supergg2k
Shared on Tue, 07/10/2007 - 09:22Gamasutra is reporting that Timothy Roberts, the former founder and CEO of Infinium Labs now Phantom Entertainment has resigned.
I can hear you asking "Who?". Let me explain.
In 2002, there was a lot of hype regarding a system that would allow PC games to be played on your TV via a broadband connected online service. The system was dubbed the Phantom. The system would basically be a computer configured to play popular PC titles by automatically installing and configuring them.
This sounded like a good idea. There are hundreds of PC games available versus the few hundred available console games across the several systems available at the time.
But there was a small problem. All they had was an idea. And promises were being made left and right surrounding that idea.
In fact it took two years to get a prototype built. And even then they didn't have licenses for the games or the technology built to deliver them.
In 2004, the former head of the Xbox team Kevin Bachus joined the company. While this provided some hope that the system would finally see the light of day, he left the company in November 2005 unable to deliver the system.
In August 2006 the company pulled the plug on the system. Although the system is no more, the lapboard (a keyboard and mouse that sits in your lap) that was introduced was manufactured and is available for order from their site.
Gamers and reporters had a field day with these events. It turns out that the CEO had a history of building companies that were unbelievably unsuccessful. Several times the system won awards for best vaporware. Across the board the company was ridiculed and derided.
Timothy Roberts resigned his post to pursue other opportunities. I can hardly wait to see what vaporware he comes out with next.
I can hear you asking "Who?". Let me explain.
In 2002, there was a lot of hype regarding a system that would allow PC games to be played on your TV via a broadband connected online service. The system was dubbed the Phantom. The system would basically be a computer configured to play popular PC titles by automatically installing and configuring them.
This sounded like a good idea. There are hundreds of PC games available versus the few hundred available console games across the several systems available at the time.
But there was a small problem. All they had was an idea. And promises were being made left and right surrounding that idea.
In fact it took two years to get a prototype built. And even then they didn't have licenses for the games or the technology built to deliver them.
In 2004, the former head of the Xbox team Kevin Bachus joined the company. While this provided some hope that the system would finally see the light of day, he left the company in November 2005 unable to deliver the system.
In August 2006 the company pulled the plug on the system. Although the system is no more, the lapboard (a keyboard and mouse that sits in your lap) that was introduced was manufactured and is available for order from their site.
Gamers and reporters had a field day with these events. It turns out that the CEO had a history of building companies that were unbelievably unsuccessful. Several times the system won awards for best vaporware. Across the board the company was ridiculed and derided.
Timothy Roberts resigned his post to pursue other opportunities. I can hardly wait to see what vaporware he comes out with next.
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