Earlier this month we heard talk of shipping delays for the GameStick game system. The good news however is that the GameStick has since begun shipping. In fact, thanks to a recently posted unboxing video, we now know the GameStick began shipping to Kickstarter backers last week. Putting that bit of good news aside, it looks like those 5,691 Kickstarter backers can now get a look at what will be arriving.
Simply put, PlayJam has shared an unboxing video giving a look at what they are calling the developer boxes. These units are described (on the box) as being a prototype and as you will see by watching the video — your Kickstarter backed GameStick will look a bit different as compared to the final retail version.
The GameStick itself is bigger in size than the retail model. It is also black as opposed to white. The Kickstarter model will have the following; HDMI to TV, microSD card slot (with support for cards up to 32GB in size), full sized USB 2.0 port for connecting peripherals and a microUSB for power. Similar to the console stick, the controller will also be a bit different as compared to the retail model.
In fact, the folks at PlayJam have said the controller for Kickstarter backers will be “quite far off the final retail unit” and that the “quality will be nowhere near the final product.” Aside from the GameStick itself and the controller, the box also includes a USB power adapter as well as a charging cable and extender cable. Shifting away from the hardware, this video also offers a look a the UI. Those itching to get a look at that should skip ahead to the 3:20 mark of the video. All said and done, with shipments going out, we should begin seeing some hands-on user reports hitting the web soon enough.
Just a clarification, the Dev Units are the ones quite a bit different as they are made from silicon molds as opposed to the metal molds used for high inventory production lines. The non-Dev units for Kickstarters will be the same as the retail versions just different color options. I am not affiliated with GameStick, just someone following the story.