Gadgets

January 30, 2026, 10:10 AM EST. The Nex Playground is a $249 motion-tracking console built around an onboard camera and computer vision. It tracks up to four players and aims to recapture the Kinect impulse for families. Nex says it sold about 650,000 units last year, a figure that challenged Xbox in some periods. The pitch rests on simple setup, solid motion-tracking and a library of kid-friendly titles from Peppa Pig to Bluey, plus party games and activity modes. Pros include fun core titles, offline play, and a well-designed hardware/UI with a growing catalog; cons include a required ongoing subscription to access most games and the need for a large play space. Example games include Fruit Ninja, Go Keeper and Starri; Nex Play Pass is $89/year or $49 for three months.