Gizmondo Europe to be liquidated

So we last left off with Tiger Telematics UK going to bankruptcy court in its home country, the UK, as things for them took a decided turn for the worse -- debts piling up, revenues low as ever, layoffs and cutbacks in line. Since then further hearings have occurred, which have led Tiger to turn over Gizmondo Europe for liquidation, and it looks like they're assuming the worst. As in: all GE employees would be released and operations would completely shut down. Of course, if Tiger Telematics can come up with the cash quickly enough -- and supposedly they're trying -- they can buy back Gizmondo Europe from the liquidators; but after this, the closure of their Helsinborg, Stockholm, and Manchester game studios, and their flagship store, things are looking falling-house-of-cards-grim for the console maker these days. And still Gizmondo trudges on in the US.

[Steve Chapman @ Feb 7th 2006 11:43AM]

I bought a Gizmondo a few weeks ago, only to find that they sold me a used one as new, and that it had the previous owner's pin number locking me out. When I went back to the Valencia store only two days later, it was gone!

Hilarianity.

[John @ Feb 7th 2006 11:54AM]

I'm still waiting for this thing to be $9.99 at the local toy store. I'd pick one up just for the hell of it at that price.

Nintendo owns the hand held market. Competitors will need to come up with something bigger than this to compete.

-John

[John @ Feb 7th 2006 11:56AM]

Steve,

Hilarity aside, that kinda sucks man. How much did it cost you and what are you going to do about it to get your money back?

-John

[Ewan @ Feb 7th 2006 12:46PM]

I have to admit I took the picture of the Blue Screened Gizmondo you've been using in these situations.

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/01/gizmondo_bluescreen.jpg

It was taken while doing the rounds at CES 2005, when nobody was looking. I kind of feel partly responsible for this.

Actually - no, no I don't. It wasn't much better when it had been reset by the booth manager.

//loads up Burnout on his PSP

[a risch @ Feb 7th 2006 1:04PM]

The US branch in Austin, Texas was closed down as well. They let every one go last week.

[doc @ Feb 7th 2006 1:20PM]

Ok , you see, seeing a company sink badly like this is pretty sad and all.. but that's what you get when you spend millions on development and marketing and basically zero on market research.

[yet another Matt @ Feb 7th 2006 1:50PM]

Yeah, doesnt this mean your gonna be able to pick up a set of 3 for �10 soon? No bad thing at all.

[NA @ Feb 7th 2006 3:43PM]

I blame the failure of it soley because it looks absolutely rediculous and like its made of cheap plastic. This is the same reason why the ROKR bombed.

Not to mention "Tiger Telematics" sounds way too close to "Tiger Electronics"; the makers of those cheesy $5 portable games from back in the day. (though double dragon did hold a special place in my heart on long road trips when I was a kid)

This thing was destined to crash and burn before it even hit production. Thank god Im not a stockholder.

On a side note though, I could have sworn I played around with this thing on a display unit in a Best Buy or CompUSA like 3 years ago here in NYC... or am I just going crazy?

[Virtuous @ Feb 7th 2006 3:55PM]

If mighty Nokia couldn't compete against Ninendo and Sony, Tiger certainly couldn't.

[abigsmurf @ Feb 7th 2006 4:14PM]

If they sell these off for less than �50 I'd buy one

[raindog @ Feb 7th 2006 4:46PM]

Make it US$50, with an active homebrew community, and I might be with you on that, abigsmurf.

But I'm thinking they never made enough of these things to have them appear in clearance bins anywhere. It's not like the old days of Coleco or Sega where they had hugely successful products followed by a hugely overproduced flop that they had to liquidate.... this was their first product and was probably produced in small numbers accordingly.

[south @ Feb 7th 2006 5:29PM]

#1 Steve, in all seriousness I'd love to know what thought processes led you to purchase a Gizmondo just a few weeks ago. How much was it?

[hafa @ Feb 7th 2006 6:10PM]

you just got Gizmondoed, steve..

[snac @ Feb 8th 2006 5:27AM]

Lol, Gizmondo really should win an award for audacity.

[desmume @ Feb 8th 2006 6:05AM]

And I was just about to buy the Wide-screen Gizmondo :) They are soon going to become collectors items as not too many were sold.

[Bill @ Feb 9th 2006 3:22PM]

Umm...I go to Best Buy alot and Ive never seen one of these things...are you sure its out in the US? Is it out in every state except New York?

[former Sega employee @ Feb 9th 2006 6:31PM]

one word.


TOLD YOU SO

What were they thinking? Idiots.

[MotoMike @ Feb 9th 2006 6:44PM]

All I can say is did Tiger Telematics & Nokia ever once think that they really had a chance? It must be a European thing - "Delusions of Grandeur" to try and take on the Japs _ Sony & Nintendo.

Now is the time for Microsoft to swoop in buy it, redesign it(ugly as hell) and market it as the MS Xbox portable.

[Corinth @ Feb 16th 2006 12:05AM]

Hey guys. Former US gizmondo store manager here. The company hasnt paid anyone for over a month and a half, my store got shut down in january cause they coudlnt afford to pay the lease.

To anyone who bought a gizmondo, i am sorry guys, wish i could do more to help you all out but all i can do is say i am sorry the company flopped. Mostly because they owe me like 3 grand in pay.

If anyone wants a way to contact the company and snark at them for not refunding money whatever, call barry taylor at 828-349-1121. Thats for the US> anyone in uk, sorry guys i dont have that info!

[JB @ Feb 16th 2006 6:35PM]

hey Corinth what store did you run. I ran the southlake store one of the first to open and the first to closed and it was my call to close the store I just could no longer sell the crap to people and yes I am the same one that warned you all about Barry not paying he owes me $1500 and about $1600 to the rest of my employees.

[Anonymous @ Feb 21st 2006 8:54PM]

Wow, another former gizmondo kiosk manager here as well, I also have not been paid and Barry Taylor owes me several paychecks. What are you guys planning to do about it? We should form a class action suit or something.

[David @ Feb 22nd 2006 11:48AM]

Gizmondo web site went down today for no pay, lol.

[Talon Kent @ Apr 18th 2008 2:33PM]

David its me Talon Call me when you recieve this message

714-457-8560

for sure man its been a long time!!

[Monte @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:45PM]

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3108&date=20060222

[Stevie @ Feb 26th 2006 7:12PM]

I can't possibly begin to describe how disorganised/unserious Tiger Telekinetipathics must be. Sure we had our laugh, hahaha, look at the crappy handheld and it's funny-as-hell name and selection of games no other company wanted, but what they didn't anticipate was how much it would cost the stupid b******s. I can't believe they actually thought they could possibly survive the already raging console war. (which is currently being pwned by Nintendo, by the way :))
Although having said that, I should probably buy some now before they completely go bust, y'know, so i can have some fun smashing 'em up with a hammer or throwing them at old people. The possibilities are endless! Though God strike me dead should I ever consider using the power button...

Thanks for the laugh Tiger Telekinetiwhatchamacallits, now f*** off.

[Skeuomorph @ Feb 28th 2006 6:33PM]

Here's what it cost the CTO...

http://www.malibutimes.com/articles/2006/02/24/news/news1.txt

[Jon Van Leuven @ Feb 28th 2006 8:06PM]

I recieved a Gizmondo as a gift. My friend gave me the reciept. I never heard of Gizmondo and wasn't very interested in a handheld device. I took it to the West Covina store in January and was told that since my friend paid with a check, I would have to be sent the money as a corporate check. I have not gotten the compensation. All the stores in Los Angeles are closed. Even when the site was up, the telephone numbers didn't work, except for the Barry Taylor number which answers as National Kiosks. I've left Barry Taylor another message stating that if I don't hear from him within a week, I'm contacting a lawyer. I'm sure that's a waste of time on my part. It was over $400 for all that stuff I took back to the store. I've noticed that some store managers have posted here. If you haven't gotten paid, it doesn't look good for me, but if any of the former managers have any further contact information for this individual, I'd appreciate it. Contact my email directly.
[e-mail]
Jon Van Leuven

[former developer @ Mar 1st 2006 5:34AM]

Guys - to anyone that has bought a gizmondo...watch out when it comes to the charging of the batteries.

Do not leave the charger plugged into the gizmondo for days.. at some time the batteries will start swelling.



It has been an interesting ride with Gizmondo and hopefully the breakdown will inspire other game companies that this is what you get if you do not have the following:

1. Iterative planning
2. Communication channels within the company
3. updated budgeting

etc...


Who knows, maybe 20 years from now the Gizmondos will be collectors items. Then again, we all remember what happened to the game E.T....


Cheers everyone