What are the chances of success for a domestic console that dares to be released at the same time as PS4's "Uncharted 4"?

For console game players, May 10, 2016 is definitely a big day, because the new game in the "Uncharted" series, which may also be the final version of "Uncharted 4", will be released simultaneously on PlayStation platforms around the world except China. Judging from the public media ratings, it is no exaggeration to call it another perfect masterpiece.

Therefore, on May 10, all other news about game consoles and console games could hardly match the popularity of "Uncharted 4".

However, there is a voice from China that is more confident than Naughty Dog, the "professional maker of full-score masterpieces". The industry's long-awaited Axe Technology "Tomahawk F1" console was finally chosen to be released on the same day as "Uncharted 4".

Although it is still based on the Android system, it is supported by well-known international game development companies such as Ubisoft, Koei Tecmo, and Codemasters, and Mega Man's father Keiji Inafune has a personal booth at the press conference. One can't help but wonder, can this belated "axe" really change the inherent perception of hardcore console players towards domestic game consoles?

To clear Android's name, rivals lobby to say goodbye

Domestic game consoles are not powerful enough, and the Android system, which seems to be the only option, is definitely the "culprit". Axe is also an Android console. Different from previous products of the same type, it always emphasizes that under the Android system, the chip performance provided by NVIDIA can surpass so many PS3s and so many XBOX360s. This time, Axe Technology CEO Wang Feng finally made it clear why it is reasonable to use Android to make game consoles.

Wang Feng said that the underlying system of Android is Linux, and there is not much difference between the basic system foundation of Android and Steam OS and Sony PS console. In theory, with proper optimization and transformation, Android also has the potential for console-level gaming.

From a certain perspective, Axe knows why Android is used as the console, and also knows how to distinguish Android game consoles from other types of Android devices. The first batch of nearly 100 games announced by Axe F1 no longer have the common mobile game ported works on the Android platform. This is also seen as the bottom line for Axe to develop consoles, making the product look more like a game console, rather than a mobile game TV box that steals the concept.

We have Assassin's Creed, but is Chronicles enough?

Fortunately, the opening show of the Axe F1 conference was Ubisoft's blockbuster "Assassin's Creed", a game that should really be on a game console. But unfortunately, the "Assassin's Creed" on the Axe console is not "Liberation", "Black Flag", "Rogue", "Genius" or "Unity", but the 2.5D screen, spin-off "Chronicles".

Judging from the game list, Axe consoles all reveal a characteristic in their game selection, that is, they will not take the lead in pleasing the eyes of "graphics party".

Apart from the racing simulation "GRID: Autosport", the only games that can really arouse players' interest on Tomahawk F1 are Japanese two-dimensional or comic-style games such as "Wonderful 9" and "BlazBlue", or games that do not rely on graphics such as "Dynasty Warriors". The reason for this is nothing more than the chip derived from the mobile platform, that is, NVIDIA Tegra K1, which has limited capabilities.

Anyone who knows a little about game consoles can generally understand that even for the PS4 and XBOX ONE, which symbolize the next generation, the expensive games can be divided into two categories. One is performance-intensive games like "Battlefield" and "Call of Duty", which allow you to experience the power of the game engine rendering; the other is mainly based on emptying fans' pockets and does not consume performance, such as the previously popular "Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4". This game was priced at HK$479 when it was launched and was nicknamed "PPT4" by players.

Axe's current style undoubtedly leans towards the latter, and it is also a game type that the product is capable of handling. It focuses on some old-brand game IPs, which of course meets the psychological expectations of some players. But the embarrassing thing is that after you get tired of "Dynasty Warriors" on PS4, you can immediately switch to "GTA5". If you get tired of "Dynasty Warriors" on Axe F1, you probably have to find a PS4 if you want to switch to "GTA5". "Console games" are not necessarily "3A-level console games".

The axe "chopped" in the right direction, but there are many places to "chop"

To be fair, the launch of Tomahawk F1 does show us the positive side of domestic game consoles. The move away from mobile games, the introduction of blockbuster titles, and the spending of huge sums of money to cooperate with top international game manufacturers reflect Axe Technology's sincerity in accumulating strength in game consoles.

At the press conference, Wang Feng repeatedly emphasized that the domestic game console market has had a "window period" of more than ten years. He also pointed out the weakness of overseas game consoles when they entered the domestic market, and felt that now is a good time for domestic manufacturers to make efforts.

Unfortunately, in the past few years since they left China, none of the Playstation, XBOX or Nintendo products have completely disappeared from China at any time. This has invisibly set an extremely high threshold for domestic manufacturers to enter the field of game consoles.

For example, why do players choose to play games on consoles? Exclusive games and exclusive content account for a large part of the factors, even exclusive developers such as Microsoft 343 Studios and Sony Naughty Dog. As a new platform, Axe is still in the stage of porting big games and is still solving the problem of "whether there is a console or not". It seems that there is still a long way to go to build an advantage that can stand alone.

Another example is what is the essence of a game console? Many players will even play multiple rounds of a game on a console in order to earn trophies and platinums, even though they can finish it once on a PC. On the newly launched Axe, these mechanisms to extend the playability of the console have not yet appeared. For real gamers, these aspects should be much more important than whether they can watch Panda TV live or "Ode to Joy" on the console.

For example, if the development of PS4 and XBOX ONE in China is not satisfactory, will domestic console manufacturers really think that there is an opportunity? In fact, most domestic players may not think that buying a Hong Kong version of PS4, or a Korean or Japanese version of XBOX ONE is a difficult thing. The Chinese version of the console itself is dispensable and there is really no comparison value.

Overall, the Tomahawk F1 is more professional than any other Android game console that has ever appeared, but the competitors it faces are the PS4 and XBOX ONE, which players are more familiar with. In the end, its suitable position may only fall into the product range such as Playstation Vita TV.

Judging from the press conference, Axe is a company that is more concerned with sentiment, telling everyone "You can maintain your prejudices, but you cannot avoid our growth and love." However, console players nowadays probably don't have much time to think about what sentiment is all about. After all, these two days, no one has the energy to care about anything other than "Uncharted 4."

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.