Starting April 1, the movement-based gaming console Nex Playground will cost $299, a $50 increase from its original $249 price. In a letter to customers on its site, Nex co-founder and CEO David Lee said the company can no longer absorb rising production costs.
"Like many consumer electronics companies, we've worked hard to absorb these cost increases for as long as possible," Lee wrote. "However, at current levels, it's no longer something we can sustainably carry on our own."
According to Lee, the increase is largely caused by surging prices for key components like memory (DDR) and storage (eMMC), driven in part by the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and a broader global shortage.
The good news: Nex isn't touching its subscription. The Play Pass remains $89 per year, which still feels like a solid deal considering it unlocks access to 50+ games -- with new ones added regularly. For context, a single game on platforms like Xbox or Nintendo Switch can easily run more than $40 each.
Nex Playground also targets a very different audience than traditional consoles. Instead of controllers and competitive gameplay, it focuses on younger kids and families, with simple motion-based, board game-style experiences with familiar characters like Bluey and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The result is something that gets kids moving just as much as it keeps them entertained.
If you've been on the fence, now's the time to pull the trigger.