how much time the gp2x has of active development? There are lots of things to be done and lots of emulators and games need improvement and I'd hate to see these things abandoned.

Chris

 

[Orkie]

So does anyone have a guess of how much time the gp2x has of active development?

Pure guess (as you asked for): 6 months.

 

[Dzz]

Neither GPH nor the distributors have shared sales numbers. Except to feed the curiosity of us fanboys there's no reason for them to.

Gp2x development will probably slow a bit right away as some people are recruited to work on stuff prior to the new machine's release. Others (like me) spend time thinking about the new machine and maybe playing with new stuff (like OpenGL). In the longer run, it depends on what the machine itself looks like. If it isn't a great-feeling handheld game device I will probably not be interested. If it doesn't have other features (like a touch-typing keyboard, for example), that will turn off some others.

 

[predatorramboxxx]

So does anyone have a guess of how much time the gp2x has of active development?

Pure guess (as you asked for): 6 months.

ahh salewise it's basically already dead. I don't think very many gp2xs have been sold from retailers these past months. I know a lot are sold on ebay.
For development being done when the new system comes all the major developers are going to drop the gp2x for the new guy.

 

[Javacat]

I think I read craig saying somewhere that between 40k and 50k GP2X's have sold.
He's also said somewhere that (for him personally) sales are now practically dead, with the occasional spike when a new review appears somewhere. This is apparently one of the (several) reasons behind this new console he is developing.

 

[DaveC]

This "new unit" is probably about 1 year off. Craig said it won't be rushed off to market full of bugs. It will only come when ready. Since the case of the console isn't even designed yet, it will take time to design, test, make molds and then produce.

Since the new unit is said to be pseudo backwards compatible (not drag and drop compatible but with minor changes in code) any work done now will not be wasted. This should give some devs motivation to continue at the moment as they can get stuff ready by making it work well on the GP2X now. When the new one comes they can re-compile with the minor modifications.

If the new unit comes and it has a decent D-pad, the GP2X will likely have very little development afterwards. Most people hate the stick compared to a pad so much that they will have little reason to go back to it. The only thing is we don't really know what the control scheme will be. Analog was mentioned and if the new one lacks digital controls then the GP2X will still be a good emu system with the digital stick. In that case some emus, games may occasionally be back-ported.

Others (like me) spend time thinking about the new machine and maybe playing with new stuff (like OpenGL). In the longer run, it depends on what the machine itself looks like. If it isn't a great-feeling handheld game device I will probably not be interested. If it doesn't have other features (like a touch-typing keyboard, for example), that will turn off some others.

Does this mean the Vectrex emu is dead

 

[skeezix]

DaveC is right on a lot of counts there I imagine..

i) The new device will also be linux based, so if people are coding to Linux and not to the metal, then that stuff will port right over fairly easily; ie: SDL on gp2x will likely be nigh-direct to new device. (ie: It takes work when going to smalle rscreen, but if going to larger, it could just be a floating window, or swcaled to fill. Easy as pie.)

ii) At least its linux, so even when coded to the metal.. if its halfway right, it should be relatively easy to port over. Porting from GP32 can be a pain, though its really not so bad.

iii) ITs all about LaF (look and feal.) It wouldn't be hard to beat the 2x's controls, and people will jump fast.

Hes right though; devs interest wanes like anyone elses, so it'll alwways be a sine-wave of interest, but near the end of life it always goes down. Always. But it will go down less for the 2x than it has for GP32.

I can build gp32, gp2x, psp, you name it, all in one place with one command. ITs not hard, so I'll keep suporting 2x awhile. The only reason I don't have GP32 things popping out is my mighty GP32 eats MMC cards for breakfast.. when it killed 3 in a row one morning, I put it to rest

jeff

 

[Dzz]

Does this mean the Vectrex emu is dead

Nope! I can hardly spend a year dreaming of a new handheld! I'm still planning on a testing release in September sometime (whenever a developer says "september sometime" that means "hopefully september 30", heh).

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

Some things were puzzling me about the way the news of a new unit was 'leaked'.. I think I get it now.

The Main Players have given prototypes to the guys who make the killer apps for the GP2X and to save a potentially harmful whispering campaign instigated one of their own - that they gently pushed in the right direction.

Fair play to them if thats the case. I think I'll get another 2 games out before the end of the year and hopefully all it takes is some scaling code (again hopefully done in hardware) and a recompile to get it running on the new machine.

Imagine that though.... every single game/app takes only minor adjustments to run on the new unit. The quality of software this thing will have at launch will be unparalleled.

 

[b._.o._.b]

Imagine that though.... every single game/app takes only minor adjustments to run on the new unit. The quality of software this thing will have at launch will be unparalleled.

Stop that! You're getting me overly excited

on topic:

Even when the devs abandon the GP2X the software will still be usable for many years to come. I guess it will be longer used and developed for than the GP32 because of Linux, cradle and higher compatibility with the new toy. Would also be nice to be able to link the two and software use that possibility.

 

[trooper]

As for how many GP2x`s were sold, As far as i know it was 2, Yours and mine. :rolleyes:

Trooper

 

[Alex.]

GP2X is very friendly to develop for (Linux and the everpopular SDL library), so it will definitely live a long life after the new handheld will come out. The user base is larger and more active than the GP32's (from what I can see), so it won't die overnight.

I can't wait for that strong 2D acceleration though

 

[Parkydr]

I won't be jumping ship - I can't justify buying a new handheld of any sort while my GP2X is still working.

Everyone will be off for faster emulators and those left behind (or 3 or 4 of them) will be forced to play my crappy ports

The whole GP2X scene will be mine!

MWUHA MWUHAHA MWUHAHAHAHA etc

Edit: Not maniacal enough

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

Imagine that though.... every single game/app takes only minor adjustments to run on the new unit. The quality of software this thing will have at launch will be unparalleled.

Stop that! You're getting me overly excited

on topic:

Even when the devs abandon the GP2X the software will still be usable for many years to come. I guess it will be longer used and developed for than the GP32 because of Linux, cradle and higher compatibility with the new toy. Would also be nice to be able to link the two and software use that possibility.


Ive still not finished Mario World.

 

[RockOut]

I'm not upgrading unless the new console offers something over the gp2x like a 3d processor, not just "capabilities". Face it, we can play retro games really well now on the GP2X, why can't we move onto some 3d goodness?

I love all of the classic open source games, etc. but wouldn't quake 3 support with wifi be a bit better?

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

I love all of the classic open source games, etc. but wouldn't quake 3 support with wifi be a bit better?

Anyone else missing Telco?

 

[DaveC]

I'm not upgrading unless the new console offers something over the gp2x like a 3d processor, not just "capabilities". Face it, we can play retro games really well now on the GP2X, why can't we move onto some 3d goodness?

I love all of the classic open source games, etc. but wouldn't quake 3 support with wifi be a bit better?

For some I guess. Some like me though don't really care too much about 3D. When I want 3D I can play a much better 3D game on my Xbox 360 with far superior graphics. There are so many 3D based systems now and forever that 3D is a big meh today. 3D is just a commodity rather than something special. If I really want 3D on a portable there is the PSP or even DS which will always have better 3D games due to real commercial support. Even at that I haven't touched my PSP in months. Not because it isn't a great machine but because 3D games shrunk down to a 4" screen aren't that exciting to me.

And actually there are alot of retro games that are not very good on GP2X such as SNES, PC-Engine, CPS1, and other newer (although even alot of the classics have no or rudimentary sound support due to the .34) MAME stuff. A faster system will help these alot.

Does this mean the Vectrex emu is dead

Nope! I can hardly spend a year dreaming of a new handheld! I'm still planning on a testing release in September sometime (whenever a developer says "september sometime" that means "hopefully september 30", heh).


Cool. I thought "September sometime" meant September, but the year is not known

 

[Ravnos]

I love all of the classic open source games, etc. but wouldn't quake 3 support with wifi be a bit better?

Anyone else missing Telco?

 

[ruckage]

As much as I'm excited at the prospect of a new open source handheld I can't see myself jumping ship for quite some time simply because I don't have enough spare cash so you can expect games from me for quite some time. Once I can eventually afford it though I can see myself doing 2 versions of my games, one for 2x and an enhanced version for the new handheld .
This all depends on whether fenix is ported though as without it the new handheld would be of little interest to me - fingers crossed.

 

[christo930]

I love all of the classic open source games, etc. but wouldn't quake 3 support with wifi be a bit better?

Anyone else missing Telco?


I don't understand this line of thinking from a retrogaming website. While GP32X is not a retrogaming website it is a website dedicated to a retro-gaming machine. I certainly wouldn't buy a 3d gaming machine from korea or some other non comercial 3d gaming machine when I could just get a psp (used for about $150 or less). Isn't quake 3 available for NDS or PSP? Why buy a no name korean machine to play Quake 3? How many of your friends are going to own one so you can use the wi-fi support? If your going to use the internet, why not just play on a pc or an xbox 360 or something? Why is anyone trying to push a new handheld on the market when the existing one is not even near maxed out? Is anyone deluded into thinking that nothing more can be accomplished with this machine? At minimum, Picodrive proves that you can use the second processor for sound support and speed up the emulation a lot. And that's minimum. I don't know about the other people here, but I don't have 2-300 dollars or pounds or whatever to dump on a new machine every year or 2. I just got my GP2X, but even if I had got it a year ago, I wouldn't be willing to invest in a new machine for at least 2 years.

Chris