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PR: COLECO to release Chameleon, console that focuses on new cartridge games
- Thread starter Tripon
- Start date
8bitForLife
Member
It's a shame I really wanted this thing to happen sigh.
How could this guy think he can get away with faking a working prototype THREE TWO TIMES IN A ROW?
First the cardboard print. (EDIT: They didn't try to pass that off as a working prototype, my bad)
Then the hidden mini-SNES board.
And now this.
That's beyond even Peter Molyneux levels of pathological lying. Mike Kennedy is more than delusional if he thinks anyone will ever work with him on anything retro gaming related after this disaster.
First the cardboard print. (EDIT: They didn't try to pass that off as a working prototype, my bad)
Then the hidden mini-SNES board.
And now this.
That's beyond even Peter Molyneux levels of pathological lying. Mike Kennedy is more than delusional if he thinks anyone will ever work with him on anything retro gaming related after this disaster.
Cardboard print? Haven't seen this, anyone got a link or pictures?
Here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/23...een-posted-yet-retro-vgs/page-35#entry3316391
To be fair, they said it was just the preliminary board layout, they didn't try to pass that off as a working prototype. I remembered it wrong, sorry about that.
Fjolle
Member
They put heat sinks and connectors on a cardboard printout?
I guess that's one way of prototyping how it should fit.
I didn't mind the cardboard layout. I thought OK, they are still designing their board, they haven't ordered their first prototype yet. I thought it was too early in the process to ask for money but the printout itself didn't shock me. Like I'm designing a board, the first thing I need to make sure of is that it actually fits the shell I have. In retrospect, that cardboard printout meant nothing as (now obviously) they didn't even had the start of a Gerber file for their board. It was just some grey squares on a green background drawn in MS-Paint.
No, it was three times in a row. In the Carlsen video, an off the shelf dev board partially hidden under a clear Jag shell (sound familiar?) was passed off as their first real RVGS prototype.
https://youtu.be/xzJb22Buvbk
How do you explain the PCI card thing?
Checkout this post for the quick summary: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=197267755&postcount=824
Really, after it was clear this wasn't going to work they should've just looked into some other way of keeping 'retro' alive, maybe as a publisher of indie games with a retro aesthetic or something. At this point, their reputation is so rotten that I can't imagine anyone in the scene working with them...
This whole mess is making me curse the schadenfreude of human nature, I'm struggling to stop myself from following this...all to see what the next misstep in the sorry ordeal will be!
This whole mess is making me curse the schadenfreude of human nature, I'm struggling to stop myself from following this...all to see what the next misstep in the sorry ordeal will be!
NoFaceNico
Member
New update from COLECO's Facebook page:
Well that took long enough.
Edit:
They also responded to me on Twitter!!
Pay attention to the dates. When I first asked, it was during SNESgate at the Toy Fair. Then I asked for an update when current DVRgate hit. Now they finally decide to ask Mike for an explanation.
Well that took long enough.
Edit:
They also responded to me on Twitter!!
Pay attention to the dates. When I first asked, it was during SNESgate at the Toy Fair. Then I asked for an update when current DVRgate hit. Now they finally decide to ask Mike for an explanation.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
the fuck? I was sure Coleco isn't even a company anymore, just a brand that can be licensed by literally anyone.
New update from COLECO's Facebook page:
Well that took long enough.
Excellent news. They (River West Brands/Coleco Holdings) have been actively licensing out the Coleco brand and IPs they own (e.g. Colecovision Flashback and Super Game Module) and not just sit on it, so it doesn't surprise me that they do kinda care that the Coleco Chameleon is tarnishing their brand.
The old Coleco doesn't exist anymore, but the rights don't just disappear into thin air. They're currently owned by River West Brands through their subsidiary Coleco Holdings. Obviously they don't make games/hardware/merchandise, but license the rights out to other companies who do.
New update from COLECO's Facebook page:
Well that took long enough.
We are about to see the fourth prototype of the Chameleon. Since they need something working might as well open up a retrofreak or a retron 5.
CartridgeBlower
Member
How did they ever think they could fake it for this long is kinda insane...
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
I would bet money on them faking it through the coleco "control" somehow. The idea of just using a Retron doesn't seem too far fetched for me.
YianGaruga
Banned
I checked the Twitter and its been active a lot longer than this. Unless they took control of it very recently there are actually still other people behind those Coleco accounts.
NoFaceNico
Member
Yes yes yes yes yes yes YES
You guys are right, the "real" COLECO has been dead for almost 30 years. River West Brands bought the name after the bankruptcy and license it out.
In November of last year, New Jersey rapper J. Fontaine bought an interest in the brand and Mike Kennedy convinced him to lend the brand name for a commission on each sale of the console.
Seriously. I wish I was kidding. I can't post links, I'm at the gym and on my phone right now but I swear it's all true, look it up.
You guys are right, the "real" COLECO has been dead for almost 30 years. River West Brands bought the name after the bankruptcy and license it out.
In November of last year, New Jersey rapper J. Fontaine bought an interest in the brand and Mike Kennedy convinced him to lend the brand name for a commission on each sale of the console.
Seriously. I wish I was kidding. I can't post links, I'm at the gym and on my phone right now but I swear it's all true, look it up.
superNESjoe
Member
I can't believe it's been radio silence on this since the board was identified.
MrCunningham
Member
Beer Monkey
Member
So this guy owns at least part of the Coleco holding company that partnered/licensed with Retro VGS?
http://jerseymintrecords.com/the-vault/j-fontaine
This would make an excellent episode of Law and Order.
EDIT: Wait, he runs the company and made THIS MOVIE?
(watch the trailer)
EDIT 2. He's not a key executive in the company. http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=11324059
Maybe he runs the Coleco initiative or is at least a key player there.
FINAL EDIT: This explains Chris Cardillo (alter ego of bad white rapper and film mogul J Fontaine) and his role in the new Coleco.
http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20151116193122623
http://jerseymintrecords.com/the-vault/j-fontaine
This would make an excellent episode of Law and Order.
EDIT: Wait, he runs the company and made THIS MOVIE?
(watch the trailer)
EDIT 2. He's not a key executive in the company. http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=11324059
Maybe he runs the Coleco initiative or is at least a key player there.
FINAL EDIT: This explains Chris Cardillo (alter ego of bad white rapper and film mogul J Fontaine) and his role in the new Coleco.
http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20151116193122623
Hey now, they did at least respond by removing the identifying picture!
Wouldn't want that misleading picture giving consumers the wrong idea. It's a funny coincidence that the capture card looked like their prototype. (kidding, just in case that was not clear)
NoFaceNico
Member
RetroGamer is an awesome magazine that isn't related to any of this:
They have been operating for years and are made of up great writers from places like Atari Age, LemonAmiga, Lemon64, Sonic Retro, Sega-16, Nintendo Age, etc.
They are legit.
RETRO is the magazine this dude started before trying to scam people with this FPGA bullshit. It's not nearly as good and doesn't have the writing pedigree that Retro Gamer has.
Do not confuse the two.
I am thankful for the entertainment this whole ordeal has provided and that vapid, ignorant and lazy retro websites and Youtubers who were stupid enough to take Mike Kennedy at face value and give his lies a platform have been definitively found out. Congrats to them on showing beyond any reasonable doubt that they know very little about the subject matter they claim to be experts on and will lazily parrot PR for any product with a veneer of "retro". I hope that everyone involved takes a massive hit to their reputation. Big respect to Pat for not holding back on this.
I haven't seen collusion this dodgy and ill-advised since the Cheetahmen 2 Kickstarter.
Also thankful that I discovered Nico/SD&R's Youtube channel. Silver lining!
I haven't seen collusion this dodgy and ill-advised since the Cheetahmen 2 Kickstarter.
Also thankful that I discovered Nico/SD&R's Youtube channel. Silver lining!
soxinthebox
Member
I love the console specific specials that Retro Gamer do. Currently have the NES/Master System, Amiga, PlayStation and recently the SNES/Genesis edition. Great magazine if a bit pricey here in Australia ($19.95).RetroGamer is an awesome magazine that isn't related to any of this:
They have been operating for years and are made of up great writers from places like Atari Age, LemonAmiga, Lemon64, Sonic Retro, Sega-16, Nintendo Age, etc.
They are legit.
RETRO is the magazine this dude started before trying to scam people with this FPGA bullshit. It's not nearly as good and doesn't have the writing pedigree that Retro Gamer has.
Do not confuse the two.
gingerbeardman
Member
link?
NinjamicWZ
Banned
Hey, that Gamester quote is actually good to see. I sometimes like his content but have looked at him differently since the RetroVGS became such a stain. Wasn't even sure what his relationship was to it then and now, so that's some redemption.
I realized the brainfart a day after making that post, but I figured editing the post was pointless since the thread had moved a few pages. I feel pretty bad about it because Retrogamer is a respectable publication that shouldn't be associated to this mess :s.
One disheartening thing about this is that when the Retro VGS was rebranded as the Chameleon, a lot of outlets made fluff pieces among the line of "Coleco is making a new gaem console lolololo!!" without mentiong the Retro VGS or the failure of its initial crowdfunding, and many of those same outlets haven't reported on the current developments or amended their article. Even after the SNES mini debacle, there were sites publishing fluff pieces like this
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwp0KmeZ-B4c4EZPmIp0L4g
Hero_of_the_Day
Member
Daaaaamn. Curious to see what they try to throw together to get by this. Hope their people are thorough. Don't want them to get fooled by Mike bringing them the guts of a retron or something.
Sadly predictable and exactly what Mike Kennedy was counting on. Very few of them will learn from it too.
NoFaceNico
Member
Thanks for the shoutout, guys! I'm always happy to hear people are enjoying the ramblings of a mad man.
I'm working on another video but it's actually been hard to make content about this now! I always try to add something new or find a new angle to the story. But seriously, now I'm suck asking myself "how do I make this story more entertaining than it already is??"
Well, that's the $6m question, isn't it? Personally, I don't think this is over. Will he show something in the next week or the next year? I dunno.
But.... let me just drop this little hint. If they come back with a working prototype- I think they're going to be using another Kickstarter project's board. That's my conclusion with just with the little bit of info I have, I could be wrong, plans could have changed since DVRgate. But if it comes true, I'll reveal more.
I'm working on another video but it's actually been hard to make content about this now! I always try to add something new or find a new angle to the story. But seriously, now I'm suck asking myself "how do I make this story more entertaining than it already is??"
Well, that's the $6m question, isn't it? Personally, I don't think this is over. Will he show something in the next week or the next year? I dunno.
But.... let me just drop this little hint. If they come back with a working prototype- I think they're going to be using another Kickstarter project's board. That's my conclusion with just with the little bit of info I have, I could be wrong, plans could have changed since DVRgate. But if it comes true, I'll reveal more.
cartman414
Member
OT, but weren't there plans to design and market a new console under the Intellivision name last decade?
JasonUresti
Member
This whole thing is likely winding down now, the walls are closing in on him finally. Maybe some more revelations from those close to it.
It's kind of amazing that he thought that licensing a brand that means nothing outside of North America and hasn't been around since the mid 80s would give him enough credibility to pull this con off having been rebuffed the first time.
ultrazilla
Gold Member
So there had *seemed* to be quite a few people(myself among them) that liked the idea of a new cartridge based system that would play old school games from the Atari 2600 era up to 32 bit games along with games made specifically for the system.
Is the proposed FPGA system from AtariAge forum member Kevtris going to happen? I'd back his system in a heartbeat via Kickstarter.
Our should we just get a Raspberry Pi and build an emulation system and be done with it?
P.S. Mike and co. are DONE. There's simply no way anyone in their right mind would back anything he does now(I even feel a bit dirty buying all his Retro magazine back issues). It's flat out deception and to
attempt to even do that...
It is beyond puzzling why he just didn't go about this "the right way". On second thought, he may have done that and it seems he burnt many bridges along the way....
Is the proposed FPGA system from AtariAge forum member Kevtris going to happen? I'd back his system in a heartbeat via Kickstarter.
Our should we just get a Raspberry Pi and build an emulation system and be done with it?
P.S. Mike and co. are DONE. There's simply no way anyone in their right mind would back anything he does now(I even feel a bit dirty buying all his Retro magazine back issues). It's flat out deception and to
attempt to even do that...
It is beyond puzzling why he just didn't go about this "the right way". On second thought, he may have done that and it seems he burnt many bridges along the way....
xDUMPWEEDx
Banned
Quick, call up John Carlsen to save the day!New update from COLECO's Facebook page:
This thing was dead on arrival. Every piece of information since has just been entertainment for the rest of us. There was never any chance of this becoming a legitimate product after their failed Indiegogo.
IrishNinja
Member
RetroGamer is an awesome magazine that isn't related to any of this:
They have been operating for years and are made of up great writers from places like Atari Age, LemonAmiga, Lemon64, Sonic Retro, Sega-16, Nintendo Age, etc.
They are legit.
RETRO is the magazine this dude started before trying to scam people with this FPGA bullshit. It's not nearly as good and doesn't have the writing pedigree that Retro Gamer has.
Do not confuse the two.
was gonna make this post if you didn't, and also to lament my missing out on their SMS book a while back, haha
incidentally: welcome back, man!
https://www.facebook.com/OriginalPSP/posts/10208868462768151
Well, RETRO magazine looks like the next victim of Mikes deceit.
Well, RETRO magazine looks like the next victim of Mikes deceit.