The Nex Playground is poised to sell 600,000 consoles, a fourfold increase compared to last year’s figures.
The Nex Playground is poised to sell 600,000 consoles, a fourfold increase compared to last year’s figures.
It’s a limited sample size, likely influenced by Black Friday discounts and momentary virality, but the Nex Playground has transitioned from being an obscure console curiosity to a best-seller. It’s now set to quadruple its sales from last year. Data from research firm Circana indicates that the Playground was the second best-selling console in the US for the week ending November 22nd, and third for the week ending November 28th. In October, it was not even mentioned by Circana’s video game analyst, Mat Piscatella.
The vibrant cube received a significant discount for Black Friday, dropping from $249 to $199, likely contributing to sales, particularly as Microsoft did not reduce their Xbox prices for the holiday. Sales of Microsoft’s console continue to decline, while prices rise. Additionally, it appeals to parents wishing to keep their children active while being fatigued from battles over screen time.
Having sold over 300,000 units in just twelve days leading up to November 22nd, the Nex Playground is projected to reach 600,000 sales for the year. This is remarkable growth for a company that wasn’t on the radar of many just a few months prior. It’s a significant turnaround for a firm that began nearly a decade ago, creating a motion-tracking iPhone app for basketball training, and nearly faced bankruptcy during the process. Per the Wall Street Journal:
Two years ago, the company sold approximately 5,000 units of the Playground. Last year, that figure rose to around 150,000. This year, it’s on track for 600,000. Before its pivot, Nex generated about $3 million in annual revenue and was not profitable. This year, the company anticipates exceeding $150 million in sales and asserts that it is on track to finally break even.
The success even surprised the company, which briefly struggled to keep the console available in retail stores, causing price increases on eBay. The crucial question will be if Nex can maintain this momentum post-holidays. And while 600,000 consoles sold is impressive for a small startup, it pales in comparison to the over 10 million Switch 2s that have been sold.
