Phantom Console a Hoax?
We examine the evidence on Infinium Labs
Since we broke the Phantom games console story several months back, speculation has been rife regarding the manufacturer's claims, their credibility, and their ability to put this console on the shelves.
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Whilst the name of the product itself (Phantom – defined as "Something apparently seen, heard, or sensed, but having no physical reality" or "Fictitious; nonexistent". Source: dictionary.com) does suggest a hoax, most journalists have been convinced into admitting that they believe this product may have some substance.
Punters on website message boards, and the more cynical press, remain sceptical. Overclocking portal HardOCP had a reader, who works in the same building as the Infinium Labs offices, go over and take a look. Several photos later and it appears the office is a 100ft x 100ft room with a desk and two phones.
Steve, a HardOCP editor, talked to Tim Roberts (the CEO of Infinium Labs) as he told comic/weblog site Penny Arcade:
- I talked to the Tim Roberts guy on the phone when he returned my call ( 22 days after I left a message ) and when I asked him about all this...he HUNG UP ON ME. I asked him if he was looking for investors, he said "We are actively recruiting investors". I asked him if they had any consoles on hand, he said "We have several hundred prototype models here in the office". So then I asked him where the prototypes were made, he said "right here in our facility". Then I told him I had seen his 100ft x 100ft office space conveniently[sp] located next to Missing Link Art Gallery in the strip mall ( located at 5380 Gulf of Mexico Dr. Longboat Key, Fl 34228 ) and he went NUTS!!! "WHO THE F*** IS THIS!?!?! BLAH BLAH I'LL SUE YOU". (Our censoring)
Several people have noted that it may be a PR stunt by the company behind Infinium Lab's website and promotional video. 2Advanced, a California based design studio, are well known and well regarded in the industry. Their name is plastered on the website's splash page.
I spoke to Tim Roberts when the story first broke, and showed him the sceptical feedback we were getting on the news. He told me about his previous experience in setting up Savvis Communications Inc. and several other internet based companies. He also reassured me with the credentials of the company's "Advisory Board".
Also suggesting it's not a hoax is several journalists who say they have seen working prototypes, and an apparent $25m (£15.9m, 23m Euros) in venture capital Infinium Labs have received.
If this is a PR stunt, hoax, or both then its worked. 5 million visits to the company's website shows the reach this product and company has had. However, we have to question what exactly are they pushing if it's not a console?
Comments
lol
seems pretty real to me, but somebody should contact intel and nvidia to see if they bought stuff from them.
It took me 2 minutes to go and check the US trademark/patent site and find the Phantom trademarks.
Isn't investigative journalism grand?
Ok - so the PA reader is incorrect in saying there are no trademarks.
isn't there another invention of anew console?
ok what is the phantom console!? i never heard of it in my life?! can someone explain!?
Well.. the guy running the show does have experience in starting up what are eventually huge businesses.
You have to speculate to accumulate.
umm.... ok...
well if it's a scam , i would venture to say that they must
now have been approached by real investors. And probably discovered that to build an up to par gaming pc and putting it in a nice box , could be done very cheaply. Will decide to launch this "phantom" and make a buck of it , because it would sell.
I love stories like this. You say, "several journalists... say they have seen working prototypes." What journalists? What publications do they write for? Where can I go read the accounts for myself? Have YOU read anything from these phantom reporters?
Or are you just repeating what someone else said, who was just repeating what someone else said, who in turn was quoting you.... get the picture?
And since when is 'Penny Arcade Reader' a good source of information?
Didn't Who's We create the webpage? Why would 2advanced hire Who's We to create it?
I see 2advanced's logo on the Phantom & Infinium Labs sites.
Maybe 2advanced were too busy and outsourced it?
I've known Tim Roberts for many years and the guy has no fear. He's had his share of failures, but he learns from them and keeps moving forward.
He isn't afraid to take on Microsoft or Sony and the guy has vision.
I was a landscaper when I met him 6 years ago and now I'm helping Infinium slay the dragons of the gaming industry.
Laugh now, but trust me when I say this is going to be BIG
Idiots..
Wow, Phantom uses a Logitech Wingman rumble USB for a controler. How nice.
How much will coast Phantom in Europe.
When I will see Phantom in Europe, let´s talk about the games. I can put Pc games on Phantom?
bite me
Roberts is a crook.
Call The St. Louis Business Journal -- they'll set you straight. He is a flim-flam artist who has screwed many people ... Ask him about a guy named Andrew Gladney, or Rob Shambro, or ask him what his twin brother Peter was doing in prison. Roberts moved to Florida because there were/are people in St. Louis who would like to take his head off ...and that ain't no phantom threat....keep asking around, better yet, ask him yourself ....contact him via www.timr.tv
buy our album
I heard the phantom console could play any video game from another console. Is this true?
Wow, the Phantom in that picture looks really cool. My roommate has one just like that. He can hook it up to the TV and play Quake 3, or UT2k3. Hell, he can even play games like Final Fantasy 9 on it! An always-on broadband connection. A sweet wireless mouse and keyboard (from Logitech even.) He gets a P4, a cutting-edge video card, fast memory (and lots of it,) a hard drive, and plenty of games. Because, just like the Phantom Gaming Console, it is a regular PC. Oh, and I forgot: My roommate's computer ACTUALLY EXISTS! He has it! Right there, on his desk! It's not sitting in a large, empty office building. It's not sitting in the living room of one lucky "investor." Right now, it's being used to watch anime, which my roommate can do because he has a DVD drive. Unlike /some/ glowing computers I've seen....
Yes, because the patent office is completely impossible to fake out. Good thing they're watching out for consumers and not letting people patent virtually anything they feel like! Whew. Load off my mind.
Hey, is Santa Claus real, too, in your world? Oh, and is he on the advisory board for Mister Roberts? Hey, maybe we should all move to Mister Roberts' Neighborhood!
Given the angle/context of these photos and the brightness of the logo on the third one, these are just excellently photoshopped renderings. Maybe if I saw a whole roll of these... or if I saw the any of the cables reflect as cleanly on that table as the system, I'd be more impressed. I manipulate photos for a living. Why is this scam still not completely exposed? Do you think they would create an amazing website/video promotion and not put in the time to create some photos?
Best case scenario, its just a computer.
Also: someone ask id software or Epic or any publisher if they've published anything for the phantom.
I personally don't think this is a hoax, it would be extremely hard to pull off, and would be in deep with a lot of people once they buy one and find out. Can someone explain to me, I don't understand what you mean, how is it a hoax?
BIG went bankrupt...
What do you think about this ??
http://www.phantomgaming.net/gallery/
My friend works on that site
Im one of the beta testers for the Phantom (my username on the Phantom forum is otterboy2000)
wow.. a beta tester? so you dont actually do anything since they havent sent out units....
Its called wating for the system, its not like they pick me and the next day I have the system. We gotta wait for a while
Maybe Steven (above) could tell us which venting pattern is the 'real' one? Surely he has at least recieved a shoebox painted to look similar to the photos in the month since his post about being a beta tester..
-tuna indeed.
Hey I just wanted to say Infinium does have the trademarks registered. Also I talked to Tim before I became a tester and asked him about all that he never went crazy on me are you sure that HardOCP editor isn't telling stories.
Take a look at this website...
http://www.merit.edu/mail.archives/nanog/1997-02/msg00331.html
If you could, take a look at this website
http://www.merit.edu/mail.archives/nanog/1997-02/msg00331.html
Try the websites listed on this page
note the size of the 'console' in the first and last images... that child must be 2'7", or the phantom's size must be variable, or change with the seasons.
Hmm I'm not to sure on the company, the owner is a bit sketchy.
Has anyone noticed who's gonna be on stand 746 South Hall, next E3? :-)
FatRobS is that you Shambro? Another crook on the board.
Hey Tim, tell us about that domestic abuse case filed in Florida between you and your wife.
Funny how 2Advanced use that Metroid game in the video. They could have at leats used a game that wasn't a Nintendo exclusive.
The Phantom will crush the competion Bahbahbah!!
errm ive seen a video from e3 with the phantom console playing ut2004 hmmm also why would someone make that up and get everyones hopes up it aint exactly a 100% fool proof marketing scheme is it lmao i think it is real and my uncle is in the console industry as well he has told me he knows people who know the guys in infinium labs so i know its real lol beleive what u like
also i have a friend who worked on the 2advanced website she is a flash programmer i think she is involved with their projects etc, i can find out more information from her as well
I was at E3 in 2004 and saw the phantom prototype working, but there is no way I will spend the kind of money they were perposing that the system will cost for the consumer.
They stated that the console will be $1500.00 and that comes with the mouse keyboard and 5 games on the 40gig HDD.
The you will half to pay a monthly fee for the service and also purchase the new games, it is not worth it, and not only that look and the specs! my computer right now is more powerful and I can upgrade you can't upgrade the phantom! So I will just keep my computer and purchase my games the way I have always done it!
No thanks Phantom Hoax or not! No sale here!
Feel free to email me with your comment at advance@comcast.net
it looks cool i;l buy it if it has good games and graphics
I think that this is a bogus company just trying to hustle dollars from people and masquerading it as "Venture capital". A machine with PC like specs won't take this long to materialise and games will be easily ported over or re-done. Another scampish attempt to fool people.
How can I get in touch with Andrew Gladney?
yo.
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