{"id":62861,"date":"2014-03-28T01:48:48","date_gmt":"2014-03-27T23:48:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/?p=62861"},"modified":"2014-03-28T01:54:04","modified_gmt":"2014-03-27T23:54:04","slug":"expensive-outrageous-and-dreadful-gaming-gadgets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/features\/62861-expensive-outrageous-and-dreadful-gaming-gadgets","title":{"rendered":"Expensive, outrageous, and dreadful gaming gadgets"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Some people have more money than sense, and tech products that you and I may consider frivolous are generally sold to these kinds of people.<\/p>\n<p>But even those with a fat bank balance and wet teabags for brains would think twice before buying some of the items profiled below.<\/p>\n<p>From the ridiculous, to the insanely expensive, to the poorly timed, we present to you a list of expensive, outrageous, and failed tech and gaming gadgets from the past and present.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">The Emperor Workstation<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Emperor.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-62862\" alt=\"Emperor LX\" src=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Emperor.png\" width=\"600\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Designed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mwelab.com\/index.php\/en\/products\" target=\"_blank\">MWE Lab<\/a>, The Emperor Workstation looks like something JP from Grandma&#8217;s Boy would put on his Christmas wishlist. Available in two variants, the Emperor 1510 and the Emperor LX, the &#8220;computer workstation&#8221; is hand made in Canada and is punted as the perfect set up for those who spend hours in front of a PC.<\/p>\n<p>There are two problems with the Emperor: you must look ridiculous sitting in it; and it costs more than a holiday to Italy. The 1510 retails for $5,950 (R63,700.00), while the LX model will cost you $21,500\u00a0(R230,000). Oh, and you still have to purchase the extras. Such as a laptop tray. And a side table. And the monitors.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KWdvxjJ_jPY?rel=0\" height=\"338\" width=\"600\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">Nintendo Virtual Boy<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Virtual-Boy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-62863\" alt=\"Virtual Boy\" src=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Virtual-Boy.png\" width=\"472\" height=\"600\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Nintendo Virtual Boy was marketed as the first portable gaming device when it was released in 1995. The price &#8211; $180 (R1920.00) &#8211; was a lot for the mid 90s.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately the Virtual Boy was a commercial flop and it was discontinued in 1996. The Boy debuted with Mario&#8217;s Tennis, Red Alarm, Teleroboxer, and Galactic Pinball, but even those four fine games displayed in &#8220;true 3D&#8221; through the cool-looking goggles could not keep the device afloat.<\/p>\n<p>But credit must be given where it is due &#8211; I am sure Oculus VR and Project Morpheus took some inspiration from Nintendo&#8217;s mistake.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">Gyroxus<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Gyroxus.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-62864\" alt=\"Gyroxus\" src=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Gyroxus-600x404.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Gyroxus-600x404.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Gyroxus.jpg 606w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Gyroxus, described as a\u00a0full motion video game controller, allows the gamer to experience all the joys of a tilting chair while playing a game at the same time. In essence, the gamer feels the motion their character would in the game.<\/p>\n<p>The chair, which is compatible with PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, does not have any motors and the user either leans or moves the central pivot arm to attain the &#8220;next level in video gameplay&#8221; motion.<\/p>\n<p>My colleagues tried this out a while back and weren&#8217;t too impressed, and I prefer to be stationary when playing Madden &#8211; not rolling from side to side while dodging tackles. An &#8220;almost new&#8221; Gyroxus can be picked up online from between R2,500 to R3,500.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kDFTISHA1GU?rel=0\" height=\"340\" width=\"600\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">Bionic Boppers<\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_62879\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bionic-Boppers1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62879\" class=\" wp-image-62879 \" alt=\"Bionic Boppers\" src=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bionic-Boppers1.jpg\" width=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bionic-Boppers1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Bionic-Boppers1-600x342.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-62879\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bionic Boppers<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Yes, they are giant boxing robots that you drive from the safety of their caged belly. Almost a real-world Fight Night, if you will. Each driver hops in and aims to deliver as many uppercuts as possible to the opponent&#8217;s robo-chin.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Similar to bumper cars, a driver sits inside the robot&#8217;s protective steel cage cockpit and uses a thumb-triggered button on two independent joysticks to activate two pneumatic-powered, tire-tread-fisted arms,&#8221; the product profile reads. The fighters are powered by a Honda engine and can speed around at just under 5km\/h. The price of these bad boys, $17,000 (R181,000) per pair.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R1ei9MaBpQE?rel=0\" height=\"338\" width=\"600\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">The Sega Activator<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Sega_Activator.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62874\" alt=\"Sega_Activator\" src=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Sega_Activator-600x319.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Sega_Activator-600x319.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Sega_Activator.jpg 822w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Sega Activator was an octogonal motion sensing ring that replaced a traditional control on the Sega Genesis. Hailed as the world&#8217;s first motion controller, the Activator was launched in 1993 for the price of $80 (R850.00) according to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.giantbomb.com\/sega-activator\/3000-8\/\" target=\"_blank\">Giant Bomb<\/a>\u00a0(and $150 according to the 90s TV host in the video below).<\/p>\n<p>Among the titles that supported the peripheral were Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II: Championship Edition. Needless to say the Activator was a failure, due in part to the fact that roof fans and vaulted or mirrored ceilings interfered with the device&#8217;s IR beams. A lack of support and the high cost put the final nails in the coffin.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/780bIG6TXFk?rel=0\" height=\"340\" width=\"600\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Have we missed any of what you find to be outrageous tech or gaming gadgets? Let us know in the comments and forum.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">More gaming news<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/news\/62865-keep-your-xbox-reputation-in-the-green.html\">Keep your Xbox reputation in the green<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/news\/62858-the-last-of-us-coming-to-ps4.html\">The Last of Us coming to PS4<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/videos\/62840-goat-simulator-official-launch-trailer.html\">Goat Simulator \u2013 official launch trailer<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Featuring luxury PC work stations, a Kinect from the 90s, and human-controlled boxing robots<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":62875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[12208,1929,12207,21,12209,12211,12206,12210],"class_list":["post-62861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-bionic-boppers","tag-gadget","tag-gyroxus","tag-headline","tag-nintendo-virtual-boy","tag-outrageous","tag-sega-activator","tag-the-emperor-workstation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62861"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62878,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62861\/revisions\/62878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}