Announced a long time ago, the Intellivision Amico was billed as family friendly alternative to the higher profile console alternatives in the market. However delays to its launch (originally for October 2020) and subsequent drama over additional funding and spats with the community have raised a lot of concerns. Following a controversial unboxing video on YouTube where many questioned its validity, another rumour (and it is just that) is that GameStop preorders are being cancelled which if true begs the question: is this the end for the Amico? There’s no doubt that the significant delays haven’t done the hardware any favours, especially when an Xbox Series S is both cheaper and more powerful. And with games quality being compared to old mobile rather than modern console, even the family oriented aspects lose their appeal due to how dated they appear.

There’s been a fair share of suspect console hardware announcements over the years and while some did eventually arrive like the Atari VCS (a surprise to be honest) there were others like the Retro VGS/Coleco Chameleon that left a trail of destruction that burned anything and everyone that crossed its path. Even the Ouya, which started off well with a fair amount of positive sentiment faded away quickly. Thinking that Intellivision, a company that had found ways to survive for years on the strength of its game properties, will finally be undone by trying to relive the old days with a poorly conceived console will be a genuine shame. I really don’t know where this is going to go but one thing is certain and that is time is running out for the Amico.