The Worst Game Console Ever Made...

Summary

The 'Emprator' console, released in 2014 in Iran, promised to rival major gaming systems but fell far short. With only 9 games, poor DRM, and impractical controls using a webcam and wheel, the experience was frustrating. The games, including a barely functional car game and others with no innovation, were unplayable or nonsensical. The console's creators faced financial struggles and outdated ideas, leading to its failure and the company's closure. This script recounts the console's story, highlighting its many flaws and the lessons learned from its failure.

Takeaways

• 🎮 The 'Emprator' game console was released in 2014, marketed to rival major brands like PlayStation but fell far short of expectations.
• 🌐 It was exclusively sold in Iran and was extremely rare, with only 5 seconds of gameplay footage known to exist.
• 📦 The console's box included a 'racing' wheel, webcam, cable, manual, and a DVD with 9 games, but the actual console was never finished.
• 🔒 The games came with anti-piracy measures requiring a serial number, which was not provided anywhere, making setup and installation difficult.
• 🛠️ The user had to use cheat engine to bypass the anti-piracy mechanism, revealing the code was poorly protected and easy to crack.
• 🕹️ The games were intended to be controlled with the webcam tracking a wheel, but the technology was outdated and inconsistent.
• 🚗 The first game, 'The Car', was unplayable with the wheel due to poor controls and input delay, despite the presence of a keyboard as an alternative.
• 🎨 The games varied in quality, with some being simple mobile game concepts, others being unresponsive, and one causing motion sickness.
• 🏆 Despite its flaws, the console won awards, likely due to the lack of oversight and testing by the Ministry of Health.
• 💸 Financial issues were a significant factor in the console's failure, with insufficient funding leading to poor game development.
• 📚 The original creator revealed in an interview that the console was outdated from the start and failed to innovate or improve upon existing technology.

Q & A

What is the 'Emperator' game console?

The 'Emperator' is a game console released in 2014, claimed to rival major brands like PlayStation, but it was actually a poorly executed product made in Iran and exclusively sold there.

What was included in the 'Emperator' package?

The package included a 'racing' wheel, webcam, cable, manual, and a DVD containing 9 games. However, the actual game console was never finished.

What issues were encountered when trying to install the games from the 'Emperator' DVD?

Some game files required a password, and others asked for a serial number, which was not mentioned anywhere, making it difficult to set up the games.

How was the anti-piracy mechanism in the 'Emperator' games bypassed?

The anti-piracy mechanism could be bypassed by modifying the game code with no coding experience, by replacing part of the code to allow progression even with an incorrect key.

What was the quality of the webcam included with the 'Emperator'?

The webcam had poor quality, struggling with fast movements and having a narrow field of view, making it unsuitable for the intended game controls.

What was the main issue with the 'Emperator' wheel as a game controller?

The wheel was inconsistent and had a delay in response. It relied on a pattern recognized by the webcam, which was not accurate or practical for gameplay.

What was the quality of the games included with the 'Emperator'?

The games were of poor quality, with many being unplayable or extremely basic, and one was even a direct copy of an Atari game made 40 years prior.

Why was the 'Emperator' considered a scam?

It was considered a scam due to its false advertising, poor quality games, and the fact that it was marketed as a console when it was essentially just a set of webcam games.

What was the financial situation of the creators of the 'Emperator'?

The creators had a very limited budget, with only around $9,000 from the government, half of which they actually received, which was insufficient for developing quality games.

What was the original intention behind the 'Emperator'?

The original intention was to create a console that would encourage physical movement and get kids away from the screen, similar to the Kinect or Wii, but it failed to innovate or improve on these concepts.

What happened to the company and creators behind the 'Emperator'?

Both the company named 'Emperator' and the creators of the console eventually closed their offices, and the website is no longer operational.