China's Fuze Entertainment recently unveiled a new console called the "Tomahawk F1." The system is priced way below the popular consoles we know today, selling from 899 RMB or $138 ("Play" version) to 1,499 RMB or $230 ("Elite" version).
As with any new entry in the gaming world, be it a new console, franchise, installment or DLC, we're curious to find out what makes the Chinese console different, if not entirely unique. The Tomahawk F1 is no exception, but reports are consistent in pointing out how it "copies" things we've already seen so far.
Erik Kain at Forbes comments that the box looks "a lot like a small PS4," while the controller appears to be an Xbox gamepad. The user interface, which was showcased during the announcement, also hints a PS4 vibe.
Under the hood, there's nothing too jaw-dropping, either. Blogger ZhugeEX took note of its full specs, which include Nvidia Tegra K1 (4 Core A15 at 2.2GHz), Nvidia Keppler at 852Mhz (325GLOPS), 4GB DDR3 RAM at 933Mhz, 32GB eMMC storage (Elite has 500GB HDD), Wi-Fi & Bluetooth support, HDMI, USB 3.0 x 1, Ethernet (Elite uses Qi Wireless controller charger), Fuze OS (Android) + Open GL 4.4 and Open GL ES 3.1 support and Chinese & English game support.
Despite these similarities, Fuze appears motivated to establish itself as the gaming-go-to in its home country. CEO Wang Feng asked his audience in Beijing, "When will China's games market - especially high-resolution consoles and high-performance consoles, the best products [out there] - be taken over by Chinese businesses?"
Fuze launched few years back with the aim producing gaming experiences that would rival Sony and Microsoft. However, with the recent announcement, the company needs to bear with scathing feedback owing to the console's rip-off traits.
Quartz took note of one Weibo comment, "As a serious gamer, when I see you compare yourselves to the three big console makers, I sense a lot of lofty ambitions. But what I want to know is, do you really want to make a high-quality console? Or do you just want to take advantage of consoles [being hot] to make a quick buck and run off?"
The Tomahawk F1 is launching on June 1, with the promise of a VR headset coming soon. Fuze claims it has over 200 partners expected to provide content for the console.
