Eriksson freed, Gizmondo returning?

The Swedish ex-executive has been released early from a US jail, and a new Web site is touting the return of the handheld.

It was one of the more bizarre events to hit video game news in the last few years. Back in November 2006, a former executive of Gizmondo crashed a rare Ferrari Enzo at high speed on the Pacific Coast Highway--and then claimed that it was a mysterious German man called Dietrich who was behind the wheel.

Stefan Eriksson was jailed for three years in a Los Angeles court after pleading no contest to charges of embezzlement. The Swede was sentenced to three years in jail in the US, but was moved to a detention centre on December 13, reports Swedish Web site The Local. He is still in the detention centre outside of LA while he awaits a new passport and a flight back to Europe.

In related news, a Web site has popped up claiming that the Gizmondo handheld itself will also be seeing a release into the public. The short demo claims that the Gizmondo will be "A Legend Reborn" and will be "rising again" sometime in 2008.

It claims that the new iteration of the failed handheld, which was originally released in October 2005, will feature an "open source environment," the ability to "create your own games," "Gizmondo live marketplace," and most bizarrely "exciting psychic worlds."

92 Comments

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 11:47 am PT

    not bad at all

  • stziggy

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 7:07 pm PT

    "exciting psychic worlds" Does that mean there's a drop of acid with every Gizmondo? Still wouldn't make it worth buying.

  • dragonwarlock77

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 4:48 pm PT

    No, just no, this dirtbag belongs in prison. Keep him there.

  • gnbfd

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 1:29 pm PT

    God. The handheld that makes you watch ads is coming back? Brilliant just brilliant.

    DS>PSP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Gizmondo

  • matty_sen

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 9:38 am PT

    ohh not again, by profits youd think they lernd somthing gizmondo was one of the bigest failer of 2005,the games are crap and you cant compet with sony and nintendo for handhelds

  • Omniel_YHVH

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 6:31 am PT

    Lol @ "exciting psychic worlds."

  • z3r0myst

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 5:59 am PT

    Too little, too late.

  • _Cab0ose87_

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 4:10 am PT

    Mm "Gizmondo" the name just SCREAMS cool...

  • GtheMVP

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 2:36 am PT

    This looks like it was created by some kid on experiemental drugs.

  • mpeg3s

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:09 pm PT

    Die Gizmo Die!!!

  • Telekenesis123

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 10:49 pm PT

    What are these people masochists? Why do they even attempt to release this garbage?

  • jaredcrazy3232

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 10:45 pm PT

    well a handheld for homebrews... could be the all around mobile device, but then again it could also suck big time.

  • xgalacticax

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 10:44 pm PT

    It had no chance when it was just the Gameboy. What makes them think it will succeed in the face of the Gameboy, DS and the PSP. Sony only half succeeded because the PlayStation brand was already established.

  • SnipeyMcSnipe

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 10:25 pm PT

    Why even bother? There is no way they can compete with nintendo and sony.

  • AceCometh

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 9:34 pm PT

    I have but one question. Why?

  • niteowl74

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 9:01 pm PT

    Could they be repackaging the gp32x under the gizmondo name

  • Canitbe

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 8:16 pm PT

    The new unit is based off a linux distro, the hardware itself has always been solid, lack of support from developers has been its downfall.

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 7:48 pm PT

    will it even be able to compete with the DS and the PSP?

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 7:47 pm PT

    yay??

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 6:55 pm PT

    At least the Gizmondo exists, NOT like the PHANTOM console.

  • Nintendo_Man

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 6:37 pm PT

    Legendary flop

  • dz99ls

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 5:28 pm PT

    Yeah gizmondo ill pack my tent and head to best buy today!

  • ScreamDream

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 4:46 pm PT

    I'm selling my DS tomorrow (pause) NOT.

  • tarmadadj

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 4:26 pm PT

    lol How bizarre
    There we go again

  • keyhunter

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 3:56 pm PT

    OH MAN THE GIZMONDO. IT'S BACK. AHHHHH HELLL YEEESSSS.

  • AnFangs_Endes

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 3:34 pm PT

    How could it be a legend reborn if it wasn't a legend in the first place?

  • madmalz

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 3:24 pm PT

    Where does Dietrich fit in to all this?

  • jamishftw

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 3:16 pm PT

    Worst idea I have read for a while

  • sktseany

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 3:01 pm PT

    do they really think they have a chance in the market with the PSP and the DS already selling millions?

    i reckon it'll just be the same as what they did in 2005. Flaw it

  • Geetarman42

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 2:52 pm PT

    That's the dumbest thing I've ever seen....

  • LinconSixEcho

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 2:05 pm PT

    In other news, Dreamcast and N Gage have teamed up to take over the home console market and cell phones all at the same time.

  • Petri87

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 1:06 pm PT

    @funky_muzic - You know that if you go to vegas you should always bet on Duke!

    I dont think this will go well for Gizmondo since everyone has already made up their mind that its not worth buying.

  • LsTr_Of_SmG

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 1:00 pm PT

    The last Gizmondo remains a brilliant PDA - still one of the best purely for its homebrew content. I'm starting to wish I hadn't sold mine now, might pick one up again soon as I doubt the rumours of a Gizmondo sequel are accurate.

    EDIT: (As everyone has previously stated however - itt's retail games were unbelievably **** There were some nice homebrew games for it that made good use of its analogue stick and two memory slots though.)

  • PremiumUnleaded

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 1:00 pm PT

    Lawls, even the N-Gage has enjoyed more success than this thing.

  • devious122799

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 12:55 pm PT

    Linux, homebrew, portable. Make it a fair price with WiFi and I'll get it.

  • funky_muzic

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 12:27 pm PT

    Interesting, but if the rumors are true, it won't succeed. The PSP has already created it's identity as the "hackers system". And we know the DS will have better games. My advise to the Gizmondo investors is to go to Vegas, put it all on red, and you would have a better chance making money that way than by releasing a new Gizmondo.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 12:16 pm PT

    I very much doubt this would happen. Any new entry into the handheld market would just get crushed by the DS and PSP. If there was a gap in the market, then maybe, but there isn't.

  • Zoomer30

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 12:14 pm PT

    I hear they figured out how to make a PS3 handheld and it will read the minds of your enemies.

    This thing has about as much chance has DNF has of EVER shipping.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:52 am PT

    Laynard Muldrat: Meet the GPX2. It's a Dual core handheld media device as big at the DS Lite that takes SD cards, and can run all the emulators you could want via Linux.

    VegetaMaelstrom:

    Duke Nukem Forever is coming out, this year. For 360, PS3 and PC.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:50 am PT

    Lol.

  • shamarke

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:41 am PT

    hahahahahahahah........gizmondo!

  • VegetaMaelstrom

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:36 am PT

    Word on the street is that the Gizmondo is going to re-launch with Duke Nukem Forever bundled with it. Yup.

  • andjeff

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:34 am PT

    Boring!

  • Seymour47

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:22 am PT

    Almost the most obvious fake by someone. Anyone that believes this needs to work on their reasoning skills a bit more.

  • raynard_muldrat

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:18 am PT

    There is only just enough room in the market for the PSP let alone a third handheld, nintendo has always dominated the handheld arena, this will not see the light of day, unless maybe used for illegal emulators and the like

  • Maxx_the_Slash

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:15 am PT

    Released early most likely due to overcrowding prisons. A new Gizmondo will never sell if the man behind it is a criminal that didn't earn his way out of prison.

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:13 am PT

    It wasn't a legend the first time around...

    Still, the "create your own games" aspect might be nice if they streamlined everything just right. In today's age, it would probably handle downloading into the unit, but you'd still need some sort of portable blank media to back it up. SD cards perhaps?

    Even at a GB color level, if it was done right it'd be very cool. Of course, of the millions of gamers, how many of them have a strong command of code and how many of them have "the gift" to make a decent game?

  • SlikNik27

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:12 am PT

    I'm sure this will do well...

  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 11:00 am PT

    Perhaps this is the most retarded thing to surface since ... well EVER.

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