This is a story for you underdog fans. Infinium Labs, a virtually unknown, venture-capital-funded firm, virtually stepped within the ring with juggernauts Microsoft, MemoryWave Guide Sony and Nintendo with a video recreation system it had developed. Was this just hype, or did the Phantom really have a chance at being the subsequent large thing? Sound familiar? That just about describes a desktop Laptop with a broadband connection. And at its coronary heart, that is what the Phantom is: a Windows Pc (this page lists the product specs). It has constructed-in S-video, RCA, and element video ports, so it will possibly hook up to your Television instantly, just like an X-Box or DVD player. It features a sound card that supports Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. It makes use of a proprietary encryption scheme to retailer information on the exhausting drive. It would not have a CD-ROM drive. Moreover, the Phantom is programmed to make use of Infinium Lab's digital non-public video games community (VPGN).

In the subsequent section, we'll see what this function is all about. Like a regular VPN, it acts as a direct, personal route from laptop to computer, via the Web -- on this case, from a Phantom console to the Infinium Labs recreation server (see How VPNs Work for extra info). The VPGN makes it easy for the console to get specific video games from Infinium Labs, and more importantly, it makes it easy for Infinium Labs to regulate who will get what video games. Even with these modifications, the Phantom isn't earth-shattering from a pure hardware technology standpoint. Infinium's main innovation is taking what's special about a gaming Laptop -- the large number of games, the flexibility to obtain games and game previews and the flexibility to easily upgrade the machinery -- with what's particular about a console -- the power to play video games utilizing a giant-screen Tv, high-end sound system and custom controller. As we'll see in the following section, Infinium Labs has used this marriage of console and Pc to put together a plan for a artistic new gaming enterprise.

As we noticed in the final section, the Phantom doesn't have a CD-ROM drive like a standard Laptop or recreation console, and it would not have normal entry to the Web both -- it really works by way of a specialized VPN. In other words, the only method to get a recreation into the machine is to download it immediately from Infinium Labs over a broadband connection. This and the system's propriety information encryption are the essential items of Infinium Labs' enterprise mannequin. To understand this system, as an instance you resolve to get a Phantom. You'll order the Phantom console online or buy it in a retailer. Infinium has announced they may give the console hardware away free to individuals who sign a two-yr contract for entry to the Phantom VPGN. You'll hook the console as much as your broadband connection. Infinium Labs would arrange an account for you and provide you with entry to the VPGN. You would pay $29.95 a month for the VPGN access.

When you arrange the console, you get a library of "free" games. To buy more games, you would entry the VPGN and see what's available for download. These video games could be Computer-based mostly games and possible ports of video games for X-Field and different consoles. Utilizing the VPGN service, you would additionally be capable to preview video games, rent video games, enter tournaments. While you bought a sport, you'd download it to the Phantom's arduous drive. The Infinium Lab system would keep monitor of what you owe. You'd even have the flexibility to dam sure varieties of video games, to keep children from taking part in video games with excessive violence or other adult content material. You would get entry to immediate messaging, audio and video conferencing, boards and information. Infinium hopes to also supply Internet searching, utilizing Mozilla as an alternative of Web Explorer. Infinium Labs' hope is this program presents enough to avid gamers and recreation builders to be successful.

The store just doesn't have room to place any extra on the shelves. And since it is expensive to print discs, bundle discs and ship discs to physical shops, solely comparatively large sport corporations can afford to get plenty of video games to shops anyway. There are quite a lot of sport developers out there who might produce 1000's of games for a specific console or a Laptop, if they might get previous the distribution hurdle. When you are taking the bodily disc out of the picture (as a result of the gamer downloads the sport), there isn't a competition for shelf space, so it's easy to expand choice. Pc house owners take pleasure in these identical advantages -- they will obtain games they won't find anywhere else. Lower worth: Again, because you're taking manufacturing and distribution costs out of the image, you reduce down significantly on the game distributor's expenses. This implies, potentially, Phantom video games might cost less than comparable X-Box, GameCube or PlayStation 2 video games.