Lenovo, China’s largest PC maker, is developing a new gaming console for China called the eBox, an employee familiar with the product said Friday.
The console is being developed by Beijing eedoo Technology Ltd., which is owned by Lenovo. Eedoo was founded in July with the goal of providing entertainment and gaming to Chinese families.
A staff member with eedoo confirmed that the eBox was in development, but declined to offer details. Eedoo’s website, however, says the eBox has been in development for more than two years and is being built to connect with the Internet and operate by reading body gestures. Games for the eBox will not require the use of controllers but will use physical motions, the website says.
The company is looking at releasing the product in China at the end of this year and then selling it across Asia and other overseas markets.
Currently popular gaming consoles like Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii, and Sony’s PlayStation 3 have not been officially sold in the mainland market because of a Chinese government ban. But as for Lenovo, the company is hoping to target the living rooms of 120 million urban households with the new product.