I forgot to write the other day when I posted here, but Tectoy finally released Zeebo, that “unnanounced platform” I wrote about on my curriculum. During my internship at Tectoy I coded the multiplayer versions of a soccer game and a racing game, both for Zeebo, together with my colleagues. It would have been fun if the games’ original codes weren’t so big and absolutely uncommented as they were. Due to this, work ended up being very cumbersome for me at the time, specially as the Imagine Cup 2008 deadline for the Game Development category was fast approaching.

The console’s business model in theory seems promising, but I don’t think it will succeed unless some very innovative games are made for it. It could, for example, be turned into a preferred target platform for indie developers, with a game development and submission system for amateurs made available through its 3G network. Kind of like XBLA, but open for submission under some restrictions. THAT would draw worldwide attention, I say, and would eventually produce some real, exclusive hit games for the platform. However, I doubt this is going to happen anytime soon, and if Zeebo’s game library is to be consisted of ported games in majority, *specially* cell phone games, I don’t see much future for it. People will still prefer to buy pirated PS2s, or will just start buying next-gen consoles as their prices (eventually) go down.

Anyway, I hope I’m wrong (or better yet, someone from Tectoy reads this and agrees with me). All the best to Zeebo and Brazilian game industry!